Moroccan King Mohammed VI has reiterated his country’s willingness to engage in a “frank and responsible dialogue” with neighboring Algeria to resolve outstanding issues between the two countries.
In a national address Tuesday evening marking Throne Day, the King emphasized that Morocco’s autonomy plan remains the only viable solution to the dispute over the Western Sahara.
“We are committed to fostering good relations with the Algerian people,” the King said, reaffirming Morocco’s determination to find a consensual resolution to the Western Sahara conflict that preserves the dignity of all parties involved.
He stressed that this open-handed approach stems from a belief in the unity of North African peoples and their shared ability to move beyond the current impasse.
Reaffirming Morocco’s commitment to regional integration, King Mohammed VI stated that the Maghreb Union cannot be realized without the joint participation of both Morocco and Algeria, alongside other neighboring states.
Since 2018, the monarch has made repeated appeals for dialogue with Algeria, particularly in light of their decades-long tensions over the Western Sahara. His calls have intensified following Algeria’s decision in 2021 to sever diplomatic ties with Morocco, a move that has yet to be reversed.
During his address, the King also highlighted the growing international support for Morocco’s autonomy plan, which proposes granting the disputed territory a measure of self-governance under Moroccan sovereignty.
He welcomed recent endorsements from the United Kingdom and Portugal, joining earlier backers such as the United States (since 2020) and France (since 2024), positioning the proposal as the sole realistic path toward a lasting resolution.
Beyond foreign policy, the monarch used his speech to urge the government to ensure balanced development across all Moroccan regions. He stressed the need for a new generation of structural reforms aimed at equalizing access to development opportunities.
“There is no room today, or in the future, for a Morocco advancing at two different speeds,” he declared.
The King pointed to continued disparities in rural areas, where poverty and underdevelopment persist due to a lack of basic infrastructure and services. He called for reforms that focus on strengthening essential social services, particularly in education and healthcare, managing water resources sustainably, and implementing integrated territorial development projects.
Addressing the Moroccan public directly, King Mohammed VI expressed that economic progress and improved infrastructure alone are not enough if they do not translate into better living conditions for citizens across all regions and social classes. He emphasized his longstanding focus on advancing human development, expanding social protection, and delivering direct support to families in need.
The monarch also referenced the 2024 General Population Census, which revealed significant demographic, social, and spatial shifts that must be accounted for in public policymaking. Notably, he highlighted a sharp national decline in multidimensional poverty, from 11.9% in 2014 to 6.8% in 2024. He also announced that Morocco has now crossed the threshold to be officially classified among countries with high human development, according to the global Human Development Index.
