A Consultative Meeting in Guelmim to Prepare Integrated Local Development Programs
A consultative meeting was held yesterday, Monday, in Guelmim, focusing on the preparation of the new generation of integrated local development programs.
This meeting, chaired by the Wali of the Guelmim-Oued Noun region, comes as part of the implementation of the high royal directives articulated in the speeches of His Majesty King Mohammed VI during the Throne Day and the opening of the first session of the fifth legislative year of the 11th legislature. In these speeches, His Majesty called for the launch of a new generation of integrated programs for local development aimed at identifying local priorities for the upcoming years.
In his remarks, the Wali emphasized that the preparation of a new generation of programs aligns with the royal directives urging for the acceleration of local development and the reduction of social and spatial disparities.
He explained that the adopted approach relies on a precise territorial diagnosis based on reliable statistical data, and a proximity approach centered around the real needs of citizens. He mentioned the priority areas that form this new approach, which include job creation, proactive and sustainable management of water resources, and integrated territorial rehabilitation.
Moreover, Mr. Abhai stressed the need to prioritize the most vulnerable areas, particularly rural, mountainous, and oasis regions. This aligns with the royal directives aimed at ensuring spatial justice and territorial integration.
He also highlighted the importance of emerging rural centers in anticipating urban development and organizing space.
This event gathered representatives from decentralized services, elected officials, economic actors, and civil society organizations in an inclusive participatory approach open to all territorial components.
In a statement to the Maghreb Arab Press, the regional director of the High Commission for Planning in Guelmim-Oued Noun, Idris Ait Jabara, who presented data on the demographic, economic, and social aspects of the region, confirmed that this meeting allowed for the identification of strategic priority areas for the integrated local development program.
He emphasized that these areas will be enriched during thematic workshops aimed at integrating proposals and recommendations from various local stakeholders within a participatory approach based on collective intelligence.
Several elected officials and civil society representatives praised this participatory approach in preparing the new generation of integrated local development programs, explaining that this approach could meet the aspirations and real needs of the region’s population.
They also expressed their commitment to the consultative process and their readiness to contribute to the preparation of a cohesive, integrated, and realistic local program that responds to citizens’ expectations.
On Tuesday, workshops will be organized to enable local actors to propose pathways for enhancing the alignment between public programs and improving social services, fostering youth employability, and developing a local development model based on justice and sustainability.
