King Mohammed VI of Morocco on Friday urged the government to speed up reforms aimed at creating jobs, improving public services, and addressing regional disparities—particularly in the country’s mountain and oasis regions.
Speaking at the opening of Morocco’s parliament, the King emphasized the need for “a faster implementation pace and stronger impacts from the next generation of local development programs,” which he had directed the government to design in July. His remarks came a week after widespread youth-led protests demanding better healthcare, education, and stronger anti-corruption measures.
While the monarch did not directly address the demonstrations, he called for alignment between Morocco’s flagship national projects and social development initiatives. Priority areas, he said, include youth employment, education, healthcare, and local infrastructure.
Official data shows Morocco’s unemployment rate at 12.8%, with youth unemployment reaching 35.8% and 19% among graduates. The King stressed the importance of focusing on “the most fragile areas,” noting that despite a national decline in poverty—from 11.9% in 2014 to 6.8% in 2024—mountainous and oasis regions still experience significantly higher poverty levels.
Morocco’s economic activity and infrastructure remain concentrated in the northwest, while other regions depend heavily on agriculture, fisheries, and tourism.
Thousands of people lined the avenue leading to parliament to welcome the King, who appeared in traditional attire alongside his brother and the crown prince. The same square had hosted small protests the previous evening organized by “GenZ 212,” a leaderless youth movement that announced on its Discord server it would suspend demonstrations on Friday out of respect for the monarch.
Source:Africa Publicity
