Overview

• King Mohammed VI urged accelerating programs to create jobs for young people, improve health and education services, and narrow regional gaps with a focus on mountain and oasis areas.
• He said there should be no competition between national flagship projects and social programs, signaling a push to balance high-profile investments with everyday needs.
• The monarch did not address Gen Z 212 directly; the youth-led group had staged fresh rallies on Thursday and said it would pause protests on Friday out of respect for the speech.
• Government spokesman Mustapha Baitas earlier said “the message has been received” and pledged faster action, while the health minister detailed ongoing plans since 2022 to build or renovate 22 hospitals, open two new university medical centers, and rehabilitate 1,400 facilities by end-2025.
• Nationwide demonstrations since Sept. 27 have criticized World Cup spending versus underfunded services, with at least three people reported dead and hundreds arrested as rights groups decry heavy-handed policing; protesters also petitioned the palace to dismiss the government and pursue anti-corruption measures.