The Minister of Justice, Abdellatif Ouahbi presented, Wednesday evening to the House of Representatives, an exhaustive presentation on the results of his department in 2022 as well as the main lines of the sectoral budget of the ministry for the year 2023.
Speaking before the Committee on Justice, Legislation and Human Rights in the House of Representatives, he announced that the programs planned for next year are based on constitutional fundamentals and fall within the framework of the High Guidelines of King Mohammed VI, in particular the Royal Speech on the occasion of the 23rd anniversary of the Throne Day, in which the Sovereign had insisted on the need for a revision of the family code.
The Minister also mentioned the mobilization this year of all human and financial resources to consolidate the legislative reforms as well as all the components inherent in logistics and infrastructure as provided for in the government program and in the finance law of the end of the year, adding that the Ministry of Justice is determined to complete the open projects next year and ensure the materialization of the High Guidelines of HM King Mohammed VI in favor of the consecration of the rule of law as well as well as the promotion of legal and judicial security, essential, according to him, to achieve global development.
The assessment presented by the Minister of Justice to the deputies who are members of the said commission concerns several aspects, in particular coordination, cooperation and unconditional support for the independence of justice, the simplification and digitization of judicial administration, the upgrading of the judicial system, strengthening of infrastructures as well as the promotion of equity and the gender approach.
Concerning the first part relating to the independence of justice, he noted that the materialization of the provisions of the 2011 constitution instituting total independence of the judicial authority in relation to the Ministry of Justice and providing for the creation of the High Council of judicial power and the institution of the Presidency of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, represent a great step forward on the path to a profound and comprehensive reform of the justice system and also an exemplary experience which requires, it should be emphasized, further pooling of efforts to ensure its success.
On the register of digitization, Abdellatif Ouahbi reported on a new digital transition strategy based on the adaptation of the legal system to digitization projects, in addition to the reorganization and restructuring of the Ministry of Justice so as to be in line with the structural changes in the sector, the improvement of services intended for litigants and professionals, good governance in data management, the facilitation of communication channels between the judicial administration and litigants and professionals as well as securing the computer system.
As for the modernization and strengthening of infrastructure, the Minister indicated that the departments concerned in the Ministry ensure that land is provided for the construction of buildings, their rental or their operation as a whole by courts in all the judicial districts of the country. Kingdom, also referring to the rehabilitation, extension and refitting of numerous buildings as well as their equipment, in addition to the effort made in terms of the preservation of documentation and archives in the courts.
Ouahbi also addressed the issue inherent in the consecration of the gender approach, in line with the efforts made to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and also in fulfillment of the commitments of the 2021-2026 government program, particularly the provisions aimed at improving the condition of Moroccan women and making the dignity of the citizen one of the fundamentals of public policies through the reduction of territorial and social disparities, the establishment of equality, access for all to public services as well as the reduction of gender inequalities in the field of judicial administration.
And to add that within the framework of the New Model of Development, a new vision was conceived within the ministry in favor of the gender approach and its institutionalization.
To this, he also mentioned the revision of the criminal policy through the adaptation of national laws with the constitution of the Kingdom and international conventions in this register as well as the consolidation of the guarantees of a fair trial and the improvement of performance. criminal justice, believing that the protection of human rights and freedoms is an irreversible choice.
And within the framework of the commitments of the Ministry of Justice, Ouahbi indicated that his department is working on the elaboration of several texts of law scheduled in the current legislature (2021-2026), some of which have already been published in the Official Bulletin and d Others are currently at the Government Secretariat.
In addition, the Minister affirmed that the moralization of justice is essential to counter all forms of prevarication and drift, adding that this is also essential to reinforce the confidence of the litigant in justice and also to devote the role of this one in the moralization of public life. On this register, he noted the major role played by the General Inspectorate at the Ministry of Justice.
With regard to the projects scheduled by his ministry for next year, he mentioned the continuation of the study and the drafting of numerous bills and organic laws in the civil and criminal fields included in the framework of this legislature.
In terms of the requalification of human resources and the support of institutional capacities and social services, the Minister announced that next year will be marked by the implementation of a bold program relating to integrated management of human resources and the adoption of forward management and skills capitalization mechanisms.
Returning once again to the upgrading of the courts in terms of infrastructure, Abdellatif Ouahbi announced the construction of 24 courthouses as well as conference rooms, in addition to the rehabilitation of many courts, also saying that his department plans to reviewing several court construction projects across the Kingdom as well as redevelopment and maintenance projects.
Finally, concerning budgetary programming, collection and the accounts of the courts, the Minister reported 25 projects scheduled for next year and already benefiting from the necessary credits in the 2023 finance bill.