Rabat — The bill on the organization of the Moroccan news agency (MAP), which is part of the implementation of the constitution, seeks to keep pace with changes in the information sector, minister of Culture and Communication, Mohamed Laaraj, said Monday in Rabat.
The minister, who was speaking before the Committee on Education, Cultural and Social Affairs at the House of Advisors (upper house), noted that the Dahir No. 1.75.235 establishing Morocco's news agency MAP has not undergone any amendment or modification since 1977.
The Agency, with its current name, benefits from international visibility and any change in its name will undermine MAP's brand.
In this regard, he said that the appointment of an Ombudsman within MAP, with the main task of preparing an annual report to the Board of Directors, is likely to provide significant momentum to the agency's action.
Appointments to senior positions, whether inside or outside the Agency, are made in accordance with the criteria of competence and professionalism, the minister pointed out.
He also underscored the role played by the agency and its presence in several continents, with the aim of promoting national identity and strengthening the influence and presence of the Kingdom on the international scene.
The project, which is an "important" step for the setting up of a strong news agency that plays a key role in the national media landscape, especially after its classification among the strategic national institutions, is meant to enrich the field of action of the agency and to reinforce the principles of professionalism, cultural diversity and openness, while focusing on strengthening the influence and presence of the Kingdom on the international scene.
The text also aims to determine the agency's missions and scope of action, as well as governance tools and administrative and financial mechanisms in order to enable MAP to meet expectations with the contribution of its employees, to achieve the objectives assigned to it and to meet the challenges of modernization, development and leadership at the national and international levels.
