King Mohammed highlights efforts to expand democracy
Morocco, Culture, 6/22/2000

Morocco's King Mohammed VI on Thursday highlighted the efforts he has been exerting since his enthronement last July to expand the scope of democracy.

"I have done my utmost to expand the scope of democracy, consolidate the state of law, believe and invest in the dignity of every citizen (...) and lay the foundations for human development," the king said in a speech at the George Washington University.

The University, one of the most prestigious in the US and the World at large, granted King Mohammed VI the Honoris Causa Doctorate.

The king also dwelt on the new challenges posed to humanity with the end of the cold war. "With the end of the cold war, governments and representatives of different nations found themselves confronted with new strategic issues, global social phenomena and major ethical imperatives."

He warned against some threats to security that sprang in the new World environment. "Nuclear threat now coexist with other threats, resistant to identification and unchecked by borders," he said, citing "barbaric terrorism, drug trafficking, epidemics, transnational crime, money laundering in off-shore financial centers, chaotic migrations, arms proliferation, mounting violence, and frequent aggressions against the natural environment which could upset and impair its subtle equilibrium."

King Mohammed VI stressed the need for all humankind to benefit from development and progress far from any kind of exclusion or marginalization.

"It is in the interest of mankind (...) to pool all its potentialities, without marginalizing a continent or a region, without excluding any nation from the advantages of progress, and above all without discriminating against women or any vulnerable social group."

The king also stressed that unilateral political initiatives will gradually give way to the consolidation of the United Nations and the multilateral system.

"(...) Our world today, at the dawn of the twenty-first century, is undergoing a stage of gestation and transition where a consensus built around principles common to all will emerge from the juxtaposition of specificities: where unilateral political initiatives will gradually give way to the strengthening of the United Nations Organization and the multilateral system; and where optional international relations will gradually be replaced by an inevitable global cooperation," he said.

He called, in this connection, for consolidating "national democracies using internationally-agreed upon rules so as to consolidate legality and ethical spirit at universal level."

Here follows the full text of the king's speech:

"Praise be to God and prayers and peace be upon the prophet, his kin and companions (phrase said in Arabic)


Mr. President,

Your Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a real pleasure for me to speak to you from within the walls of this great institution, George Washington University. I should like to express my deep gratitude for the honor conferred on me today and tell you how touched I am by your kindness.

I am sure that among the eminent personalities present, representing the world of political and diplomatic strategies, finance and economics, science and culture, there are numerous friends of the Kingdom of Morocco. In greeting them, I express the wish that, beyond political affiliations, their number will increase, enhancing the excellence of this relationship that has existed between our two nations for more than two centuries.

The Moroccan-American friendship, which is rooted in your history, has never diminished- be it in time of war or peace. It held firm during the cold war and, far from being the result of a fleeting conjuncture or of an act of self-interest, it has always been stimulated by the most cherished human values: Liberty, Justice and Solidarity."

Mr. President,

Your Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Ever since, by the will of God, I succeeded my venerated father, His Majesty King Hassan II-- may God rest his soul-- to preside over the destiny of my country, the art of ruling, as well as the ethics underlying it, are central to my thoughts. I have done my utmost to expand the scope of democracy, consolidate the state of law, believe and invest in the dignity of every citizen, reform the structures of the State, and lay the foundations for human development, one that is both durable and equitably shared among individuals, groups, cities, regions and provinces.

This is an inspiring task, for God willed that the Moroccan people be loyal and hard-working, respectful of their constitutional institutions, tolerant and convivial in cultivating the best relations with the divine revealed religions.

As our common history has proven, the Moroccan people, faithful in friendship, will always show gratitude to those who help them fulfil their potential through a quality partnership where mutual benefit will rival the durability of a contract of honor and trust.

I owe my people the best of my energies, not only to honor and maintain this quality partnership, especially with the United States and the European Union, but also to remain faithful to our ties of solidarity: first, with Africa, to tend its wounds and ensure its recovery; then, with the Arab World, to speed up in the Middle East the peace process to which both the United States of America and Morocco have contributed by so many efforts and means, to ensure a life of security and dignity to all the peoples of the region; and also with the Arab Maghreb Union which expects considerable impetus from its brothers and partners to foster its development for the benefit of its peoples and the stability of the region.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As King of Morocco, invested by the Organization of the Islamic Conference with the presidency of the Al-Quds Committee, it is my duty to call upon all believers --People of the book and of the Faith which unifies the children of Abraham-- to endeavor to free this city, three times Holy, of hatred and resentment, so as to restore its original vocation, that of a holy place where the prayers of all believers converge in communion, under the Eye of the One-and-Only God.

Justice, as it is universally taught, is the pillar of true faith; likewise, ethics has been and still remains the source of all power and the cornerstone of any policy intended to create a work of lasting significance, founded on righteousness. As such, it is the only concept that establishes itself, spreads and becomes universal, the only concept to which individuals and nations should adhere.

Mr. President,

Your Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

With the end of the cold war, governments and representatives of different nations found themselves confronted with new strategic issues, global social phenomena and major ethical imperatives.

Evolution in communication systems and globalization of financial and commercial markets have changed our modes of production, distribution and consumption: while, amongst our fears, nuclear threat now coexists with other threats to security, resistant to identification and unchecked by borders.

Without giving an exhaustive list, I would cite barbaric terrorism, drug trafficking, epidemics, transnational crime, money laundering in off-shore financial centers, chaotic migrations, arms proliferation, mounting violence, and frequent aggressions against the natural environment which could upset and impair its subtle equilibrium.

I particularly wish to stress the impact of that coldly-calculated violence based on rules which are inequitable to the under-developed countries weighed down by the burden of their debts and whose little-valued products come up against inaccessible markets and captive technology. Furthermore, their plans for development are often futile because of dwindling public funding and meager financing.

It is in the interest of mankind, with the diversity of its contributions to universal civilization, to pool all its potentialities; without marginalizing a continent or a region, without excluding any nation from the advantages of progress, without causing social fractures and, above all, without discriminating against women or any vulnerable social group, for all are partners, and all should benefit from development and progress.

It is my conviction that our world today, at the dawn of the twenty-first century, is undergoing a stage of gestation and transition where a consensus built around principles common to all will emerge from the juxtaposition of specificities: where unilateral political initiatives will gradually give way to the strengthening of the United Nations Organization and the multilateral system; and where optional international relations will gradually be replaced by an inevitable global cooperation; until the State of national law progressively shifts towards an architecture of international law.

The State in the new millennium should no longer be confined to the role of alchemist of national consensus; rather, it should be that of organizer of fruitful dialogue between cultures and civilizations and, at the same time, the catalyst of global patriotism. This would place each of us, when dealing with world issues, under the obligation to think globally before acting locally, fully aware of our acts and of their consequences upon others, all others.

Let us work together, then, to strengthen national democracies using internationally agreed-upon rules so as to consolidate legality and ethical spirit at a universal level.

In this way we could create a maximum of partnership networks and synergy between peoples so that peace becomes widespread and our common prosperity increases.

It is for the achievement of this ideal and this universal ethical order that I call upon you today, knowing the major role you play in managing the affairs of the world, a world, we hope, fertilized by solidarity, brotherhood and hope.

Mr. President,

Before I conclude, I should like to say how delighted I am by the fact that George Washington University, this internationally respected institution, is twinned with the Moroccan Al-Akhawayn University which, despite its recent creation, is progressing in the most exemplary and promising way.

Thank you for your attention." (MAP)SL

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