In response to a central question on "consular services", Mr. Nasser Bourita stressed the efforts of the Ministry for the digitization of various consular services, so as to ease the workload of the consulates, noting, in particular, the platform "consulat.ma" and the consular guide developed in 7 languages with all the necessary information on documents that could be of interest to Moroccans.

He also emphasized the resolution of the problem relating to birth certificates, adding that this is a "huge ongoing project" through the digitization of nearly 1.3 million copies of birth certificates.

Mr. Bourita also said that the "e-Timbre" was tested last week, noting that this initiative, the result of cooperation with the Ministry of Finance, has involved five countries, "and will be generalized because it facilitates the payment process".

In this sense, the Minister recalled that digital measures have been adopted before, and concern the online booking of appointments in Europe and North America, in addition to call centers operating for 5 years receiving between 25,000 and 30,000 requests per day to inform Moroccans.

As for visas, Mr. Bourita said that since last January, "70,000 visas have been granted," which has greatly reduced the pressure on consulates.

Digitization completes the mechanim set up today with the opening of 57 consulates, in addition to the upcoming reopening of consular offices in Tripoli and Benghazi in Libya, he added.

The network of the Moroccan community in its consular component benefits from the special interest granted by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, he noted, stressing that the "High Royal Instructions are clear" and aim to ensure services to the height and on several levels for the benefit of the Moroccan community.

In an answer to another oral question, the Moroccan minister recalled that the royal speech addressed to the Nation on the occasion of the celebration of the 69th anniversary of the revolution of the King and the People had called to break with the seasonal initiatives while advocating a clear and structuring vision in favor of the setting up of mechanisms aiming at accompanying, supporting and putting at contribution the experiences of the Moroccan community established abroad.

In accordance with the provisions of the royal speech, the Ministerial Commission in charge of Moroccan Expatriates and migration affairs held a meeting under the chairmanship of the Head of Government, resulting in the creation of a working group in charge of skills and should deliver before next February its conclusions concerning the modes and means of detection of skills and their compatibility with the needs of the country, in addition to promoting networking and administrative governance, he said.

While ensuring that work continues for an effective materialization of the Royal High Directions, Mr. Bourita noted that the initiatives carried out previously in favor of Moroccans in the world remain insufficient even if they had given results.

On a different note, Mr. Bourita noted that the issue of Moroccan Expatriates' investment in Morocco was widely discussed in the royal speech addressed to the Nation by the Sovereign on the occasion of the celebration of the 69th anniversary of the revolution of the King and the People.

In this respect, he reported the creation of a working group working under a coordination provided by the Ministry of Investment, the General Confederation of Enterprises of Morocco (CGEM) and the Professional Grouping of Banks of Morocco (GPBM), to formulate proposals for the materialization of the High Royal Instructions and also to contribute to the previous initiatives.

He said, moreover, that 10% of remittances from Moroccans living abroad are intended for investment with only a negligible 2% that goes to productive investment, believing that it is to remedy this problem on the legislative level (investment code) as well as on the level of communication with the Moroccan investor abroad and its support.

Responding to another question, Mr. Bourita stressed that the evolution of the socio-demographic structure of the Moroccans living abroad, as well as the situation in host countries and interference in the Moroccan identity abroad, for religious, social or other reasons, require the strengthening and preservation of the cultural aspect of the identity of the Moroccan community living abroad.

He added that the action of the Ministry in this field, concerns the host countries through the experience of cultural centers such as those of Montreal and the Netherlands and that of Paris which will open its doors soon, as well as cultural programs dedicated to the Moroccan identity which are implemented in partnership with centers in host countries.

Bourita also emphasized the role of the provision of education in preserving the cultural aspect of the Moroccan identity of the Moroccans living abroad through agreements with several countries to send teachers or informal actions carried out in coordination with a set of associations, noting that religious supervision remains an essential element in the preservation of the Moroccan identity in addition to the cultural activities organized in host countries.

The Minister reviewed the other measures taken as part of the operation "Marhaba", the summer universities and other cultural activities.

He stressed the need to harmonize and adapt the offer presented to the Moroccan community residing abroad in the light of its socio-demographic evolution and the situation in the countries of residence marked by the rise of certain extremist tendencies, by exploiting in particular, the modern technological means to meet this fundamental challenge.