19 maggio 2016

HM King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and Chief of General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) addressed, on Saturday, an Order of the Day to the officers, non-commissioned officers and privates on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Royal Armed Forces.

Here is the full text of the Order of the Day:

Praise be to God May peace and blessings be upon the Prophet, His Kith and Kin
Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates,

Our Royal Armed Forces – and with them the entire Moroccan people – are celebrating today the 60th anniversary of their creation. This anniversary is a highly symbolic national event which I have always been keen to commemorate to safeguard the solid, deeply-rooted bonds that are part of our true values and traditions. It is an opportunity to highlight the special significance of this historic event which enabled our country, shortly after its independence, to build an organized army. Since then, our Royal Armed Forces, under the stewardship of its Supreme Commander, have been actively engaged in the process of building our nation, defending the country’s territorial integrity and upholding its sacred, immutable values.

We are prouder than ever as we reminisce about the bright chapters in the Royal Armed Forces’ exceptionally long record of achievements and sacrifices. We commend your resolve and constructive action to defend the nation’s accomplishments as well as its sovereignty, ever upholding the oath of allegiance to your Supreme Commander and Chief of General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces – a commitment on your part made stronger by the Moroccan people’s rallying around the nation’s sacred, immutable values, particularly our country’s territorial integrity.

With feelings of profound emotion, reverence and deep gratitude, we have a thought, today, for my most esteemed grandfather, His Majesty King Mohammed V – may he rest in peace – who devoted his life to serving the homeland, made every sacrifice for it and had the distinct merit of laying the foundations for the Royal Armed Forces as a symbol of the nation’s sovereignty; and also for my venerable father, His Majesty King Hassan II – may God bless his soul – who is rightly credited with supervising, equipping and training our armed forces and consolidating their human, material and technical resources, from the early days of independence.

Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates,

I should like to say, once again, how much I care about our Royal Armed Forces and how deeply satisfied I am with all of you – sea, land, air units and Royal Gendarmerie – all ranks included. I urge you all – Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates – to strive doubly hard, to keep up the good work and to remain ever ready, as is customary, to make every sacrifice for the glory and triumph of our nation. Let our immutable values and rich history be your guiding light and inspiration wherever you may be called to serve, at home or abroad.

In fact, you are already showing this through the humanitarian role you have been playing as part of the social and medical missions assigned to you for the benefit of your fellow citizens in remote areas that are affected by bad weather conditions. This role has become a characteristic trait of your national solidarity-based engagement. Not only are your interventions reliable and highly appreciated, but they are also effective, particularly the deployment, at my command, of military field hospitals in various parts of the Kingdom.

To further consolidate the involvement of our Royal Armed Forces in humanitarian missions, which I support in keeping with an integrated approach to tackling the consequences of natural disasters, I am keen to develop and upgrade the means of intervention at your disposal. In this regard, disaster relief units as well as search and rescue units will be created and I will make sure they have the logistical support and technical equipment needed to carry out their mission properly, given the diversity of the interventions expected of our armed forces.

In this regard, I have recently inaugurated a state-of-the-art virology center at the Mohammed V Military Hospital which will serve as a medical reference unit in various medical and biological fields as well as in the prevention of tropical diseases regarding the members of our Royal Armed Forces who are called to serve in international operations abroad. Moreover, during my auspicious visit to our beloved southern provinces, I inaugurated a military seawater desalination vessel.

Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates,

Given the international situation prevailing today, especially in the Sahel and Sahara region, I cannot but commend all the units stationed at our borders, especially in the southern regions, for their great vigilance and resolve in securing our air, sea and land borders. They are ever ready to defend our territorial integrity, making sure it is invulnerable to all threats and perils. I also want to pay tribute to the units involved in joint, precautionary and preventive security mechanisms which I ordered to be set up and activated, including “Hadhar” and “Da’m.”

