Mr. President, 
Mr. Secretary General of the United Nations, 
Honorable Chief of States and Governments, 
Excellencies, 
Ladies and Gentleman, 
 

Mr. President, please allow me to begin by expressing in the name of His Majesty King Mohamed VI, may
God assist Him, the government and the Moroccan people, our full satisfaction with the holding of
Second World Assembly on Ageing with the theme: "Building a society for all ages". 
 

I seize this opportunity to renew the expression of our consideration and our esteem to his excellency Mr.
Secretary General of the United Nations, as well as to all the members of the preparatory commission of
this international event, for the efforts deployed in order to gather the conditions for success. These
conditions aim at the realization of the project of the revised international Plan of action on ageing for the
2002-2012 decade. This effort obeys a global approach of this problematic in all its political, social.
cultural, civilizational and environmental dimensions. 
 

This global initiative, clearly reflects the profound will of the international community that aims at the
realization of a sustainable human development, with the promotion of the living conditions of older
people as one of the principal axes. Likewise, it marks an important stage in the process of the United
Nations Summits and conferences regarding the issues of children, women, environment and social
development in general. This reflects the confirmation of an awareness at the international level of the
interest devoted to the realization of a global vision related to the question of social development,
associating the efforts of all partners, in order to achieve a sound international environment based on the
values of equality, fraternity, coexistence and peace. 
 

        Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen: 
 

Please allow me to emphasize the extent of the efforts deployed indefatigably by the kingdom of
Morocco, which grants a unique importance to the social questions through the implementation of a
global and integrated social development strategy. Such strategy will allow for the realization of these
programs, measures and actions leading to the consolidation of basic and essential infrastructures. 
 

These social reforms translated into programs with a priority concerning the entire social sectors notably
the opening up of the rural areas b-- the construction of roads, electrification. drinking water schooling,
the fight against the effects of drought, the enlargement of literacy programs and the fight against unhealthy housing. 

In the framework of the quinquennial plan of economic an social development 2000-2004, social
programs are realized for older people such as leisure clubs providing social and health services as well as
awareness activities that constitute places for the transmission of knowledge and experiences. The
national program for the fight against begging and social exclusion is part of the strategy of the fight
against poverty. It involves partnership with NGOs through projects generating revenues and benefiting
those living in difficult situations, including older people. 

Hence, the elaboration of the code for the sanitary coverage, the implementation of mandatory insurance
against sickness benefiting the personnel of the private and public sectors, and the regime of medical aid,
for the most needy categories contributes to the enlargement of the social network. 

These achievements were consolidated thanks to the innovating initiatives taken by His Majesty the King
Mohamed VI, may God glorify Him, which has consolidated our social and civilizational values, notably,
through the national solidarity campaigns. The resources of these campaigns are mobilized to finance
social programs and services benefiting the most needy populations, including aged persons. These
programs have been carried on in partnership with all the stakeholders and with the support of the Hassan
II Fund for Economic and Social Development, which participates to the financing of different projects,
hence consolidating the process of economic take off and sustainable human development of the country.
 

        Excellencies, Ladies and Gentleman: 
 

On the occasion of the holding of this second World Assembly on Ageing, our country elaborated a
national report on ageing, in application of the recommendation of the United Nations General Assembly
to which the governmental sectors, the specialized public institutions and the NGOs active in the domain
of the protection of older people have participated. 
 

This Assembly has witnessed the presentation of a general diagnosis of the situation of older people
through quantitative data reflecting the demographic and socioeconomic evolutions as well as the efforts
deployed for the revision of the retirement regimes, which permitted the improvement of the living
conditions of an important part of this age category while illustrating the role of the security networks
materially and morally benefiting the most vulnerable social categories. 

This report equally illustrates the functional role of the Moroccan family in the protection of older people
in harmony with the values of solidarity and mutual help prescribed by the Islamic religion. This
document exposes the actions taken by the NGOs complementarily with the efforts of public authorities
and the family. 

