The Headquarters of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), in Rabat, hosted on Thursday, December 24, 2020, the ordinary session of the General Assembly of the Moroccan National Commission for Education, Science, and Culture, under the chairmanship of Mr. Saad Dine El Otmani, Head of the Moroccan Government, and Mr. Saaid Amzazi, President the National Commission for Education, Science, and Culture, Minister of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research, Government Spokesperson.

The session also brought together Mr. Abdellatif Loudiyi, Minister Delegate to the Head of Government, in charge of National Defense Administration; Mr. Driss Ouaouicha, Minister Delegate in charge of Higher Education and Scientific Research; and Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), as well as the Commission’s members and staff.

During the meeting, which saw the participation of the representatives of UNESCO and ALECSO, Mr. El Otmani expressed his pride in the pivotal roles of the Moroccan National Commission in linking the governmental sectors and the national bodies to UNESCO, ICESCO, and ALECSO. The organizations specialize in education, science, culture, sustainable development, communication, youth, and sports. He also commended the efforts of Mr. Amzazi, President of the Commission, to revitalize it and effectively implement the programmes and activities of the three organizations.

Mr. El Otmani congratulated Mr. Jamal Dine Elaloua on his appointment as the Secretary-General of the Commission and thanked ICESCO for hosting this meeting as well as its great and constructive cooperation with the Moroccan National Commission in many projects and programs.

In his address at the opening session, Mr. Amzazi, President of the National Commission, reaffirmed his endeavor to promote the Commission to fulfill its tasks. “Our National Commission has recently made great achievements. It has imposed itself as a distinguished National Commission within the networks of the three organizations,” he underscored.

In his address at the opening session, Dr. AlMalik welcomed the Moroccan National Commission at ICESCO headquarters and expressed his thanks and gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may Allah assist him, for his care and support to ICESCO, on the path of his father, the late King Hassan II, may Allah rest his soul.
Dr. AlMalik also thanked Mr. El Otmani, Head of the Moroccan Government, all the Moroccan ministries, the Member States as well as the presidents of national commissions for their sustained support for and cooperation with ICESCO.

Mr. Othman El Ferdaous, Minister of Culture, in the address that the Ministry’s Secretary-General delivered on his behalf, stressed the key role of the Moroccan National Commission.
“It is a major mechanism and a pivotal bridge between the international organizations, the sector of culture, and the national bodies concerned with culture. Other speakers during the opening session, held through videoconference, included Mr. Firmin Edouard Matoko, Assistant DG of UNESCO for Africa, as well as Mr. Abdel-Fattah Al-Hajmari, Director of the Arabization Coordination Bureau. Both speakers commended the work of the National Commission and reaffirmed their great confidence in the Moroccan National Commission as an essential partner in their programs and activities.

At the close of the opening session, Mr. Amzazi and Dr. AlMalik signed a contract of advisory services and institutional support to implement the pilot project for the development of basic education in Morocco. The project will be implemented in partnership with the Islamic Development Bank Group.

The National Commission then held its special session with the participation of most of its members, through videoconference. The session reviewed, examined, and unanimously approved the activity and financial reports for 2020, in addition to the action program and the draft budget for 2021. The session concluded with the recitation of the message due to be conveyed to His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may Allah assist him.