Mustafa Baytas, the Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of Relations with Parliament and Government Spokesperson, launched the national program to strengthen the managerial and institutional capacities of civil society associations in the Marrakech-Safi region, as part of the second phase of the national strategy “Naseej” for the period 2022-2026.
The program aims to enable associations to become active institutional partners in the preparation and evaluation of public policies and regional development programs. It includes training for associations in areas such as development, governance, and civic participation.
Baytas confirmed that the program is in line with the royal directives emphasizing the involvement of associations in managing public affairs and enhancing their contribution to development, noting that strengthening the capacities of civil society is a fundamental pillar for the success of participatory democracy and the activation of the constitutional roles of associations.
He reviewed the results of the first phase in the Fez-Meknes region, which included training for 350 associations and over 1,000 civil actors, along with the restructuring of the basic laws for 22 associations and the establishment of strategic plans for 30 associations.
The minister announced the establishment of a “Civil Society Competence Pole” in the Marrakech-Safi region to transfer knowledge and skills to other associations and encourage cooperation and solidarity among them. A local association will be selected to manage a call center that provides legal and administrative consultations and assists in accessing information related to the work of associations.
He explained that the program will later expand to the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, Souss-Massa, and Casablanca-Settat regions, with invitations for expressions of interest being launched for these areas. He emphasized the importance of combining the efforts of institutional and civil actors within a framework of complementary roles to achieve desired development under royal patronage.