I should like to say how much I appreciate your selfless participation in the efforts exerted by various national security agencies to protect the homeland and ensure the safety of our citizens. I wish to assure each and every member of these agencies of my personal solicitude as well as my appreciation for the immense sacrifices they make. I also commend their great ability to adapt to tasks and to the requirements of today’s world, which is characterized by much confusion and instability. I urge you to ponder this reality and deal with it wisely and judiciously, especially in light of the growing threat of transnational terrorism and organized crime.

To shield the members of the Royal Armed Forces against devious trends and influences which are incompatible with the sacred religious values of the Moroccan nation, I have attached special importance to the provision of proper religious guidance, which is readily available to all our army units, in coordination with the Ministry of Endowments (Awqâf) and Islamic Affairs. The aim is to safeguard our moderate Islamic identity and to promote balanced religious awareness among our soldiers, in keeping with the bond of the Bei’a and the Commandership of the Faithful – with which the Almighty has entrusted me – and in accordance with our pristine religion, with the Maliki rite and with the specific traits of the Moroccan society, which is known for its commitment to tolerance and coexistence.

Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates,

Being firmly convinced of the importance of the roles you fulfil in several areas, I have constantly sought to develop and upgrade the military training system, improve training programs and ensure their suitability, and also to enhance the skills, capabilities and combat readiness of the Royal Armed Forces, keeping in mind the need to learn foreign languages and to provide access to technical disciplines with military applications.

I should like, in this respect, to say how much I value the efforts made by all units of the Royal Armed Forces to ensure the development of human resources and make sure they are fit to engage in constantly evolving tasks. It is necessary to diversify joint military training methods, use new engagement systems, equip military training areas and ranges and protect means of communication as well as data and information exchange networks.

With that in mind, I have given my instructions to make sure the Royal Armed Forces consolidate interaction with the regional and international environment by holding, on an annual basis, a number of joint military exercises involving the armies of sister countries. They include training sessions and practical military drills to exchange expertise, learn through practical experience and acquire new skills. Also attesting to this open policy is the fact that a large number of foreign military trainees are attending various Moroccan military academies for basic and in-service training. Not only does this enhance our country’s influence and standing, but it also contributes to strengthening cooperation, especially with Arab and African sister nations.

Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates,

I have always been proud of all members of the Royal Armed Forces serving outside the country, either as part of Morocco’s cooperation with a number of sister nations, or in lofty humanitarian missions – as is the case with the field hospital in Al Za’tari, in the sister nation Jordan – or in United Nations peacekeeping missions. They discharge their duties exceptionally well, making countless sacrifices and serving honorably and selflessly.

In view of the above, I have always attached special importance to improving your material and social conditions so that you may devote your undivided attention – serenely and with peace of mind – to the tasks assigned to you. Thus, during a recent Government meeting held under my chairmanship, several draft laws were approved regarding compensation for assignment abroad and an increase in the minimum pension for veterans.

Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates,

During the sixty-year period since we first laid down the foundations for an independent, free Morocco, our Royal Armed Forces have written glorious pages in our history thanks to their dedication, sacrifice and integrity. Today, we are carrying the torch passed on by our esteemed martyrs, who made the ultimate sacrifice for the homeland, at the forefront of whom were my grandfather, His Majesty King Mohammed V and my revered father, His Majesty King Hassan II – may they rest in peace. We are, indeed, determined to continue following in their footsteps, with pride and self-confidence, so that our country, from Tangier to Lagouira, may continue to stand tall and enjoy the blessings of unity, security and a dignified life.

May the Almighty protect you all and grant you every success for the well-being of our nation. May He forever bless the commendable efforts you are making so that your longstanding traditions and your immutable values may continue to prevail as you adapt to any development that upholds the basic principles underpinning the nation and helps you safeguard its most sacred values. I pray that Almighty God grant you success as you remain forever loyal to your eternal motto: God – The Homeland – The King.

Wassalamou alaikoum warahmatullah wabarakatouh.

MAP 14 May 2016