A New Dawn For Morocco

By Ahmed Al-Jarallah

The King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, does not need any encouragement to push for the development of the country in line with the Modern Age movements and the aspirations of the youths. He lays down his vision in accordance with the fundamentals of profound civilization, as well as the sophisticated political and cultural knowledge. He had long been prepared for this task, since he was young, so he transformed his country, almost effortlessly, within a short period.

While doing this, the King relied on the age-long democracy and freedom his kingdom has been enjoying since its independence in the middle of the last century until today. This clearly shows the regime in Morocco is institutionalized, which goes through a continuous process of modernization and improvement, as is evident from the healthy and vibrant political, economic and social activities in the country.

A comprehensive political reform program launched by the King three months ago produced a constitution “made in Morocco and for Morocco”; thereby, granting more authority to the legislative and the executive and autonomy to the judiciary. The King has set aside some of his authority to establish a civilized model of relationship between the ruler and the ruled — based on trust, love and absolute loyalty to the person protecting the dignity and right of all Moroccans, in addition to the principles of equality and the law. Such actions boost social justice and pave the way for the implementation of greater development goals, because “no matter how perfect a constitution, it is never an end in itself but a medium to establish democratic institutions, which require political reforms and preparations by all actors in the actualization of our common aspirations like development and better life conditions for citizens.”

The actual goal is to improve the status of citizens and guarantee freedom in carrying out institutional activities towards a new path of constitutional, democratic, parliamentary and social monarchy, in which the authorities play its roles with neutrality and transparency. This entails a system where there is no interference or overlapping of duties, and in which the ruler relies on the continuity of the state; a system in which the developmental role of the institution is in line with the state’s identity, history and heritage. Through all these, the King is trying to respond to the demands of the nation for a fertile land.

It is clear that modernization cannot survive without certain factors, because Morocco exists in a homogeneous environment in terms of cultural, social and economic structures. King Mohammed VI has emphasized this peculiarity in the new constitution, so it reflects the “stature of the Kingdom and its efforts to build a confederacy by promoting Arab and Islamic brotherly relations, African unity, as well as strengthening its alliance with the European neighbors and the rest of the world.”

This is a modern country which adheres to international treaties and is influential among the comity of nations. This means the new Morocco will be unique in terms of its surroundings. It will enjoy immense economic capacities in the interest of the citizens and the people of surrounding friendly nations. Its economy will become a tool for improving political activities through the richness of social, cultural and civil exchange.

Like humans, the institutions, whether democratic or not, also make mistakes. However, democracy has a self-correcting mechanism, so the historical reforms announced by the King are natural outcomes of an institutional rule, not due to emergency. Despite the totalitarian rule some time ago, there was freedom to engage in political activities in the country. The Moroccans have always been free to express their wishes in accordance to this democracy, which allows protests within the purview of the law. They have been able to make their voices heard by the King without seeking the assistance of middlemen. This has allowed the Kingdom to overcome crises with ease and minimal casualty. This has also prompted the people to remain loyal to the King and his regime.

-This commentary was published in The ARAB TIMES on 20/06/2011
-Ahmed Al-Jarallah is the editor-in-chief of The Arab Times and of The Kuwaiti daily Assyassah