Social state: The royal model
The opening of the autumn session of the Moroccan Parliament on Friday October 13 was marked by the presence of Kristalina Georgieva, IMF Managing Director, and Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group. The image of these two leading figures in international finance, in the front row of the Parliament, amidst the King’s advisors and the Head of Government, confirms the extent of Moroccan hospitality, as one MP pointed out. He and the other MPs see the royal speech as a roadmap for the Government and Parliament for the coming year. They understand that it is all about speeding up the implementation of the reconstruction and rehabilitation program for the areas affected by the earthquake, which amounts to 120 billion dirhams (USD 12 trillion), over a 5-year period from 2024 to 2028. It is also imperative to continue supporting those affected by the earthquake throughout the year, with further financial aid of 2,500 dirhams (USD 250) per month, the distribution of which has already begun. After highlighting the founding values of the Moroccan identity, the King brought up an important aspect of the foundations of the social state. The King announced the launch, at the end of this year, of the direct social assistance program, an action which embodies the values of social solidarity that Moroccans hold in their DNA, said the Sovereign, who has decided not to limit this scheme to family allowances alone. Indeed, other vulnerable groups in society also need this support. This support program is aimed at school-age children, children with disabilities, and newborn babies. In addition, this program is dedicated to poor families in precarious situations, without children of school age, and more particularly to households with elderly dependents. The King pointed out that “thanks to its direct impact on the targeted families, this program will raise their standard of living, combat poverty and insecurity and, ultimately, improve social and human development indicators”. In fact, society becomes more productive and enterprising when it is more united and better protected in the face of emergencies and cyclical fluctuations. The heads of international finance (IMF and World Bank), who were present in the Parliament, were certainly inspired by the royal demonstration.
In any case, the King recommended that the Government implement this program with a global vision and in accordance with the provisions of the framework law on social protection. The implementation of this program should be gradual, taking into account the evolution of the allocated credits and setting the optimal level of coverage, the amounts of financial transfers, as well as the modalities of their management, said the Sovereign, who recalled that this implementation must be «a model of success and should, therefore, be backed by the targeting system of the Unified Social Register (RSU) and take full advantage of the efficiency of new technologies «. However, the Sovereign insisted on “strict compliance with the principles of solidarity, transparency and fairness in the allocation of aid, particularly to those who deserve it”.
The Moudawana revisited by the royal will
The Sovereign has called for a revision of the Family Code, to be prepared collectively and collegially. The copy must be delivered to him within 6 months. This is a strategic project, since a family is the basic unit of society. As such, the King always strives to create the right conditions to strengthen its cohesion. Indeed, a healthy society is built on the foundation of a healthy, balanced family. Correlatively, if the family breaks down, society inevitably loses its compass. It is for this reason that the Sovereign has always been keen to protect families, by initiating major projects and reforms in favor of families.
Mohamed CHAOUI
