Oct.12.2007. Full speech of king Mohammed VI at opening of parliament fall session

Here follows the full speech of king Mohammed VI before parliament at the opening of the eight's legislative term:Praise be to God     

Peace and blessings be upon the Prophet, His Kith and Kin

Ladies and Gentlemen, Honourable Members of Parliament,

By the grace of the Almighty, I declare open this eighth legislative term, which not only ushers in a new Parliament elected in a fair, transparent way, but which also has a keen role to play with respect to pursuing the reform of government and parliamentary action and work methods. Our goal is to reconcile citizens with elected councils by making the latter serve as the main instrument for promoting development and democracy.

I should like to congratulate the members of this esteemed House and to express my consideration for committed political parties, and through them, for our citizens. The Moroccan people took part in the election in a competitive, confident spirit. Their participation marked another stage in our advanced political process, but their involvement does not end on election day. Indeed, citizens should remain mobilized so that all the actors concerned may contribute to the rehabilitation of political militancy.

This can happen only if we sever all ties with gloom and despair, in politics as in everyday life. Politics, in the lofty acceptation of the term, cannot be restricted to an electoral campaign or to a commercial. It is the art of the possible, the connection between the needs to be satisfied and the resources available. Politics is about constant awareness-raising and development efforts to find concrete solutions to complex problems. To make hope a reality, hard work, and more hard work is needed; the Almighty likened the latter to an act of worship.

Representing the nation should not be synonymous with an advantage, a rent-seeking position or immunity to further personal interests. Rather, it is a huge responsibility as well as a commitment to serve the public interest.
My approach has been to foster collective action to build democracy and promote development. These are areas which I seek to expand so that all of the nation’s human resources may be involved, especially our expatriate community, for which I care deeply. In this respect, we shall pursue our efforts and establish a new landmark in the gradual process to involve members of this community in the life of the nation, by setting up the higher council for Moroccans abroad.

As regards future local and regional elections, it is important to learn from past experience and to prepare for them properly. To do this, demagogy and narrow calculations should no longer be allowed, and a comprehensive political rehabilitation of all local actors, institutions and formations concerned, particularly political parties, should be undertaken. Political parties should go beyond mere compliance with the legal framework and interact in proactive ways with change and new developments in the Moroccan society.
Therefore, all the institutions concerned should seek to be close to the citizens and listen to their concerns; they should also refrain from making dishonest promises or a deceptive use of religion and civic duty.

As regards the actors and stakeholders concerned, modernization remains our chief objective as a first step towards overall institutional reform to consolidate democracy and development through good governance. This exercise should go hand in hand with strict commitment to the nation’s sacred, immutable values and to the need to democratize society and government agencies.

Everyone is now called upon to focus on what counts most for the citizens, namely life in dignity in a united homeland; security and stability; a good educational system; productive employment; a competitive economy; proper housing; good health care; effective, transparent administrative services; a fair, independent judiciary and full-fledged citizenship, with the rights and obligations it entails.

To respond to these popular demands, which were at stake in the last general election, we need to classify them into the following three main categories of governmental and parliamentary action: our national cause, the fundamentals of the state and urgent priorities.
Safeguarding our unanimity regarding the country’s territorial integrity is the nation’s most important cause. In this respect, we must carry on with our work to muster further support for our bold, credible initiative on autonomy so that the international community may reach a final solution to the artificial dispute over our Moroccan Sahara.

Secondly, the fundamentals of the state have to be consolidated through the rule of law, the preservation of our national identity, openness to the outside world, enhanced security and stability, as well as through measures to protect the nation against extremism and the perils of terrorism.
Thirdly, special importance should be attached to three pressing priorities. Topping the list is the need to pursue the reforms under way; consolidate our political achievements; enhance human rights; carry on with the major structural projects; promote territorial development, tourism and housing; preserve macro-economic stability; and encourage productivity, competitiveness, modernization of public services, the entrepreneurial spirit, productive enterprises and the private sector.

Concurrently, we must give fresh impetus to certain sectors in order to boost performance. The priority in this respect should be the vital, in-depth reform of the education and training sector, which is of critical importance for the future of present and upcoming generations.
 

