King Mohammed VI has called for a territorial governance based on proximity, social justice and efficiency, affirming that access to basic services is a citizen’s right, not a privilege determined by a person’s place of residence or social status.
In a message addressed to participants in the 8th World Congress of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), taking place in Tangier from June 22 to 25, the Monarch called for a new generation of territorial governance capable of reducing social disparities, improving local public services and providing the local councils with the necessary resources to take up social, climate and migration challenges.
“The territorial governance is no longer merely an administrative or organizational matter but a fundamental lever for promoting spatial justice and renewing trust between citizens and institutions, and turning major international commitments into tangible projects in cities, regions, and local constituencies”, said the King in his message read out by Interior minister Abdelouafi Laftit.
Since his accession to the Throne, the Monarch has made territorial reform one of the strategic pillars of the nation’s social project and development process because he firmly believes that a modern state is not gauged solely by the strength of its central institutions, but also by its ability to empower its local authorities to take the initiative, to participate, to bring public decision-making closer to the citizen, and to ensure that territorial development is the product of integration and concerted efforts between the state, local authorities, and other stakeholders.
The King cited in this regard Morocco’s advanced regionalization, a strategic choice for modernizing the state, consolidating local democracy, unleashing energies, consecrating the principle of equity among regions, and making sure the development process is tailored to the specific characteristics, capabilities, and needs of each region and its inhabitants.
“This vision has made it possible to enhance the region’s standing as a platform for strategic planning, for mobilizing investment, and for stimulating local economic activity and strengthening the convergence between sectoral and territorial programs,” said the Royal message.
It has also strengthened the role of prefectures, provinces, and communes as part of an institutional approach based on free enterprise, solidarity, cooperation, and accountability.
Morocco’s goal, said the King, is to establish a creative territorial system that does not stop at managing daily needs, but rather one that is capable of anticipating change, properly channeling investment, keeping pace with the digital and environmental transition, improving the quality of public services, and integrating youth, women, and vulnerable groups into the development dynamic.
The Moroccan experience in the area of decentralization and advanced regionalization derives its strength from being a part of a more comprehensive vision of integrated territorial development, said the Moroccan sovereign, noting that he sees territories as spaces for releasing energies, mobilizing resources, building partnerships, and making sure local initiatives are in sync with national program.
He also affirmed that the success of local governance hinges on the ability of elected institutions to play their part in full, the competence of elected officials, strengthening consultation mechanisms, and building partnerships across all levels of public administration.