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RABAT: Morocco’s King Mohammed VI urged on Tuesday the government to elaborate a new generation of reforms to ensure equal development between the country’s regions.
“It is not acceptable for Morocco – today or at any time in the future – to be a two-speed country,” the king, who has final say over the country’s strategic policies, said in an annual speech marking 26 years of his reign.
While the level of poverty has dropped in Morocco from 11.9 percent in 2014 to 6.8 percent in 2024, some inner regions show above-average poverty levels, according to the national statistics agency.
Morocco has attracted industrial investments in sectors such as aerospace and car manufacturing, which now top its exports.
However, most of the country’s GDP, industry and critical infrastructure are concentrated in the northwestern areas, leaving the rest of Morocco dependent on farming, fisheries and tourism.
“Some regions — particularly in rural areas — are still suffering from poverty and vulnerability, due to a lack of infrastructure and basic facilities,” the king said.
The new reforms should aim at improving social services, education, health care and water management as well as promoting employment, he said.
Morocco created just 82,000 jobs last year, which falls short of reducing the country’s high unemployment rate at 13.3 percent, according to the central bank.
In his speech, the king also reaffirmed Morocco’s readiness for “a frank, responsible, fraternal and sincere dialogue on the various issues pending” with Algeria.
Algeria cut ties with Morocco in 2021, halted the flow of gas, banned Moroccan flights from crossing its airspace and imposed visas on Moroccans, after the kingdom resumed ties with Israel.
The two most populous countries in the Maghreb are at loggerheads over the status of Western Sahara. Morocco considers the territory its own, while Algeria hosts and backs the Polisario Front, which seeks its own state there.
The king also thanked the UK and Portugal, the most recent Western nations to back Morocco’s autonomy plan for the territory.

LONDON: King Abdullah II of Jordan said on Wednesday that the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip is among the worst in modern history, as the Israeli military campaign in the Palestinian coastal enclave reaches its 22nd month.

He affirmed that “Jordan has been, and will remain, the greatest support for Gaza’s people, who are suffering from a humanitarian catastrophe unlike anything witnessed in recent history.”

During a meeting with media representatives at Al Husseiniya Palace, King Abdullah emphasized Jordan’s ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the Gaza conflict. He highlighted discussions with Germany and Canada, as well as coordination with Arab leaders and international partners, aimed at enhancing the humanitarian response in Gaza.

“The suffering of our brethren in Gaza strikes at the very sense of our humanity, not just because it is happening at our doorstep, but also because this country was built on compassion, on standing with those who suffer,” he said.

“No matter how much we do, it can never measure up to the scale of the horror Palestinians in Gaza endure every single day, not when entire families are being erased and children are being starved.

“But that doesn’t mean that we are not doing everything in our power. We are. And we will continue to do so, relentlessly and without hesitation,” he said, Petra news agency reported.

The Jordanian leadership has been steadfast in its support of Palestinian rights, including the establishment of statehood and an end to Israeli occupation policies. Jordan was one of the first countries to conduct airlift missions in the early days of the Israeli war, delivering relief to Gaza, and dispatching hundreds of aid convoy trucks to the territory since late 2023.