TINTA INFORMASI | RABAT – King Mohammed VI, accompanied by Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, Prince Moulay Rachid and Prince Moulay Ahmed, addressed Morocco’s Parliament on Friday (October 9, 2026), marking the opening of the first session of the first legislative year of the 12th Legislature.
In his royal address, King Mohammed VI outlined a broad national agenda focused on strengthening Morocco’s economy, accelerating strategic reforms, empowering young people, improving regional development and reinforcing the country’s international partnerships.
The King congratulated members of the House of Representatives on the confidence they received from voters and described the new legislative and governmental term as an important opportunity to build on Morocco’s achievements across multiple sectors.
He said the new political term should become a turning point in advancing Morocco’s ambition to emerge as a stronger and more reliable economic power while ensuring that economic growth goes hand in hand with greater social and territorial equity.
King Mohammed VI Highlights National Identity
King Mohammed VI placed strong emphasis on national identity and the importance of belonging to Morocco.
Recalling remarks he made in Parliament in 2014, he said that, as a Moroccan, nothing was more valuable to him than a deep sense of belonging to the nation.
He stressed that this sentiment has grown stronger over the years.
The King also highlighted Morocco’s long history, its longstanding monarchy and its religious and cultural identity, which has been shaped by the country’s diverse cultural components.
He said Morocco could take pride in its political, diplomatic, economic and social achievements, while emphasizing that national pride should not lead to complacency.
Instead, he described patriotism as a force that transforms a sense of belonging into responsibility and confidence into a national duty.
Morocco to Accelerate Strategic Development
Turning to the country’s economic future, King Mohammed VI said Morocco was navigating a period of rapid global geo-economic change.
Against this backdrop, he called for a new wave of reforms and major development projects.
Alongside accelerating infrastructure projects that are already underway, Morocco must develop a new generation of strategic initiatives in critical sectors, including water, energy, food security, industrial development, the digital economy and artificial intelligence.
The King also renewed his call to strengthen Morocco’s strategic reserves and secure reliable supplies of essential commodities.
At the same time, he urged the private sector to play a more active role in the country’s development.
Businesses, he said, should demonstrate greater initiative and innovation while expanding their capacity to invest, create employment and increase exports.
Youth Employment and Opportunities Become a Priority
Youth issues also featured prominently in the King’s address.
He called for young people to remain at the center of public policy and the priorities of government institutions.
To achieve this, Morocco needs a comprehensive approach that guarantees equal opportunities while strengthening education, skills development and economic integration.
The goal, he said, is to strengthen young people’s confidence in social mobility, public institutions and their ability to build a better future based on freedom, dignity and stability.
King Calls for Faster Regional Development
King Mohammed VI identified local development as one of the major challenges facing Morocco in the coming period.
He called for greater field-level engagement to identify the specific challenges facing individual regions and develop practical solutions.
According to the King, integrated development, improved public services and productive investment are closely connected to advanced regionalization and administrative deconcentration.
However, he expressed concern over delays and shortcomings in implementing decentralization and administrative deconcentration, saying they were affecting economic and social development programs and limiting the government’s ability to respond effectively to citizens’ concerns.
He therefore stressed that further delays in fully implementing the administrative deconcentration charter were unacceptable.
The process, he said, must include the transfer of responsibilities, as well as the necessary human and financial resources, from the central government to provinces and regions.
The King also called for clearer definitions of regional authorities’ responsibilities and stronger human and material resources to enable regional institutions to function more effectively.
He further emphasized the need to establish clearer mechanisms for coordination and cooperation between the central government and regional authorities, allowing regions to make decisions and implement development projects more efficiently.
Morocco Reviews Migration Cooperation with Spain
The King also addressed Morocco’s international relations, particularly cooperation on migration.
He said Morocco had strengthened its position as a responsible and reliable international partner committed to meeting its obligations and expected the same level of commitment from its partners.
According to King Mohammed VI, Morocco’s approach to managing migration has produced tangible results. However, he argued that the existing cooperation model has become outdated and requires a new approach.
He specifically referred to Morocco’s partnership with neighboring Spain, which has developed significantly across several sectors, including efforts to combat irregular migration.
Despite that progress, the King said the partnership continues to face challenges related to certain legal provisions and judicial decisions that Morocco considers outdated or unrealistic.
He argued that these issues have complicated the repatriation of minors and individuals whose asylum claims are considered unfounded, while also creating opportunities for criminal networks to exploit migration.
King Mohammed VI also criticized what he described as irresponsible statements and political and media exploitation of the migration issue.
He stressed that Morocco’s partnerships are based on sovereign choices and voluntary commitments and would not be subject to pressure, threats or blackmail.
Morocco to Present a New Strategic Vision
As part of its efforts to redefine cooperation with international partners, Morocco plans to present a document outlining a clear and practical strategic vision.
The proposed approach is intended to establish a new framework centered on shared development, stronger economic competitiveness and regional stability.
The initiative reflects Morocco’s broader effort to strengthen its international partnerships while protecting its national interests and sovereignty.
Parliament Urged to Uphold Its Responsibility
Concluding his address, King Mohammed VI reminded members of Parliament that their mandate represents both a political commitment and a moral contract with citizens.
He urged lawmakers to fulfill their responsibilities before God, the Moroccan people and history.
The royal address ultimately placed several priorities at the center of Morocco’s next legislative and governmental period: economic development, strategic investment, water and energy security, food security, artificial intelligence, youth empowerment, regional development, administrative reform and stronger international cooperation.
King Mohammed VI concluded his speech by invoking divine guidance for the members of Parliament as they undertake their national responsibilities. (rls)
