Kigali: His Majesty King Mohammed VI delivered an important Speech to the two Houses of Parliament on Friday, October 11, 2019, on the occasion of the opening of the first session of the 4th legislative year of the 10th legislature.
The Royal Speech carries important Directives and Guidelines that fit into the impetus of mobilization and responsibility printed by His Majesty the King. The essential challenges, as well as the major economic and developmental issues of this stage, defined during the last Throne Speech, are the responsibility of the political class, particularly the Government, the parliament, the political parties, who are responsible for creating the conditions favorable conditions for its completion.
His Majesty King Mohammed VI called on the Parliament to seize this favorable situation, regard of electoral considerations, in order to fulfill the mission of which the citizens have invested it.
The Royal Speech emphasizes on the values that must mark this stage, namely a unanimous implication, based on a renewed confidence, a firm will to work in a spirit of collaboration and unity, a vigilant mobilization, while transcending futile quarrels and stopping any waste of time and energy.
The Sovereign invited the Parliament to fully assume its tasks of legislative production, evaluation and control of the Government’s action in its management of public affairs, so that the action undertaken accurately reflects the dynamics at work within of the Society, in order to meet the expectations and concerns of citizens.
Thus, parliamentarians, and through them the whole of the political class are invited to approach this legislative year in the perspective of the new stage and to meet the priority challenges that are “the operationalization of the reforms, the follow-up of the decisions and the realization of the projects “. This is, the Sovereign insisted, the duty of the executive and legislative apparatus, which is responsible for conducting public policies, and who remains accountable to citizens.
His Majesty the King recalled that the Government must ensure the effective execution of decisions, by implementing all necessary means, and by ensuring that the various stakeholders act in a spirit of transparency, collaboration, and harmony, in the framework of a strict application of the principle of accountability.
The Royal Speech also highlighted the question of the preparation of programs and projects, the specific handling of financing issues, the clearance of the property tax base and the support that must be given to the efforts of the State, through the involvement of the private sector in the development process, and in particular the banking and financial sector, which is for the Sovereign “the keystone of any development strategy”.
The Sovereign recalled that the banking sector of Morocco has reached high standards in terms of professionalism and dynamism and whose control and regulation are the responsibility of independent institutions. This has allowed this sector to support the resilience and development of the national economy, and has allowed as well Moroccan banks to strengthen internationally, especially in Africa.
However, the banking sector, which still has a negative perception among certain categories of the population, is perceived as an organization seeking an immediate and risk-free profit. It is for this reason that the Royal Speech has highlighted the areas where banks are called to make more efforts and commitment, because of the difficult access of young entrepreneurs to credit, the low support of graduates and small and medium-sized enterprises, particularly at the stages of their creation, for the purpose of providing access to banking services for all categories of the population.
The program desired by His Majesty the King aims to promote access to bank credit to the largest number of qualified young people, carrying projects and from different social categories, to support small and medium enterprises specialized in export activities, particularly to Africa, to facilitate access to banking services and opportunities for professional and economic integration, to all citizens in general and to workers in the informal sector, in particular.
The success of this plan, based on trust between funding agencies and debtors, will depend on responsible citizen involvement and compliance with loan commitments. In addition, it is up to the institutions and the financial regulatory and control authorities to monitor the various operations and to ensure a balanced relationship.
His Majesty the King recalled the social responsibility of the financial enterprise, as well as its necessary participation in constructive initiatives, whether they are social or humanitarian, or that they aim at the preservation of the environment and the promotion of the environment and sustainable development.
“From this forum, I should like to call on the legislative institution you represent, as well as on the executive branch and the private sector, especially the banking sector, to be actively involved this national endeavour and ensure the success of the new phase we are embarking up on. I therefore want you to rise to the occasion, shown as a keen sense of responsibility and commitment, and put the nation’s best interests above all the considerations, for the good of the country and the people”, said His Majesty the King in his speech on Friday, on October 11, 2019, before both Houses of the Parliament. (End)