King Mohammed VI of Morocco. Picture: Supplied
Twenty-five years of the reign of Mohammed VI of Morocco has just been commemorated last Tuesday, July 30. A quarter century of a variety of political and economic dynamics, both at the national and international levels, have distinctly changed the face of the north African Kingdom, on various dimensions.
Since the king’s enthronement in 1999, the kingdom has underscored an era of ongoing transformation and modernisation of the political, social and economic structures. Under his reign, the kingdom has consolidated its democratic and peaceful political climate, a process crowned by the adoption of a new constitutional reform in 2011, through a popular referendum that devoted further powers to the Head of Government and the Parliament. A wise approach, among other social and economic measures, that enabled Morocco, to efficiently navigate the Arab Spring waves which other countries in the region endured.
During the last two decades, Morocco mainly focused on enhancing its essential infrastructure, believing that this approach is key to any possible economic development. As a result, Morocco launched major infrastructure projects by fully electrifying the country, by developing its highways, and by ultimately realising the emblematic achievement of the first high-speed train in Africa, in addition to the Tanger Med port, which in just a few years has ranked among the 20 most efficient ports worldwide,and the new gateway to the continent.
Subsequently, the figures also confirm a significant trajectory of development in Morocco. The GDP increased from $46.27 billion in 1999 to $130.91 billion in 2022. The GDP per capita has more than doubled during this period. The resilience of its economy has enabled it to circumvent major economic difficulties triggered by global crises such as the repercussions of the last Covid-19 pandemic. These efforts have translated into a 900% surge in Moroccan exports to Africa over 25 years, into the investment of $800 million in the continent.
Morocco’s approach features specifically a social dimension, which translates into a number of policies aiming at upgrading the social conditions of the Moroccan population and address its aspirations. As a matter of illustration, the kingdom has recently launched a historic social project, under Royal directives, that is the universalisation of social coverage, which benefited 95% of the Moroccan population.
The gender dimension has also been tackled, primarily through women's empowerment via the Family Code review in 2004. After 20 years from its last reform, a new ongoing amendment is currently under social debate, aiming to further improve the status of women and role of family in the society.
Another striking issue that the King Mohammed VI extensively addressed, was the worsening water crisis in the country, caused primarily by drought and climate change. As a response to a phenomenon that many countries around the world are facing today, Mohammed VI issued directives to implement urgent and innovative measures to accelerate major water transfer projects between watersheds and building major water desalination plants all over the country.
Morocco has unequivocally achieved outstanding milestones at multiple dimensions. Achievements that are reflected both in its international position and its global image in the continent and internationally. An image that rests on a remarkable cultural potential together with the transformative developments guided by the wise and proactive vision of the King Mohammed VI; an image that meritoriously awarded it the organisation of the upcoming CAN 2025 and the FIFA World Cup 2030, among many other successes.
The Star