Action plan – Béni Mellal-Khénifra, Morocco, 2022 – 2027

At-a-Glance

Duration

Sep 2027

Date Submitted

30th November 2022

Foreword(s)

Since 2017, during the first year of its mandate, The Regional Council (RC) of Beni Mellal-Khenifra (BMK), was among the first regions to create consultative bodies (CBs) and to engage in programs to train and equip RC staff and Consultative Bodies (CBs) with skills and capacities on effective public consultation and civic engagement.

The region sees citizen input as essential. It is partly a specificity of the region and partly a desire to perform well and be trailblazers in citizen integration strategy of the central government.

The RC engaged enormous efforts in the OGP mechanism and civic participation; the awareness sessions and co-creation events of the OGP Action Plan in June 2021 were attended by more than 140 participants from 90 local NGOs, despite tight restrictions related to Covid19 pandemic.

The newly elected RC, (Sep 2021) renewed its commitmentOGP commitments are promises for reform co-created by governments and civil society and submitted as part of an action plan. Commitments typically include a description of the problem, concrete action... to OGP and started implementing co-creation events and open PDR Sessions from January 2022.

The approval of this final action plan was based on co-creation between elected officials and Staff of the RC, the consultative bodies and civil society organizations gathered in a session of reflection and concentration on November 23, 2022.

Open Government Challenges, Opportunities and Strategic Vision

What is the long-term vision for open government in your context and jurisdiction?

Beni Mellal-Khenifra region has a strategic vision based on OGP principles; which stipulates the promotion of citizen participationAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, citizen participation occurs when “governments seek to mobilize citizens to engage in public debate, provide input, and make contributions that lead to m... More; the consecration of the principles of transparencyAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, transparency occurs when “government-held information (including on activities and decisions) is open, comprehensive, timely, freely available to the pub... More and accountability; proactive sharing of data and information; a full commitment to the right of access to information; empowering the right of citizens to appeal or petition by creating a mechanism of reception of petitions; capacity buildingEnhancing the skills, abilities, and processes of public servants, civil society, and citizens is essential to achieving long-lasting results in opening government. Technical specifications: Set of ac... of advisory bodies for better drafting of advisory opinions as well as the establishment of a simplified budget document “citizen budget”, which facilitates the reading and understanding of the annual budget by an ordinary citizen; an open regional development program (PDR)  that allows civil society and the majority of citizens to participate in the strategic planning and by therefore better ownership of this document by all regional actors.

What are the achievements in open government to date (for example, recent open government reforms)?

1 – Training sessions for the elected representative, committees, and staff of the RC for a better understanding of the concept of the “citizen budget”.

2- A public call for applications for civil society associations to participate in the consultations about the open regional development plan; a first in Morocco resulted in wide participation of CSOs and citizens in the drafting of the open RDP.

3- Launching innovation laboratories and the promotion of collective intelligence for the benefit of all regional actors.

4- A public communication and proactive sharing of documents and information on the region’s website and social media for citizens and associations.

5- The establishment of a committee to ensure the delivery of requested information.

6- Continuous moderation of RCs social media,  follow-up, and responses to citizens’ comments.

What are the current challenges/areas for improvement in open government that the jurisdiction wishes to tackle?

The main challenges that limit in some way the achievement of the objectives of our opening strategy are:

1- Mobilizing more associations and cooperatives to participate in the outreach programs.

2- Accompanying other local authorities in the Beni Mellal Khenifra region to join the Moroccan network of open local governments; to ensure more trust between citizens and their political representatives, and of course to ensure effective citizen participation.

3- Mobilization of more resources and partners for the reinforcement of the capacities of civil society and economic factors and the awareness of the role of civil society in the regional and local development

What are the medium-term open government goals that the government wants to achieve?

1- Ensuring engagement of CSOs and cooperatives, young people, and the private sectorGovernments are working to open private sector practices as well — including through beneficial ownership transparency, open contracting, and regulating environmental standards. Technical specificat... More to participate effectively in all phases of regional planning and open governance in order to ensure the region is meeting the priorities of its citizens and the challenges of development.

