The Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, announced yesterday, March 1st, in Rabat, that His Majesty King Mohammed VI has ordered the provision of one million dollars for the benefit of Yemeni people, as a contribution from Morocco within international solidarity efforts to help the country.

In a speech during a high-level meeting on the annual Humanitarian Response Plan for Yemen, Bourita stressed that the Kingdom of Morocco, under the leadership of the King, has always emphasized the need to give utmost importance to the humanitarian aspect, given its vital role for Yemeni civilians, and that the humanitarian crisis in this country can only be resolved by finding a comprehensive and sustainable political solution that preserves Yemen’s unity and sovereignty, according to well-known terms of reference, especially UN Security Council resolutions, namely Resolution 2216.

The minister also warned that the continuous absence of a political horizon for the crisis, as well as the imposition of a de-facto policy, will inevitably exacerbate the humanitarian situation in Yemen, which is currently witnessing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis classified as the largest in the world; about millions of displaced people, in addition to many others in need of food and medicine.

In this regard, Bourita considered that there is an urgent need to fight the specter of famine that is threatening 16 million Yemenis, expected to reach 22 million (equivalent to 75 percent of the population), in light of the escalating war, highlighting that this situation requires a broader international solidarity effort that is not limited to certain countries which have provided and are still providing generous aid that has prevented the worst from occurring.

Bourita renewed Morocco’s support for the efforts of UN envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, and his tireless efforts to reach an agreement on the joint declaration that includes a comprehensive ceasefire, and resuming of political consultations as soon as possible, in addition to humanitarian arrangements to alleviate the suffering of Yemeni people due to the conflict.

Moreover, the minister praised the role of the United Nations agencies in delivering humanitarian aid to the Yemeni people, and demanded that they be able to carry out their work without hindrance, noting that relief aid has enabled these agencies operating in Yemen, temporarily, to reduce the burden of famine and diseases that lie in wait for Yemenis.

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Significant amendments have been introduced to a controversial article which aims at adopting a solidarity contribution targeting – among others – individuals with incomes equal to or exceeding 10,000 dirhams.

Thanks to parliamentary groups’ exerted pressure in the House of Representatives, the minimum amount is now set at 20,000 dirhams.

Within this framework, the Committee on Finance and Economic Development of the House of Representatives voted on solidarity contribution in the following ascending order:

• Legal entities (companies) making a net profit of between one million dirhams and 5 million dirhams will pay 1.5%.
• Companies with net profits between 5 million dirhams and 40 million dirhams will pay 2.5%.
• Companies with net profits exceeding 40 million dirhams will pay 3.5%.

As for annual net profits of more than 240,000 dirhams (20,000 dirhams per month), the rate of solidarity contribution will be around 1.5%.

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HM King Mohammed VI said, in a speech on the 45th anniversary of the Green March this evening, that the national occasion that Moroccans celebrate constitutes a unique model in collective commitment, discipline, and adherence. Indicating that through this March, Moroccans demonstrated the ability to raise the bar for challenges and taking back what is theirs, the southern provinces of the Kingdom.

The Royal Speech stressed that the March is not just a prominent national event, but rather a continuous process to consolidate the Moroccan Sahara at the international level. Especially after recent years that have witnessed tangible developments, including the recent decisions of the Security Council, which emphasized the need for the genuine parties to participate in the regional conflict to provide a political solution consistent with the Moroccan initiative for autonomy.

HM King Mohammed VI also mentioned the current situation at the level of the African Union, declaring that the return of the Kingdom of Morocco to this continental organization made it get rid of maneuvers that it had been victim of for many years, noting that the Moroccan return has brought the African Union to constructive initiatives and full support for the efforts of the United Nations.

The royal speech witnessed the king’s appreciation of the country’s legal and diplomatic gains, especially after countries opened consulates in the Moroccan Sahara, drawing attention to the fact that this deal is a clear recognition of the Moroccan Sahara on the one hand and stability and prosperity in the southern provinces of the Kingdom on the other hand.

HM King Mohammed VI reminded that 85 percent of the member states of the United Nations refuse to be led by the maneuvers that promote the fictitious entity. Adding that Morocco affirms the sincere commitment to fully cooperating with the UN Secretary-General to reach a permanent solution according to the autonomy initiative, and it will not be affected by the provocations and desperate maneuvers.

And after highlighting the refusal to obstruct the normal traffic between Morocco and Mauritania, or to change the situation on the eastern side of the Moroccan Sahara, the king declared that the Kingdom adheres to logic and wisdom without compromising the right to block attempts to undermine stability firmly. He also affirmed the country’s confidence in the ability of the United Nations and MINURSO to protect the ceasefire in the area.

On the economic level, King Mohammed VI said that it is high time to invest the qualifications in the maritime field in the Moroccan Sahara, especially after the demarcation of the maritime borders in accordance with international law which was completed this year, indicating the commitment to discuss with Spain away from imposing a one-sided situation to enhance the Economic and social dynamism so that the waterfront opposite Moroccan Sahara, becomes a field for freedom of economic integration and development radiation.

Concerning the “Mediterranean port of Dakhla”, the king declared that it is able to contribute to strengthening this trend and developing a true maritime economy due to the qualifications available to the Moroccan Sahara.  It could be a link with the African depth of the Kingdom of Morocco.

King Mohammed VI added that investment should be made in the marine fields as part of the desalination projects and the production of renewable energies through wind turbines and marine tides, stressing the necessity of promoting marine fishing and giving a new impetus to the “blue scheme” to develop the coastal tourism offer in the Moroccan Sahara.

On the other hand, King Mohammed VI invested the occasion to demand that all Moroccans continue to mobilize and be vigilant in order to raise internal and external challenges and to evoke the values ​​of the victorious green march in all development projects and defend the fair cause of the Kingdom.

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