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His Majesty the King
Mohamed
VI
of Morocco |
Message conveyed by His Majesty the King of Morocco
to the participants in the Plenipotentiary Conference PP-02
It was thanks to fortuitous timetabling that, on 18
October 2000, We met with Mr Yoshio Utsumi, Secretary-General of the
International Telecommunication Union, on the occasion of the
inauguration of the Casablanca Technopark. The Secretary-General
drew our attention to the importance which he personally, together
with the leading figures in the telecommunication sector, attaches
to the Plenipotentiary Conference of the International
Telecommunication Union to be held in Marrakesh from 23 September to
18 October 2002. In particular, he drew Our attention to the
implications of the Conference for the restructuring of ITU and for
its strategy over the next four years, and hence for the future of
the telecommunication sector and the information and knowledge
society worldwide.
We responded by expressing to him Our firm
intention, together with that of Our Government and Our people, to
ensure that all the necessary conditions are met and arrangements
made for the success of this important event. We also took the
opportunity to pay tribute to ITU's pioneering role in world
telecommunication development and in particular to the work it does
for the benefit of developing countries.
At the Minneapolis Plenipotentiary Conference held
in the United States in 1998, the Kingdom of Morocco presented
itself as a candidate to host the present session in Marrakesh. In
so doing, we have expressed Our country's willingness to open up to
world trade and become fully integrated into the global economy, the
aim being to achieve sustainable development as the only path for
improving the living conditions of the underprivileged sectors of
society, concern for which is constantly reflected in the social
policy of the State. There can be no questioning the fact that the
information and communication technologies sector constitutes one of
the main avenues for the success of that strategy, and that in
recent years no other sector has counted more in our development
policy than this key sector.
The beautiful and historical city of Marrakesh,
whose name, since the establishment of the World Trade Organization
in 1994, has been associated with the opening up of the world
economy, is proud to play host to such a large number of delegates
from all parts of the world and whose participation will serve to
enrich the work of your Conference. The people of Morocco as a
whole, characterized as they are by a spirit of hospitality and
friendliness, are happy to accord to their guests the most heartfelt
welcome.
For Our part, and in Our capacity as the King of
Morocco, we should like to express Our welcome to all those
participating in the work of the Conference and visiting Our
country, which is known for its tolerance and openness to the
cultures of the world. We would be all the happier if, during your
stay in Morocco, you were to discover its glorious history, its
great culture and its age-old traditions, the result of the
intermingling of civilizations and religions from the Orient, Africa
and Andalusia over more than 14 centuries. This will make you, when
you return to your respective countries, the best ambassadors for
Morocco.
In conclusion, We once again bid you welcome to
Morocco, where we wish you a most pleasant stay and every success
for your Conference.n
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