2- Creative and innovative solutions based on research to more effectively tackle regional development challenges. Engaging civil society, the private sector, elected representatives, and state representatives in the framework of innovation laboratories and collective intelligence.

3- Supporting the Moroccan network and the African network of local open governments to permit the exchange of ideas and experience leading to greater openness for sustainable and just development.

How does this action plan contribute to achieving the Open Government Strategic Vision?

Our action plan has put in place specific actions to consolidate the acquired achievements and strengthen the capacities of the local regional actors and promote innovation.

It will ensure more inclusionOGP participating governments are working to create governments that truly serve all people. Commitments in this area may address persons with disabilities, women and girls, lesbian, gay, bisexual, tr... More and mobilization during strategic planning, with proactive sharing of data and information. In addition, the innovation labs and collective intelligence will strengthen trust between the political bodies and the associative actors and consequently between the citizens and their political representatives.

How does the open government strategic vision contribute to the accomplishment of the current administration’s overall policy goals?

The Beni Mellal Khenifra Regional Council adopted openness driven by a strong political will; seeing citizen participation as an effective tool to reduce the gap between representative democracy and citizen participation.

To achieve this goal a communication strategy was put in place; a strong engagement for the dematerialization of administrative procedures, digital transformationGovernments are working to increase access to and quality of government services, improve transparency, and create opportunities for participation by using information and communications technologies.... More, and using more digital tools for communication; the setting up of electronic platforms for more transparency of the public order and more accountability of the responsibles of the region through the filing of the declarations of the assets of regional elected leaders as well as the production of advisory opinions by the advisory bodies of the Regional Council to provide input and support decision-making of elected officials.

Engagement and Coordination in the Open Government Strategic Vision and OGP Action Plan

Please list the lead institutions responsible for the implementation of this OGP action plan.

• Regional Council
• Regional Administration
• Consultative Bodies
• Non-government partners
• Asociative actors

What kind of institutional arrangements are in place to coordinate between government agencies and departments to implement the OGP action plan?

The coordination between the regional council and the national level is well concretized by the signature of a partnership agreement between the regional council of Beni Mellal-Khenifra and the Ministry of Digital Transformation and Administration Reform, which is the department in charge of the national OGP. 

Béni Mellal-Khenifra has been chosen as a pilot region for the implementation of the National OGP commitments at the local level.

What kind of spaces have you used or created to enable the collaboration between government and civil society in the co-creation and implementation of this action plan? Mention both offline and online spaces.

The awareness and co-creation sessions organized between April and June 2021 gathered representatives of more than 80 CSOs, including those representing youthRecognizing that investing in youth means investing in a better future, OGP participating governments are creating meaningful opportunities for youth to participate in government processes. Technical ... More, women, and persons with disabilities, and five provincial governments.

Open Regional Development Program (PDR) consultations in January 2022 gathered more than 90 CSOs 

To finalize the action plan, on Wednesday, November 23, 2022, a co-creation workshop was organized by the Regional Council with the participation of members of the three consultative bodies created in the region that are responsible for economic affairs, youth, and genderOGP participating governments are bringing gender perspectives to popular policy areas, ensuring diversity in participatory processes, and specifically targeting gender gaps in policies to address gov... More, as well as civil society from across the region.

What measures did you take to ensure diversity of representation (including vulnerable or marginalized populations) in these spaces?

The three consultative bodies set up at the level of the region have the participation of more than 60 civil society and other regional actors, Representing: Children; Women; Student; People with disabilitiesA government is not open unless it is accessible to all, and governments are working to ensure people with disabilities are afforded equitable services and opportunities to participate. Technical spec...,  Academic institutions, Elderly people; Economic and private actors.

Who participated in these spaces?

During the PDR development process, the region met with civil society representatives from all the provinces, as the first step to broader engagement.

