Morocco or the social big bang under the reign of King Mohammed VI – French Magazine

French Magazine Le Point has highlighted the progress scored by Morocco over the past twenty years, under the reign of King Mohammed VI, in various fields, particularly social ones.

In a long story published Monday on the occasion of the 61st birthday of King Mohammed VI, under the eloquent title “Social protection, women’s rights: Morocco continues its transformation”, the French magazine dwelt on the various transformations that have marked the Sovereign’s twenty-four- year reign.

The story, documented with accurate data and figures, shows that Morocco, under the leadership of its Sovereign, has succeeded to take up various challenges and has changed a lot since 1999, the year King Mohammed VI ascended the throne.

The country has positioned itself advantageously on the world map of industrial and commercial value chains, reintegrated the great family of the African Union, won major diplomatic successes, in particular with regard to the Sahara, whose Moroccanness is now recognized by the United States and Israel, strengthened its defense systems with solid and varied partnerships and demonstrated its effectiveness in terms of security, intelligence and actions against jihadist terrorism, the author of the article wrote, noting that all this has propelled the country on the international scene as a global player and a valued partner.

Touching on the progress achieved in the social realm, the magazine underscored the major gains won, even if some inequalities persist. Since the accession of Mohammed VI to the Throne in 1999, many large-scale social programs have been implemented at the impulse of the Sovereign, the stated ambition being to reduce economic gaps between regions, reduce inequalities and poverty and promote the emergence of a middle class.

As an instance, the magazine mentioned the generalization of social security for the benefit of all Moroccans, recalling that in 2020, the Sovereign announced the launch of universal social coverage over five years, including health insurance for 22 million people, family allowances for 7 million school-age children and the extension of pension schemes. This major reform, at a cost of 51 billion dirhams per year, represents 4.25% of Moroccan GDP, recalls Le Point.

This approach has made it possible to expand health insurance coverage, from 7.8 million beneficiaries in December 2020 to 23.2 million in April 2023. About 79.8% of the Moroccan population now benefits from some form of medical coverage, compared to 74.2% in 2021.

Moreover, the modernization of the status of women in 2004 through the reform of the Moudawana, reflects the societal changes underway in Morocco.

Thus, as Morocco aspires to become a sustainable regional power, it is embarking on ambitious social reforms under the leadership of King Mohammed VI. These efforts aim to reduce inequalities and strengthen the country’s economic and social stability, capitalizing on economic achievements and diplomatic successes, the French magazine stated, noting that as King Mohammed VI celebrates his birthday and as the Kingdom celebrates twenty-four years of the Sovereign’s reign, Morocco finds itself at a decisive crossroads in its social evolution, with the objective to readjust its development model in order to build solid foundations to become a sustainable regional power.