Moroccan King Delivers Speech At Parliament Opening

Rabat, Oct 8 (TNA) HM King Mohammed VI, accompanied by HRH Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan and HRH Prince Moulay Rachid, on Friday delivered a speech to the parliament on the occasion of the opening of the 1st session of the 1st legislative year of the 11th legislature.

“I wish, in this regard, to commend the good organization and positive atmosphere in which the recent elections took place, and say how pleased I am with the high voter turnout in these elections, particularly in our southern provinces” he said in his opening remark.

The recent elections have confirmed the preeminence of the Moroccan democratic model as well as the principle of rotation in managing state affairs. What matters most is not the victory of this or that party because, as far as I am concerned, all parties are equal. This new legislative term starts at a time when Morocco is embarking on a new phase which requires concerted efforts centered on strategic priorities in order to carry on with the mission of promoting development while facing up to external challenges, he said further.

Despite the repercussions of the crisis, the monarch pointed out, trust in our country and in the vibrancy of our economy has remained unchanged, as illustrated by the increase - up to August of this year - in foreign direct investments and in the remittances from Moroccans residing abroad, which have risen by approximately 16% and 46% respectively.

These developments have enabled Morocco to have comfortable hard currency reserves. Despite the difficulties and the fluctuations in global markets, the inflation rate has been kept under control - at 1% - which is significantly lower than the high inflation rates seen in a number of countries in the region, the further stated.