Elected leaders, representatives of the consultative bodies, and civil society participated in this final co-creation workshop in November with the presence of international partners providing technical support such as the NDI and the Impact for Development Centre of Excellence

How many groups participated in these spaces?

3

How many public-facing meetings were held in the co-creation processCollaboration between government, civil society and other stakeholders (e.g., citizens, academics, private sector) is at the heart of the OGP process. Participating governments must ensure that a dive...?

17

How will government and non-governmental stakeholders continue to collaborate through the implementation of the action plan?

The majority of governmental and non-governmental actors were engaged in the initial OGP activities. Consequently, there is a strong involvement of all partners in the implementation of the actions and projects included in our action plan;

We anticipate strong mobilization and effective participation of civil society actors, international institutions, organizations, and donors to support the region to be more successful in implementing the action plan.

Please describe the independent Monitoring Body you have identified for this plan.

Consultative Bodies and an independent non-governmental organization “center of excellence impact for development”, which has developed a knowledge of openness and support for local governments wishing to subscribe to the concepts of openness.

Provide the contact details for the independent monitoring body.

• Tarik Hbid, President of Advisory Authority for Regional Economic Development, tarikhbid@gmail.com
• Safae Tankiouine, President of Advisory Body on Integrated Regional Public Policies for Youth, s.tankiouine@yahoo.fr
• Touda farah, President Advisory Commission for Equality, Equal Opportunities and Gender Approach, toudafarah@gmail.com
• Samia El Baouchi, Director, Elbaouchisamia@gmail.com

What types of activities will you have in place to discuss progress on commitments with stakeholders?

In parallel with the dates set by the action plan, an assessment system will be set in consultation with all project partners. Regular updates will be shared with the RC elected leadership and the Consultative Bodies.

How will you regularly check in on progress with implementing agencies?

The independent body responsible for monitoring and evaluating the execution of the action plan will organize evaluation workshops and draft reports annually.

The RC would organize seminars and workshops to verify the proper management of actions and the quality of the results and objectives reached.

How will you share the results of your monitoring efforts with the public?

Monitoring activities and results related to the action plan will be published on the region’s website on its social media platforms as well as in the newsletter and other communication media.

