Morocco Celebrates Fete du Trone

King Mohammed VI officially marked his 10 years on the Moroccan throne on Thursday. Although he really became King on July 23rd, 1999, the festivities surrounding his ascension – called Fete du Trone – are celebrated every July 30th instead. This year, the celebrations took place in Tetouan and Tangiers, in the northern part in the country.

To start off the day’s events, King Mohammed released a recorded speech to his people. He spoke with his son and heir, Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, sitting to his right, and his brother, Moulay Rachid, at his left.

The King spoke of reforms for Morocco’s judicial system. He also asked Prime Minister Abbas El Fassi to take a “qualitative step on the way to local democracy,” by making changes to education, social issues and regionalization.

“In the last 10 years, Morocco has been able to realize major sustainable development projects,” King Mohammed said in his speech. “And I tell you sincerely, it was not an easy undertaking for us. But despite all the difficulties and challenges, I promise you we will continue our efforts for the development of our country.”

The King also called for the government to care for the environment, and “to safeguard species, reserves and natural resources, within the framework of sustainable development.” He also reiterated Morocco’s claims of the Western Sahara region, a place in dispute with neighboring Algeria.

While Moroccans watched the speech on television, King Mohammed was in the capital city of Rabat, holding the bey’a ceremony, where Islamic theologians, ministers, civil servants and lawmakers swore allegiance to him.

Later, he took his son, Moulay Hassan, to observe the military guard.

Moving north to Tangiers, the King took time to decorate Wissam Alaouite Aaron Monsonego, the chief Rabbi of Morocco. King Mohammed recently acknowledged the Holocaust, calling it a great tragedy.

In Tangiers and Tetouan, there were fireworks displays all through the night.

Bahrain’s Sheikh King Hamad was there to personally congratulate King Mohammed’s decade of Morocco’s monarch.