Closing Statement
The Basma Foundation for Social Development organized two national forums for regional social networks and social and development associations operating in rural areas on October 13 and 14, 2018, which witnessed the signing of framework partnership agreements between the Basma Foundation for Social Development and the regional networks and the study of the tax system for associations and the opportunities for associative work and its challenges in rural areas.
The participants in the forums emphasized:
Appreciating the royal directives that urged national mobilization, collective action and strengthening solidarity between different social groups, improving living conditions among all Moroccans, reducing social and spatial disparities, and considering Morocco a land of solidarity and social cohesion within the same family, the same neighborhood, and even in society in general, and adopting effective social policies.
The participants appreciated His Majesty the King’s call to simplify procedures to encourage various forms of donation, volunteering and charitable work, and support social initiatives and citizen enterprises. And to establish new mechanisms to involve the private sector in promoting the social field, and to contribute to improving the services provided to citizens.
The participants are ready to formulate the new development model in response to the royal call and to assign a special committee to collect initiatives and conclusions within an integrated perspective, and they called on various civil society organizations to expedite the submission of their proposals to establish a social, sustainable, solidarity and fair development model.
The participants in the forum dedicated to studying the forms of the rural world welcomed His Majesty the King’s directives regarding the agricultural sector and its contribution to improving living conditions and stability in the rural world, and His Majesty the King’s call to create more job and income opportunities, especially for rural youth. And the government’s directive to formulate innovative mechanisms to continue to encourage farmers to further engage in productive agricultural groups and cooperatives and to continue training in the agricultural field, and the need to think about the best ways to do justice to small farmers. On this occasion, the participants mentioned the need to expedite the issuance of a framework law specific to rural areas and mountains and the need to open a national dialogue on these areas. Participants, both male and female, stopped at the implications of the approaching sixtieth anniversary of the issuance of the Royal Decree on the Right to Establish Associations on November 15, 2018, and what the celebration of this anniversary entails in terms of intensifying civil society advocacy to develop the legal and rights system for associative work in Morocco to keep pace with international references and national constitutional gains and overcome the imbalances recorded in this area, most notably the repeated confiscation of the right to establish associations and practice their activities.
Continuing collective advocacy to review the tax system and support all civil initiatives aimed at improving the conditions for practicing associative action and enhancing its financial capabilities, creating a special tax system for associations and expediting the issuance of the accounting system for associations.
Celebrating the efforts of associations operating in the rural world and capitalizing on the available opportunities to promote it and contribute to the development effort of rural areas, welcoming the directives contained in the royal speech in this regard.
Reminding of the need to intensify training programs and strengthen the institutional and human capacities of civil society to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of associative performance and the success of its development efforts.
Strengthening solidarity and cooperation between associations in financing and implementing social projects.
The need to strengthen networking and build territorial networks and specialized thematic networks to exchange experiences and expertise and coordinate efforts.
Rabat, October 14, 2018
