Summary of Statement of Speaker of House of Representatives on the Occasion of Closing October Session

On the occasion of closing the October legislative session, Speaker of the House of Representatives Mr. Habib El Malki gave a statement on Tuesday, February 11^th, 2020, at the House’s headquarters.

Speaker of the House of Representatives Mr. Habib El Malki started his statement by recalling the particularity of this session, as it was opened by the speech given by HM King Mohammed VI on October 11th, 2019. The particularity of this session also emanates from its economic, political, and social setting, marked by major projects in which the House has engaged. In this respect, he noted the launch of the Integrated Program to Support and Finance Enterprises, which agreements were concluded under the chairmanship of HM King Mohammed VI, recalling the symposium organized by the House of Representatives on “Funding National Economy: Towards an Integrative Development.”

Mr. El Malki also noted the adoption of other texts relative to improving the business environment and restoring faith in the national economy. For instance, Mr. El Malki highlighted the adoption of government bills relative to the simplification of administrative procedures, cooperative funding, public-private partnerships, reform of financial jurisdictions, and charter of public services. In the same respect, he also highlighted the procedures stipulated in the Finance Act to fund investments and support small and medium-sized enterprises, and the creation of the “Fund to Support Entrepreneurship Financing.”

The House’s Speaker added that, despite the Finance Act being the most important legislative text among the works of the House, the latter has also adopted important legislative texts covering other sectors. In this respect, he stated that the House approved 35 legislative texts, among which one parliamentary bill and 34 government bills. For instance, he highlighted government bill 37.17 amending and supplementing Dahir operating as Act 1.73.211 of Moharram 26th, 1393 (March 2nd, 1973) that sets the boundaries of territorial waters, and government bill 38.17 amending and supplementing Act 1.81 stipulating the establishment of an exclusive economic zone. Concerning these bills, Mr. El Malki noted that they represent a consolidation of Morocco’s sovereignty over its territorial waters, and an occasion to put an end to the threats facing marine resources, which are of increasing geopolitical importance.

As concerns government control, The House’s Speaker revealed that the four sessions devoted to general policy tackled vital issues, namely water policy, the speeding of industrialization and improvement of the business environment, development of remote areas, and the priorities of governmental action and public interventions. In the same regard, Mr. El Malki noted that the 12 weekly sessions devoted to oral questions witnessed the answer of the government members to 347 oral questions regarding services sectors, public programs, and the performance of public services. He added that the deputies addressed government members with 1160 oral questions and 2700 written questions, of which 800 were responded to.

Additionally, Mr. Habib El Malki highlighted the exploratory missions led by standing committees, the evaluation of public policies, and the hearing of chairpersons and heads of public institutions as part of controlling public finances, as well as the tasks of control conferred to standing committees, and other relevant mechanisms. These, noted Mr. El Malki, have reached conclusions and recommendations that would be the basis for elaborating measures to eliminate distortions, to enhance the performances of public institutions, and to intensify legislative initiatives. 

Concerning the fundamentals of Morocco’s foreign policy, Mr. El Malki noted that the House maintained its contribution to the defense of national causes, namely the Kingdom’s territorial integrity, through intensifying meetings with delegations of foreign parliaments, and qualitative and influential participation in the different conferences and forums organized by multilateral institutions.

Mr. El Malki also shed light on the new development model, considering that the House of Representatives should give new impetus to legislative action, given the moralization, speed, openness, and productivity the House has acquired, which has an impact on society and governance. In this respect, the House's Speaker confirmed that the Speakership of the House, parliamentary groups, and standing committees aspire to implement new reforms and suggest new working methods. In this respect, he highlighted the conclusion of a partnership agreement with Moroccan public universities to provide the deputies with experience and expertise. He also noted the establishment of the Petitions Committee, under the provisions of the Constitution relative to participatory democracy and citizenship. In the same regard, Mr. Habib El Malki mentioned absenteeism, stating that the House is currently working on amending the organic law and the House's Rules of Procedure to face this phenomenon and preserve the institution's image, and the nobleness of parliamentary practice.

On another note, Mr. Habib El Malki reiterated the permanent and unconditional support of the House of Representatives, and Morocco in general, to Palestinians and their legitimate right in building their independent state whose capital is Al-Quds. In this context, he highlighted the concrete steps that Morocco takes to prove this support, either through the chairmanship of HM King Mohammed VI of Al-Quds Committee, or the financial support Bayt Mal Al-Quds Fund provides Palestine with. Mr. El Malki reaffirmed that peace in the Middle East comes through dialogue and negotiations that comply with UN resolutions.

Speaker of the House of Representatives Habib El Malki concluded his statement by noting that the record of the October session is a motivation to work more to restore people’s confidence in Parliamentary action and to further contribute to the development of Morocco under the wise leadership of HM King Mohammed VI.