King-championed social state initiative highlighted in Manama

The broadlines of the social state initiative championed by Morocco’s King Mohammed VI were highlighted before the 44th session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs, organized by the Arab League in Manama, Bahrain.

Morocco’s Secretary of State in charge of Social Integration, Abdeljabbar Rachidi, who presented the initiative explained that it aims to promote human development and ensure a dignified life for all citizens through a series of programs, including the universalization of social protection.

This initiative also includes the universalization of medical coverage via mandatory basic health insurance, a direct social assistance program, the reform of pension systems, and a housing assistance program.

Rachidi elaborated on various programs and public policies initiated by the Ministry of Solidarity, Social Integration, and Family Affairs to promote the economic and social rights of women, children, and the elderly, as well as the socio-economic integration program for people with disabilities.

He highlighted Morocco’s commitment to joint Arab action, noting that strengthening Arab cooperation and sharing experiences and expertise will address development challenges based on the values of freedom, democracy, equality, dignity, justice, and respect for human rights.

Furthermore, he noted that the 44th session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs is being held in a regional context facing numerous challenges. In this regard, he underscored Morocco’s consistent positions on the Palestinian issue, underlining that King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, places the Palestinian issue as a cornerstone of the Kingdom’s foreign policy.

The session, chaired by Bahrain, was attended by Arab ministers and officials in charge of social affairs, along with representatives of specialized Arab and international organizations.

Discussions focused particularly on reviewing the outcomes of the high-level event on productive families and entrepreneurship, held on Tuesday in Manama. The event resulted in recommendations aimed at supporting entrepreneurial projects and achieving effective social inclusion.

Bahraini Minister of Social Development Oussama bin Saleh Al Alawi, who chaired over the session, stressed the importance of benefiting from technological progress to improve social services and called for coordinated efforts to foster social protection strategies, particularly for the most vulnerable categories.

The Bahraini official also stressed the need to implement decisions agreed upon in cooperation with member states and the Council’s technical secretariat.