The forthcoming Government is urged to prepare promptly an emergency plan to build on what has been achieved, and to make up for lost time by implementing the Charter’s provisions efficiently and by proposing bold, practical solutions to the complex problems plaguing this crucial sector. This task is to be carried out in consultation and coordination with the constitutional institution concerned, namely the Higher Council for Education.
Similarly, good governance should be promoted through administrative reform and the revamping and modernization of the economy in order to address the critical problem of unemployment and job creation. We must, at the same time, continue to be mobilized for the implementation of the National Initiative for Human Development to fight poverty, social exclusion and marginalization.

However, there can be no sound implementation of these major projects without advanced regionalization and administrative devolution, which I consider to be the pillars of the modern state.
Nor will our major projects be carried out successfully without the reform and modernization of the judiciary to enhance its independence, and to promote judicial security, development and the rule of law. I shall see to it, in this regard, that a specific national charter is prepared with a view to conducting a thorough reform of the judiciary, following broad-based expert consultations.

One of the new government’s priorities, as I have pointed out on previous occasions, should be to adopt new policies in the areas of agriculture, energy and water resources, as well as in urban and rural territorial development.
Needless to say, the success of any policy or reform hinges upon the active involvement of citizens in all aspects of public life.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Honourable Members of Parliament,
I have drawn your attention to the main issues at stake during this legislative term as part of the major duties incumbent upon me. as a result of these duties, I am keen to keep a check on the needs of all segments of my lofty-minded people, in all parts of the Kingdom.

Given my commitment to ensure smooth functioning of constitutional institutions, I must say that I look forward to the setting up of a homogeneous government, supported by a parliamentary majority and answerable to a constructive opposition. We just want to have a more efficient Parliament.
We look forward to a Parliament which exercises all its prerogatives with respect to law-making, control and representation. It should serve as an example for other constitutional institutions and encourage them to exercise their powers in full. Nothing prevents them from doing that, provided the Constitution is respected and there is separation of powers and a balanced cooperative interaction between them. This is precisely what I am keen to ensure.

Parliament should contribute to Morocco’s image abroad, keeping in mind forthcoming decisive events - including the coming into force of free trade agreements - and the need to rise to the challenges of globalization. Professional parallel parliamentary diplomacy, is therefore necessary.
It is the House which completes the reconciliation process between the citizens and elected councils. This means there must no longer be any reprehensible dealings or practices which distort the image of the legislative institution or undermine the credibility of parliamentary and political actions.

Similarly, we should make a distinction between national matters, which fall within the purview of Parliament, and local issues, which fall within the competence of local governments. Parliament is not a local government. I want it to remain at the top of the democratic setup, addressing the nation’s major policies and issues, domestic as well as foreign.
For public policy and government performance to be effective, there has to be a constructive, responsible opposition, whose views and opinions should be heeded, provided the opposition - just like the majority - makes contributions that are practical and serve the public interest.

The real clash is between democracy and tyranny; progress and regression; hard work and indolence; openness and reclusiveness.
As I have stressed on previous occasions from this rostrum, we need more cooperation and coordination between the two Houses so as to rationalize work methods since they make up a single Parliament. These are not two different parliaments; in fact, each House supports and complements the other.

Morocco has made much headway in the advanced political process it has chosen for itself. Our country has overcome many hurdles and crises thanks to the policies carried out under my committed leadership, and thanks to the efforts and sacrifices of all Moroccans and their active participation in the major development projects I have launched. Our main, unshakable asset is our commitment to democracy, which is an irreversible choice.
I shall remain what you have always known me to be: the first servant of the valiant Moroccan people and guardian of the immutable, sacred values of our nation, who is keen to monitor closely the structural reforms needed, as part of his commitment to the sacred bond of the Bei’a.

I pray that Almighty God, in this blessed, spiritual atmosphere of the holy month of Ramadan, help you and guide your steps as you serve your country and discharge your tremendous responsibilities.
I should like to extend my best wishes to you and to the Moroccan people on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr. May we celebrate it for many years to come, and may we shoulder our responsibilities as best we can.
“Therefore do give admonition, for you are one to admonish. You are not one to manage (men's) affairs”. The Word of God is Truth. Wassalamu alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh.