King Mohammed VI orders setting up of Mohammadia Foundation for Moroccans Residing Abroad

King Mohammed VI has ordered the setting up of the Mohammadia Foundation for Moroccans Residing Abroad that shall serve as the executive arm of Moroccan policy towards its nationals abroad, part of a large overhaul of institutions taking care of the Moroccan diaspora.

This came in a royal speech marking the 49th anniversary of the Green March celebrated this Wednesday Nov.6, in which 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.

The King called for revisiting the mechanisms used in managing the affairs of Moroccans residing abroad, through a restructuring of the institutions concerned to make sure there is no overlap of powers and no dispersion of actors, and to see to it that the new needs of the Kingdom’s expatriate community are met.

In this respect, the Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad, this independent constitutional institution “must play its role in full as a platform for reflection and for making proposals, ensuring that all components of our expatriate community are duly represented,” said the King.

The Monarch also called for “the rapid adoption of the new law for the Council so that it may be installed at the earliest opportunity.”

The Mohammadia Foundation for Moroccans Residing Abroad, 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, he said.

It will also manage the “National Mechanism for Mobilizing Moroccan Skills Abroad,” with the aim “to open up prospects for Moroccan skills abroad and to accompany project leaders.”

“I expect this institution to give a strong impetus to the linguistic, cultural, and religious services provided to the Moroccan community abroad, all generations included,” said the King.

“One of the main challenges this institution must address is the simplification and digitization of administrative and judicial procedures that concern our expatriate community,” he said.

“I also attach special importance to opening up new prospects for Moroccans abroad to invest in their homeland. That the contribution of our expatriate community to private investment should stand at a mere 10% is really not acceptable,” the King added.