Address of the Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Rachid Talbi El Alami Delivered on his behalf by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Rep. Khadija Zoumi

Honorable parliamentarians, 

Ladies and gentlemen of the audience, each in their name and capacity, 

Allow me first to welcome you in my name and on behalf of all the members of the House of Representatives. The Moroccan Parliament is honored and pleased to host the meetings of the Network of Women Parliamentarians and the Committee on Parliamentary Affairs under the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie. 

Ladies and gentlemen, 

I am particularly pleased that this Assembly still unites us. This space that gathers us today offers us a chance for exchange on the matters that bring us together and to bring closer our points of view on the matters that might drive us apart. 

In short, it is a lens that enables each one of us, while aspiring for universality, to invoke their historical experience and peculiarities. 

Any interparliamentary action that aspires to justice and solidarity must have its roots in the pursuit of a democratic ideal, which does not only mean the democracy shared between States, but also the corollary of democratic practice within States. 

Our parliamentary action embodies democracy as a common asset. It is a democracy whose legitimacy resides within mutual respect and sovereign equality between States, whether large or small, rich or poor, developed or developing. However, where do we stand today? This is the question to which the Francophonie and the members of its parliamentary Assembly must provide a response that, to be objective, has to be collective. 

In Africa, we have the ambition to make our link with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie a means of assistance to our cultural peculiarities and our quest to affirm our position on the international scene, as well as an asset for the sovereignty of our countries, their territorial integrity, and the unity of their people. 

In order for our joint parliamentary action to resist the test of time and the standardization of a globalized culture that we might not be able to control, we must rethink this action with more pragmatism and less nostalgia, taking into account the aspirations and concerns of the new generations. 

In the current context, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie must work on reinforcing the cohesion and efficiency of francophone action to support the global community's efforts to achieve equality between women and men, as defined in the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, especially its fifth goal. 

This is not my word, but a pledge made by the Heads of our States and governments at the Yerevan Summit in Armenia in October 2018. Since then, Covid-19 dominated the world, and many ambitious projects were put to a halt. The question that emerges today is whether we are capable of honoring this pledge by 2030.

In the meantime, it would be very useful to enquire about the evolution of the indices of violence against women and harassment cases within francophone parliaments, which are questions that commanded the attention of the participants in the 47^th Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie in Kigali in July 2022. 

As for the matter of gender-sensitive budgeting, inscribed on the agenda of the Network of Women Parliamentarians, I would like to reiterate the strong commitment of the Kingdom of Morocco to empowering women and establishing equality between women and men. 

In this respect, the Kingdom of Morocco created the Center of Excellence for Gender Responsive Budgeting in February 2013, a center universally renowned in the area that forms a space for the development of expertise, management of knowledge, and connecting the various stakeholders in the area of gender-sensitive budgeting at the national, regional, and international levels. 

This one-of-a-kind center of expertise represents the culmination of more than ten years of Moroccan experience in gender-sensitive budgeting, enabling the allocation of public budgets to the programs aimed at achieving a lasting and women-inclusive socio-economic development. It is a remarkable experience that must be shared. 

On the other hand, the Committee on Parliamentary Affairs will tackle the question of "disinformation," a pernicious phenomenon that increasingly sneaks into the parliamentary area. 

In the parliamentary context, disinformation can take several shapes and harshly affect the democratic process, namely the propagation of false information on draft laws, the defamation of political opponents by accusing them of inappropriate behaviors or ascribing them positions they do not defend, manipulation of public opinion through the spread of false information, or the abusive exploitation of social media by propagating wrongful arguments and conspiracy theories. These practices negatively influence public opinion and compromise the democratic debate. 

In order to eradicate disinformation from the parliamentary arena, we must today instill a culture of accountability, respect, and probity by promoting the spread of factual and credible information. Besides, parliamentarians, as representatives of the people, are particularly responsible for guaranteeing the integrity of the democratic process and reinforcing the trust of citizens in their institutions. 

Being conscious of the magnitude of this phenomenon, the Moroccan legislator sought to solidify the national legal arsenal to protect the Moroccan society against disinformation. In this regard, we can take the example of the Press Code, which stipulates, in the section related to protecting the public order, provisions that penalize disinformation, particularly on the internet. In addition, the Moroccan Penal Code sets out, in its section related to the violations of honor, the reputation of people, and secret infringements, numerous provisions applicable to disinformation. 

Ladies and gentlemen, 

Beyond these matters, our permanent concern must be to add value and have a tangible impact on the quality of life and welfare of the electors that empowered us to represent them. If we join our efforts, we can match their aspirations. 

On this hopeful note, I welcome you again and wish you a pleasant stay in the Kingdom of Morocco and the success of your proceedings. 

Thank you for your listening.