King Mohammed VI of Morocco on Friday urged the government to accelerate reforms aimed at creating jobs for young people, improving public services, and addressing regional disparities by focusing more on mountain and oasis regions.
The King made the appeal in a speech during the opening of the country’s parliament, held a week after widespread youth-led protests calling for better healthcare, education, and an end to corruption.
Morocco operates as a constitutional monarchy in which the King sets the major policy directions, while an elected government carries out their implementation.
Although he did not directly mention the youth protests, King Mohammed VI emphasized the importance of coherence between national flagship projects and social programs, saying there should be “no inconsistencies or competition” between the two, Reuters reported.
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He called for “a faster implementation pace and stronger impacts from the next generation of local development programs,” which he had previously instructed the government to design in July.
The King highlighted key priorities such as job creation for young people and “tangible progress in the education and health sectors, as well as local rehabilitation policies.”
Official data shows Morocco’s unemployment rate stands at 12.8%, with youth unemployment at 35.8% and 19% among graduates. The King also stressed that special attention should be given to the “most fragile areas,” particularly mountainous regions.
According to the national statistics agency, poverty levels in Morocco have declined from 11.9% in 2014 to 6.8% in 2024. However, mountain and oasis areas continue to experience higher-than-average poverty rates.
Most of Morocco’s population, financial and industrial centers, and critical infrastructure are located in the northwest, leaving other regions dependent on agriculture, fisheries, and tourism.
Thousands of people lined the avenue leading to parliament to welcome King Mohammed VI, who was dressed in traditional attire and accompanied by his brother and his son, the crown prince.
The same square in front of parliament had seen only dozens of protesters the night before, responding to a call from the country’s Generation Z movement, known as GenZ 212, a leaderless group behind recent demonstrations.
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