Endorsement from Non-Governmental Stakeholders

• Safa Tankouine, President, PhD Students
• Ikram Ahnsal, Student, University Student – Azilal
• Fatima El Khazneti, President, Association of the Moroccan Association for the Development of
• Hasna Aksar, student, Association Actor and University Student
• hamid Ezzerwali, membre, beni mellal developpement association
• Azze-eddin al-Hashimi:, membre, Shams Blind and Misr Association – Bani Melal
• Ibrahim O. Baadi:, président, association of Creativity for Art, Culture and EducationAccountability within the public education system is key to improving outcomes and attainment, and accountability is nearly impossible without transparent policies and opportunities for participation ... Ait Oqbly
• Walid Shro, président, Association for Development, Children and Youth Yibni Ayyat
• Mohammed Alwan, President, Al-Intilaka Association for Development, Environment and Culture Afforar – Azilal
• Mohammed Azaroush, President, Ait Hamou Development and Solidarity Association AIt Ouqabl Ezilal
• Oussama el-Sakhi, Secretary general, Local Secretary of the Regional Council for Youth, Faqih bin Saleh
• Abdel Fattah Dhabi, membre, Association of Children of the Corporal for Development, FBS
• Abd al-Rahim Saber, Profesor / Phd Student, Professor of Primary Education, doctoral student – Fakih bin Saleh Province.
• Abd al-Rahim Attar, president, Head of the Central Office of the Re Association for Education and Culture
• Mohammed Al-Mudkouri, membre, local association from Beni Mellal
• Rashid al-Habib, president, Association for the Rehabilitation of Young People, Beni Mellal
• Elias Maleh, president, Educational and Cultural Association Branch of Bani Melal – Province
• Hamid Zakraria:, president, Regional Youth Forum Active in Beni Melal – Beni Melal Region
• Younis Ouharar, president, Youth Movement Association for Local Development in Khenifra,
• Abdelhady Hanin, president, President of Morocco
• Hamza Awadi, general secretary, Future Youth Association for Development in Kheriba
• Tariq Habid, membre, Regional Office of the Federation of Contractors Bani Mailal
• Halima el-Bashir el-Bohali, president, Za Shams Al-Ghad
• Maryam Bahaa, president, Maryam Wadi Zam Shaving Cooperative, Kharibaga
• Laila Slami, actor, Economic actor from Khouribga
• Bouchra Ainan, president, Society for Solidarity and the Future for Social Development Wadi Zam
• asma makkas, profesor, Research Professor Khouribga
• Mohamed Zitouni, membre, Regional Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services, Beni Malla
• Mohammed Aknan, general secretary, Afak Abzu Society for Development, Culture and Environment
• Mohammed Ait Abou, actor, Ouaouizerth Company
• Mohammed el-Aakkawi, president, Regional Chamber of Traditional Industry, Beni Malal
• Yahya al-Khalqi, profesor, Professor, Sultan Molay Soulaymane University,
• Mohamed Sabri, profesor, Assistant Director, National School of Commerce and Management. Malal – Beni Mailal Region
• Abdullah Elami, president, Young Peasants
• Ayub al-Faqih, director, KHouribga TECH57 Company khouribga
• Al-Mahdi Jaadawi, president, Smart Khraybaga Cooperative
• Zok Hafid Mohammad, engineer, Industrial Engineer in Khouribga,
• Mohammed Aqbali, profesor, university professor
• Abdel Hakim Akor, busness men, contractor in Qabab, Khenifa province.
• Toda Farah, coordinator, Association for Women
• ZOULIKHA OLIJAN, president, Ait Hamou Development and Solidarity Association
• Fatima Al-Zahra Messaq, president, Beit Bahia Association for Children Abandoned
• Najla El-Edrisi, president, Moroccan Association of Female Professors (AMFEC), Beni Mellal
• Youmna al-Hisi, president, Moroccan Scientific Association for the Promotion of the Leadership of Young Women
• Rashida AlSoultani, membre, National Organization for Human RightsAn essential part of open government includes protecting the sacred freedoms and rights of all citizens, including the most vulnerable groups, and holding those who violate human rights accountable. T..., Migrant Protection and Sustainable Development – Bani Melal
• Aziza Kharrazi:, president, Karaza Association for Regional Development
• ouardiya bouhya, membre, Social Assistance Fakih bin Saleh
• Fatima Al-Kazmir:, membre, Federalism of Women
• Mina Yassi, president, Horizon Forum for Culture and Development, Khouribga
• Mohammed Satif:, president, Dawn Association for the Sport of Blind and Visually Impaired People
• kaddour Omari, president, Dawn Association for Persons with Special Needs
• Mohammed el-Daoudi, tresorie, Development and Culture Association – Azilal Province
• Ali Miliane, president, Regional Federation Ayn Esardon for Social Development
• Aziz Tounani, president, Regional Association Al-Shifa for each patient – Fakih ben Saleh Province
• Anas SALMANE, president, Regional Youth Footprint Association – Fakih ben Saleh Province
• el-Mahdi Atif, president, Morocco Future Association – Khouribga Region
• Anas ROCHDI, general secretary, Dream Society Khouribga
• Hadou Meski, president, Ait Osman Village Development Association
• Bouzakri Bozher, president, Athletics Club Ait Ishak
• Rashid Alawi Ismaili, vice president, Qarat Al-Ayn Association – Beni Mellal
• Mohammed khabir, president, Ain Aserderon Sports Hunting and Environmental Conservation Association

Letter from the Président of Béni Mellal-Khenifra.pdf
http://www.benimellalkhenifra.ma