Address by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Rachid Talbi El Alami, At the Inauguration of the Interactive Meeting with Civil Society Organizations

Esteemed ladies and gentlemen, officials of civil society organizations and social actors,

Distinguished Minister Delegate for Relations with the Parliament and Government Spokesperson,

Honorable Deputy Speakers and members of the Board of the House,

Honorable Chairpersons of the Parliamentary Groups and Caucus;

Honorable Chairpersons of the Parliamentary Standing Committees;

Esteemed representatives of international partner bodies of the House of Representatives,

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is my immense pleasure to launch the proceedings of this interactive meeting with civil society organizations, devoted to the commitments of the House of Representatives under the Open Government Partnership Initiative (OGP). This offers an opportunity, for us all, to reflect upon the achievements we have made since autumn 2019, when the House acceded to this international mechanism, and look forward to the objectives set for the period 2022 – 2023.

As you are aware, the Open Government Partnership Initiative has made civil society organizations a key partner of parliaments, governments, and territorial authorities in implementing their plans and commitments under this initiative, taking into account their roles in civil advocacy, vigilance, and social guidance.

The House of Representatives considers civil society organizations as partners in the implementation of participatory and citizen democracy, in accordance with the provisions set forth in the Constitution of the Kingdom. To this end, the components of the House, including the Speakership, Board, Chairpersons of the Parliamentary Groups and Caucus, and Chairpersons of the Parliamentary Standing Committees, have been determined to institutionalize relations with social actors on the basis of inclusiveness, consultation, and strict respect for roles and responsibilities.

Before shedding light on this partnership, I would like to point out that this meeting is part of the joint ownership of the Second Plan of the House of Representatives, which outlines its commitments under the Open Government Partnership Initiative, in accordance with the methodology recommended by the latter.

This meeting also offers an opportunity to briefly touch on the achievements realized so far under the House’s First Plan 2019 – 2021, which coincided with the period of the pandemic, whose repercussions are well known to all of us. Nonetheless, the House of Representatives has been able to fulfill its core commitments, as confirmed by the independent evaluation done by the Initiative itself, and as testified by our international partners as well.

The six commitments of the House of Representatives under the First Plan are categorized under three main axes, which are as follows:

1)    Citizen Participation;

2)    Access to Information;

3)    Linking Responsibility to Accountability.

Pending the presentation of the detailed report on the achievements of the House of Representatives in the field of openness and participatory and citizen democracy, I assure you that the implementation rate of the House's commitments under the First Plan has reached a very high level in a number of sectors, and registered over 70% of completion for the outstanding commitments. In this regard, as a part of its institutionalized, monitored, and organized openness, the House has carried out 30 measures, including the implementation of constitutional and legislative provisions on participatory democracy; the constitutional right of access to information; the involvement of citizens in the legislative process and in the evaluation of public policies; openness to the public, namely youth and adolescents; the operationalization of partnerships with civil society organizations and university and academic research communities, and the e-Parliament.

On the basis of accumulation, the Second Plan of the House of Representatives, which shall be presented to you, builds on the achievements made so far, and lays down new measures in which civil society organizations and social actors will play a decisive role in completion.

Therefore, the House of Representatives proposes seven major commitments that will be implemented in the form of measures, decisions, and activities, foremost of which are the strengthening of partnership with social actors to disseminate and consolidate the democratic and parliamentary culture, the incarnation of the principle of proximity Parliament, and more openness to the public through the invitation of more citizens, including young people, to the seat of the House of Representatives.

The Plan also proposes the involvement of citizens in parliamentary action, including government control, legislation, evaluation of public policies, participation in thematic summer camps, with a view to sharing the values of democracy and the culture of political participation with citizens, namely young children, and finally organizing community fora on legislative drafting in a way that facilitates citizens’ understanding of the legislative processes.

These are the broad lines of the Plan adopted by the House of Representatives for an open parliament, which will be made available to the public on the House's official website for enrichment and feedback.

