His Majesty King Mohammed VI affirmed on Thursday that if the number of COVID-19 infections continues to rise, the competent scientific committee may recommend re-imposing a lockdown, or even tightening it further.
In the Royal Speech addressed to the Nation on the occasion of the 67th anniversary of the Revolution of the King and the People, His Majesty stressed that "if necessity dictates taking this difficult decision, God forbid, its repercussions will be harsh on citizens' lives and on economic and social conditions."
His Majesty highlighted that without strict and responsible compliance with health measures, the number of infections and deaths will rise, and hospitals will become unable to cope with the pandemic, regardless of the efforts made by public authorities and the health sector.
In the same context, His Majesty warned that without exemplary and responsible national behavior from everyone, it will not be possible to overcome this situation or meet the challenge of fighting this pandemic.
His Majesty recalled that parallel to the easing of the lockdown, a set of preventive measures was taken to maintain citizens' safety and curb the spread of the virus, "yet we were surprised by the increase in infection numbers," noting that "the deterioration of the health situation we have reached today is regrettable and does not inspire optimism," and anyone stating otherwise is lying.
His Majesty noted that the number of confirmed cases, severe conditions, and deaths more than tripled in a short period after lifting the lockdown compared to the lockdown period itself.
Furthermore, His Majesty added, the infection rate among healthcare workers rose from one case per day during the lockdown to recently reach ten cases daily.
His Majesty thus called on all national forces for mobilization, vigilance, and active engagement in the national effort regarding awareness-raising and community guidance to confront this pandemic.
His Majesty King Mohammed VI stated that Morocco is entering a new phase focused on strengthening national sovereignty, supporting economic recovery, and implementing the New Development Model. He also called on the government and Parliament to fully assume their responsibilities.
The United Nations praised His Majesty King Mohammed VI’s forward-looking vision for future generations, highlighting the importance of collective action to build a human-centered and sustainable development model. It also noted that this vision has become even more relevant in light of the challenges exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly social inequalities and the spread of misinformation.
The Council of the League of Arab States praised the efforts of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, to protect Al-Quds Al-Sharif and support the resilience of the Palestinian people. It also highlighted the fieldwork of the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Agency in preserving the city’s Arab and Islamic identity.
