“This will be achieved by restructuring the institutions concerned with our community abroad to make sure there is no overlap of powers and no dispersion of actors, and to see to it that the new needs of our expatriate community are met,” the Sovereign announced in His speech to the Nation on the 49th anniversary of the glorious Green March.

For these ends, HM the King added: “I have asked the government to ensure a restructuring of the institutional framework, based on two main bodies,” noting that the first one is the Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad, which, as an independent constitutional institution, must play its role in full as a platform for reflection and for making proposals, ensuring that all components of the expatriate community are duly represented.

In this respect, the Sovereign called for “the rapid adoption of the new law for the Council so that it may be installed at the earliest opportunity.”

The second body, HM the King added, is the “Mohammadia Foundation for Moroccans Residing Abroad,” which will serve as the executive arm for the implementation of public policy in this regard, once created.

This new institution will be tasked with pooling the powers currently scattered among a number of actors, and with preparing, coordinating and implementing the national strategy for the Moroccan community abroad, the Sovereign said, stressing that this new institution will also manage the “National Mechanism for Mobilizing Moroccan Skills Abroad”, which “I called for and which should be front and centre in the institution’s mission.”

“The aim is to open up prospects for Moroccan skills abroad and to accompany project leaders,” HM the King said, adding that this new institution is expected to give a strong impetus to the linguistic, cultural and religious services provided to the Moroccan community abroad, all generations included, with the active participation of all the departments and stakeholders concerned.

The Sovereign added that one of the main challenges that the Mohammadia Foundation for Moroccans Residing Abroad must address is the simplification and digitization of administrative and judicial procedures that concern the Moroccan expatriate community.

“I also attach special importance to opening up new prospects for Moroccans abroad to invest in their homeland,” HM the King said, adding that the contribution of the Moroccan expatriate community to private investment standing at a mere 10% is really not acceptable.

On this occasion, HM the King commended the patriotism shown by the Moroccan community abroad and its commitment to defending the nation’s sacred, incontrovertible values, as well as its contribution to the country’s development, stating that “at this stage in the evolution of the question of our territorial integrity, we need to keep up the concerted efforts of us all.”

MAP