Likewise, the report analyzes the institutional, legal, human and financial difficulties encountered in the
realization of the expected objectives. The report also identifies the main orientations able to improve the
quality of life for older people. 

One of the main characteristics of this report is the evolving awareness towards transcending the
discourse stating the importance of the young categories in the pyramids of ages at the expense of older
persons. Indeed, even though the demographic data demonstrate that the population under 14 years of age
reached 31 % in 200, the 15-59 years old category reached 61 % for the same period we notice a
significant and progressive evolution of the aged population, which will increase from 7.3 % in 2000
to8.2% in 2010, then to 11.1 % in 2020 and ultimately reach 21 % in 2060. 

This phenomena indicates the importance and the dimensions of the challenges that Morocco will be
facing and the strategic stakes they hold for the future. 

But despite all the achievements in the area of the protection of older people, Morocco along with the
different components of our nation, remain mobilized in order to fulfill individual and collective
aspirations. By doing so, my country will make the next decade, a decisive and qualitative stage that
responds to the needs of this social category through the consolidation of its social role and according to a
global and progressive dynamic. 
 

In this framework, we have proceeded to the elaboration of a project of a national plan of action for the
protection of elderly based on as much as on the international strategy of action on ageing and the Arab
plan of action on ageing as on our national references inspired from our religious and civilizational
foundations and our social and cultural specificity. 
 

The primary axes of this project of national plan of action evolves around different areas. Such areas
include: the revision of the laws guaranteeing the rights of older people, the measures et and the necessary
dispositions in the field of sanitary protection, social coverage. leisure activities. Other axes include:
reaching the necessary conditions for the social integration of this category of  the population and the affirmation of its active role of knowledge and experience transfer within the society. This will ultimately contribute to the improvement of the position and the social image of the older person vis a vis her or his environment. 
 

The legal and statutory framework for the creation of a National Commission and regional commissions
for the protection of the elderly is currently being prepared as part of the national dialogue on the project
of the plan. 
 

These bodies are constituted of representatives of governmental sectors, public institutions, local
communities, non-governmental organizations, universities and the private sector. These entities are in
charge of researching the issues related to the older people at the national level and based on regional
indicators. 
 

This commission would be the appropriate instrument and framework of the agreed proposals that are
founded on the principles of coordination and partnership with all the stakeholders. It is also founded on
a global and integrated vision aiming at the social integration of older people on the national, regional and
local levels. 
 

        Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen: 
 

Along with remaining faithful to its engagements and to the decisions and recommendations resulting
from international Conferences and Summits, the kingdom of Morocco will pursue all its efforts for the
integration of the plan of action as well as the orientations, objectives and the measures that will be
adopted by the second world assembly of ageing. This will be achieved according to an approach that
respects our religious values and civilizational particularities. 
 

If this choice is a necessary condition in order to achieve the expected objectives, it remains nevertheless
insufficient. It is necessary that all international actors and communities deploy all their efforts through
the establishment of effective regional and international mechanisms. These mechanisms allow for the
exchange of experiences and the mobilization of the financial resources by the United Nations Specialized
agencies and the international financial institutions notably to the benefit of developing countries. 
 

In addition, the attraction of investments benefiting social programs aiming at the acceleration of the
economic growth constitutes the real precursor for a sustainable human development. Such an approach will allow humanity to equitably benefit from a globalization with a human face.

In the same line of thought, other actions should be oriented towards the fight against the factors
generating tensions and wars. This will allow populations to live in an environment of peace and
coexistence, particularly for the Palestinian people who continue to be the target of massive massacres
and the destruction of their socioeconomic foundations. 
 

With the hope that this World Assembly on Ageing achieves the best results, we would like to praise the
efforts aiming at taking up the challenge and wish that the international community contributes to the
realization of a global and balanced development. May God provide you with all the help and the support
needed for the achievement of the objectives to which this international and historical gathering aspires.
These objectives can represent a basis for a serene and prosperous future to the benefit our peoples. 
 

I THANK YOU LADIES  AND GENTLEMEN FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION.