Morocco: King Mohammed VI Chairs Council of Ministers

King Mohammed VI, accompanied by Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, chaired, Friday at the Royal Palace in Rabat, a Council of Ministers devoted to the approval of draft decrees regarding the military field and a number of international agreements, according to a statement of the Royal Palace.

Here follows the Royal statement:

“His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, chaired, on Friday 28 Shawwal 1444 H, corresponding to May 19, 2023, at the Royal Palace in Rabat, a Council of Ministers devoted to the approval of draft decrees concerning the military field and a number of international agreements.

At the beginning of the proceedings of this Council, His Majesty the King, may God preserve Him, asked the minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests for explanations on the results of the current agricultural campaign and the measures that the government will take to support farmers because of the increase in the prices of agricultural raw materials, as well as on the good preparation of the next agricultural campaign.

The minister replied that although this agricultural campaign comes in the context of the succession of years of drought, cereal production should reach nearly 55 million quintals, an increase of 62% compared to the previous campaign (34 million quintals). This campaign is considered to be the best in comparison with the last five years which recorded a similar rainfall deficit.

The minister also stressed that the government, pursuant to the Royal High Directions, will begin the implementation of a support program for farmers, with a budget estimated at 10 billion dirhams, which includes support for imported feed for livestock and poultry, support for imported agricultural raw materials to reduce the cost of production of certain vegetables and fruits, and the strengthening of the financing capacity of Crédit Agricole du Maroc, to consolidate its interventions to support farmers, in addition to the allocation of funds for the import of soft wheat to ensure the normal supply of the market until December 2023.

Subsequently, and to enshrine the High Solicitude with which His Majesty the King, Supreme Commander and Chief of the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces, may God assist Him, never ceases to surround the members of the Royal Armed Forces in various fields, in particular through modern training and continuous qualification enabling all of their components to carry out their duties well, the Sovereign approved the following draft decrees:

– A draft decree relating to the organization of the Royal Interarmed School of administration, which concerns training in the administrative and financial fields, reserved for officers who have graduated from the various training establishments of the Royal Armed Forces and the personnel of the National Defense Administration, as well as for military officers from brotherly and friendly foreign countries. The graduates of this School will obtain the Master’s degree in administration and finance, as well as the Military Quartermaster’s degree for officers.

– A draft decree amending and supplementing the decree on the organization of the Royal Air School, aimed at meeting the needs of the Royal Air Force in human resources, allowing access to the first year of the undergraduate cycle in aeronautics to holders of the baccalaureate (section-experimental sciences, field-physical sciences) and following the example of holders of the baccalaureate -mathematical sciences section.

– A draft decree amending and supplementing the decree on the organization of the Mohammed VI International Academy of Civil Aviation. This text states that the students of this Academy, in the specialties “Air Traffic Control” and “Electronic Security of Air Traffic”, benefit from military training, given the importance and sensitivity of the jobs of the graduates of these two specialties and this, like the graduates of other national educational institutions, which benefit from this kind of training with a positive effect in the enshrinement and consolidation of the rules of constant discipline in the performance of their missions.

Within the framework of strengthening the relations of cooperation and partnership linking Morocco to several brotherly and friendly countries, and of consolidating the place of the Kingdom and its commitments on the continental and international levels, the Council of Ministers has adopted eight international agreements, including two bilateral and six multilateral, which concern the Arab-Islamic and African spaces, as well as the multiparty aspect.

At the bilateral level, the two agreements concern the strengthening of air transport services with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and cooperation in the field of commercial navigation with the Republic of Djibouti.

The multilateral agreements concern various fields inherent to the recognition of higher education studies in the Arab countries, its diplomas and degrees, the status of the Labour Center of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the status of the African Minerals Development Centre, and the General Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Organization of African Unity.

They also concern the convention on equality between nationals and non-nationals in the field of social security, and that relating to the establishment in the Kingdom of a representation of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development.

Thereafter, and in accordance with the provisions of Article 49 of the Constitution:

– And on the proposal of the head of government and at the initiative of the minister of Equipment and Water, His Majesty the King, may God preserve Him, appointed Mr. Tarik El Aroussi, chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ports Operating Company.

– And on the proposal of the head of government and at the initiative of the minister of National Planning, Urban Development, Housing and Urban Policy, His Majesty the King appointed Mr. Housni El Ghazaoui, chairman of the Board of Directors of Al Omrane Development Group.

– And on the proposal of the head of government and on the initiative of the minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests, His Majesty the King appointed Mr. Mohamed Fekrat, chairman of the Management Board of Crédit Agricole du Maroc.

– And on the proposal of the head of government and on the initiative of the minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, His Majesty the King, may God assist Him, appointed:

Mr. Mohamed Benyahya, director general of the Moroccan Agency for Energy Efficiency and Said Mouline, director general of the Moroccan Agency for Nuclear and Radiological Safety and Security.

– And on the proposal of the head of government and at the initiative of the minister of Transport and Logistics, His Majesty the King appointed Mr. Ghassane El Machrafi, director general of the Moroccan Agency for the Development of Logistics.

– And on the proposal of the head of government and on the initiative of the minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, His Majesty the King appointed Mr. Fouad Arif, director general of the Moroccan News Agency.”

About Khalid Al Mouahidi 4465 Articles
Khalid Al Mouahidi : A binational from the US and Morocco, Khalid El Mouahidi has worked for several american companies in the Maghreb Region and is currently based in Casablanca, where he is doing consulting jobs for major international companies . Khalid writes analytical pieces about economic ties between the Maghreb and the Mena Region, where he has an extensive network