In formulating these commitments, we were keen to comply with the provisions of the Constitution of the Kingdom, which, according to many objective observers, is of liberal and progressive nature in terms of participatory and citizen democracy and the other provisions.

It is a source of pride that our country is one of the few countries that has committed to constitutionalizing the rights and obligations of civil society organizations and participatory and citizen democracy, even before the launch of the Open Government Partnership initiative.

Ladies and gentlemen,

While the dynamism of Moroccan civil society organizations deserves our recognition and appreciation for their actions on the ground, the rights and duties guaranteed to them by the Constitution and the relevant legislation impose on them the responsibility to assume new noble tasks. In this sense, Article 12 of the Constitution calls on these organizations to contribute "within the framework of participatory democracy, to the elaboration, implementation, and evaluation of decisions and projects of the elected institutions and public authorities."

In addition, the Constitution states that the public authorities “must work to create consultation bodies, intending to involve the various social actors in the elaboration, implementation, execution, and evaluation of public policies". Thus, I believe that our meeting today falls within this scope.

If Articles 14 and 15 of the Constitution entitle citizens to the right to submit legislative motions and petitions to public authorities, namely to the representative bodies, then civil society organizations are compelled to support citizens' initiatives in this respect, contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the Constitution of the Kingdom, facilitate participation, and enrich the national legislation, namely because you enjoy the advantage of proximity, diversity of fields of activity, and the capacity to create networks on the ground.

In this regard, the House of Representatives established a committee to receive petitions and motions from citizens, under the provisions of the Constitution, the Organic Law and the House’s Rules of Procedure, as we also established the necessary administrative structures to serve this end.

Civil society embodies the diversity and pluralism that characterize Morocco and enrich its civilization. It is an important national capital of skills and competencies and a fertile ground for the production of the elite and dissemination of the values of volunteering, solidarity, the culture of tolerance and citizenship.

Yet, our collective objective remains to strengthen institutions by building confidence, improving their performance, having more impact on society, improving public services, and increasing their profitability.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The openness of the House of Representatives cannot be reduced simply to the fulfillment of its commitments under the Open Government Partnership Initiative. For instance, within the framework of our relationship with the national and foreign media, which we consider an important means of sharing information and parliamentary news, the number of journalists accredited by the House has reached 250 professionals. This is considered a record number if we take into account the comparative practices inside and outside the Kingdom. In addition, the House provides on its electronic portal documents containing thousands of pages of reports and plenary sittings minutes, as well as more than 200 reference books. It is a rich documentary record that I invite researchers to invest in research on democracy and parliamentary action. Given the importance of scientific consultation in improving parliamentary action, the House concluded partnership agreements with 12 national public universities. Moreover, with a view to contributing to the development of an objective scientific vision of the aspirations and expectations of citizens, the House of Representatives launched, during the current legislative year, a sociological field study; the findings of which shall be soon be finalized.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I renew the invitation to civil society organizations to exercise their constitutional rights and launch initiatives in the field of participatory democracy, which is a pillar of popular participation in the management of public affairs. Even though I consider that participatory democracy cannot replace representative parliamentary democracy and that there is a boundary between politics and civil society that must be respected, I consider that civil associations are a fundamental pillar of institutions and a lever for democracy in its various dimensions.

As His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, affirmed, "Our country needs all its sons and daughters - all its vital, influential resources, especially civil society organizations. In this regard, I have been encouraging the constructive initiatives undertaken by civil society groups, given the positive role they play as a counterbalancing force and as a powerhouse of suggestions that contribute to constructive criticism and balance between the different powers." - end of quote.

By way of conclusion, while I invite you to enrich the House of Representatives action plan and contribute to its implementation, I would like to thank you all for being here. My thanks go also to the Minister for his presence with us, which embodies the principle of cooperation and complementarity between branches, as well as to our international partners, including the European Union, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, the National Democratic Institute, the Open Government Partnership officials, and to its representative in Africa and the Middle East.

Thank you for your keen listening.