Morocco officially announces end of period to receive condolences

The Moroccan Ministry of the Royal Household, Protocol and Chancellery announced on Friday that the period to receive condolences from national and foreign personalities will end on August 30.

The statement said that after the passing away last July 23 of King Hassan II, King Mohammed VI has received the condolences of several personalities and national and foreign delegations who came to express their sympathy over the bereavement.

In another statement, the ministry also announced the program of ceremonies that will mark the 40th day since the death of the late sovereign. These will include a special religious service to be performed on August 29 at the Mohammed V mausoleum in the presence of the members of the royal family. Verses of the Koran will be read in the mausoleum where the late king is buried together with his late father, King Mohammed V, and his late brother Prince Moulay Abdellah.

On August 30, another religious ceremony will be held at the same site under the chairmanship of King Mohammed VI.

On August 31, the mausoleum will be open for members of the government, the parliament and all Moroccan institutions, political parties, associations and organizations.

Meanwhile, King Mohammed VI received in Rabat Friday Abdelouahed Radi, speaker of the Moroccan House of Representatives (the lower chamber of the Moroccan parliament). Radi offered the sovereign the condolences of representatives following the passing away last July 23 of King Hassan II.

Also, the king met on Friday and received the condolences successively of Mahjoub Ben Seddik, secretary general of the Moroccan Labor Union (UMT); Abderrazak Afilal, secretary general of the General Union of Morocco's Workers (UGTM); and Noubir Amaoui, secretary general of the Democratic Labor Confederation (CDT).