Moroccan King Mohammed VI greeting the crowd during a ceremony of allegiance, at the King's palace in Tetouan
Moroccan King pays tribute to ex-PM Youssoufi
King Mohammed VI names this year’s promotion of laureate officers after Youssoufi in tribute to his immutable principles of patriotism.
Thursday 01/08/2019
Moroccan King Mohammed VI greeting the crowd during a ceremony of allegiance, at the King's palace in Tetouan
TETOUAN - Morocco’s King Mohammed VI presided Wednesday at Tetouan Palace's Mechouar Square the swearing-in ceremony of 1,839 laureate officers from various institutes and military and paramilitary schools and officers from the ranks on the sidelines of the 20th anniversary of his accession to the throne.
The monarch, who is Supreme Head and Chief of Staff of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR), named this year’s promotion after former Prime Minister Aderrahmane Youssoufi.
“We have chosen to give your promotion the name of Master Abderrahmane Youssoufi, in tribute to the immutable principles of patriotism, attachment to the sacred symbols of the nation and to the Kingdom’s territorial integrity and defence of its higher interests that this personality shares with our venerable father, His Majesty King Hassan II and with Our Majesty,” said the King.
“Be therefore, may God bless you, equal to this name, which symbolises the noble values of righteousness, commitment, firmness over principles, and sincere patriotism; you will thus be faithful to your eternal motto: "God, the Fatherland, the King,” he added.
Youssoufi served as Prime Minister of Morocco from 1998 to 2002 and retired from politics in 2003.
Almost three years ago, King Mohammed VI visited Youssoufi at the hospital after suffering from pneumonia.
Youssoufi, a former human right lawyer, told weekly magazine Telquel last month that the Moroccan monarch was the king of the 21st century.
“His Majesty has a clear, wise and integrated vision of the reformist and modernist project of the society and institutions of today's Morocco. He goes down in history in his own way, as a national, regional, and continental learner, perfectly in tune with the issues of the 21st century,” said Youssoufi.
The sworn promotion includes 566 officers from major military schools, including 105 women officers, besides 500 special-cycle officers and rank-and-file officers, including 21 women officers, from the Royal Armed Forces, the Royal Gendarmerie and the Auxiliary Forces.
Some 773 reserve officers from the paramilitary prestigious universities were also sworn in.
