The FMDM presents itself as a "think tank" born of a plural will and need to bring together the different experiences of Moroccan expatriates. It aims to be a space for dialogue and exchange to foster "responsible and peaceful discourse" on all issues related to Moroccan immigration in its relations with the host country and the motherland.

To discuss the stakes facing this Forum, Maglor met Hamid Soussany for an interview allowing everyone to better understand and better appreciate this initiative.

 Maglor: In the press release announcing the creation of the Forum, it is said that this initiative was born of a "collective will to bring together the positive energies of the Moroccans of the World."Did you do a balance sheet or a preliminary evaluation of all similar initiatives that aim to bring together the "energies of the Moroccans of the World"? Especially that you have personally stated that "many similar structures exist." With a subsidiary question, why add a new initiative to already existing experiences? What is the added value envisioned for the FMDM compared to many other similar initiatives?

Hamid Soussany: Each experience is unique. That of the FMDM is different first by the quality of the people who took the initiative to create the forum, and the current context.

As for the people involved, first of all, these are familiar faces  to the Moroccan Diaspora and they’re recognized within the associative and political spheres. They have the experience and maturity to drive such a project, '' unite '' and '' combine '' efficiently, positive energy.

This is a group of men and women in solidarity, a group that exudes joy to meet, reflects and acts collectively with confidence, without competition.

They say modestly, "we do not want to monopolize the talk, our goal is to organize a broad forum to better serve others  ... We will not operate in isolation but rather be open to the forces that share the same concerns ". For a year, we have been reflecting on the idea, we are aware of the difficulty of the task and the ambition it takes. But I can tell you that it is a voluntary group armed with energy.

The associative nature of the MDM has too long been prey to the "squabble" of 'za3ama' chiefs. There is a form of anarchy that prevails and that made the speech inaudible to the community. Good will gets discouraged and eventually disappears. We will revamp the public debate which suffers from parasitism, some people who confuse exchanges and verbal aggression, freedom of expression and defamation ... It’s high time that changed. For this we need to organize our discussion, with, again, positive energy, we first need to talk between us before talking to the authorities, who ask for responsible and peaceful interlocutors.

So, there's an analysis of the current situation and a state of mind of the initiators!

Maglor: You say that the FMDM is a Think Tank. Why not, if you self proclaim this title. In general, Think Tanks are independent of a State or any other power; it’s kind of a watchdog, a "suggestion box", where we test and debate new proposals that may be compromising for established powers.

But at the same time, we know that the FMDM is supported by the CCME (Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad) which somehow created it. We note in passing that the CCME has similar traits to those of a Think Tank, without asserting a total independence.

In the case of the FMDM and beyond sympathetic self-proclamation of a Think Thank, what guarantees the independence of this initiative from the public body that supports you?

Hamid Soussany: We are in a restructuring phase of the forum. We are not a group of friends, as thousands of kilometers separate us from each other, although personal ties and friendships were forged. But we are first activists from civil society. Our meeting, our meetings were made on the occasion of commitments and on different MDM occasions, and we gathered around a project which is the World’s Moroccans forum. What I just said is real evidence that the FMDM is the emanation of civil society.

As to the CCME: Yes, our forum is supported by the CCME, which goes together with its role of providing the necessary support to the social fabric of the MDM and any action that tends to maintain ties between these forces and Morocco. Its action is consistent with the spirit of the Royal Dahir behind its creation.

The CCME is not a foreign body to the Moroccan immigration, it must be remembered that its leaders are themselves from the Moroccan immigration, Instead it would have been unusual that the CCME is kept away from this project.

Mr. Anis Birou Minister of MRE also paid a visit to us in which he, with simplicity and availability, assured us of his support with no constraints as long as this initiative entails seriousness and responsibility.

We must understand that we are in a process of dialogue and cooperation, in the reflection and in the proposals, we are not in a logic of confrontation, I say frankly, our goal is just to get out of this paralyzing nihilistic spiral that abounds on social networks, which is to spit on everything that moves preferably institutional, by using nicknames or in the guise of a crow.

Our motto is this: The little ambitions and little personal frustrations must yield to the public interest!

His Majesty the King has put at the disposal of the Moroccan Diaspora’s institutions, tools and resources, our role is not to scuttle them but use them wisely.

Going back to the CCME and to “lance the boil”, what I will say about that is only my opinion, and this is a personal conviction: the CCME is probably the most active immigration board in the world. It managed to become a real focus for many associative members, who now take interest in Morocco, from this point of view it has largely succeeded in its mission, even critiques addressed to it must be tackled from the standpoint of calls to attract attention to oneself 'I also exist!' '.

The CCME has succeeded through its activities (SIEL, Amsterdam, Dakar, Dubai, Montreal ..) to allow a connection with the Moroccan political, cultural and artistic spheres as well as with the Moroccans of the world. There is a form of alchemy in the literary sense around the Council. Watch how a simple activity or even a simple statement of one of its officials can lead to an avalanche of reactions and create buzz on social networks, with different interpretations, often irrational and subjective, a bit like passion that binds the Moroccans to Morocco. This is a phenomenon that we will one day be analyzing seriously.

The CCME is now, in my opinion, strong enough and has accumulated knowledge of the matter in order to renew and start again on new bases; In line with its experience and expertise.

Maglor: Beyond the warm and friendly moment that facilitated the enthusiasm to create a Forum, what are the concrete decisions already taken to show that this is not yet another commission to make people feel good or to bury the many problems faced by the MRE.

Specifically, the findings, discussions, proposals abounding from other initiatives in order to begin immediately the process of asking real questions, making suggestions and possibly challenging the government. In short, when will your first significant concrete action take place? When will it manifest? What will it be about? Who will be involved in it? The Moroccans of the World are waiting for concrete measures and not announcement effects.

Hamid Soussany: Just to clarify one thing emphatically: in the Forum we have no any claim to represent anyone. We shall not reply to verbal abuse on social networks because we advocate a different code of conduct.

But we also receive many messages of encouragement, they are more numerous.

We are the Moroccans of the world, binational, we share a love of Morocco, we have a common project: to open a space for debate and proposals, but we are aware that this is organized with the desire to give voice to the other, trying to detect and to open up to other skills and discover other faces. We are in consultation regarding the legal form and the division of labor, although this can undermine the spirit of the group.

Our big event, it'll be the summer college. Each year, we will choose thematic news. Our summer university will be both the appointment between the Moroccans of the world, and the reunion with Morocco, our wish is to also make a great celebration of brotherhood and solidarity.

This article was originally published in French in Maglor

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