FOM Newsletter June 2001
Morocco Week in Review
 June 30,  2001

RABAT, June 28 (Reuters) - A moderate earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale shook the Moroccan capital Rabat and the business centre of Casablanca, the official MAP news agency reported on Thursday. MAP said the epicentre was located in the village of Menasra near the city of Kenitra, some 40 km (25 miles) from Rabat. The agency said the tremor was also felt in the northern cities of Fez and Meknes, located respectively 200 and 140 km (125 and 90 miles) north of Rabat. There were no immediate reports of casualties or material damage.

(Rabat newsroom, +212-37 720065 fax +212-37 722499, rabat.newsroom@reuters.com)

An institutional capacity-building program aimed at small-and-medium-sized businesses (SMB) has been inaugurated by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Moroccan Commerce Ministry. The program seeks to promote industrial norms and the associated auditing and certification procedures, implement business upgrading plans, install multimedia information systems, develop entrepreneurial skills among women, and create networks and clusters of SMB. (Source: Upline Securities)

CASABLANCA - The number of engineers in Morocco is still low in view of the country's growing economic development needs, the Head of the Moroccan Institute of electricity and mechanics said.  Morocco has 8.6 engineers for every 1,000 inhabitants against 90 for France and 540 for Japan, Abdellah Semlali told a professional meeting of engineers in Casablanca. The number of engineers is taken into account by world bodies to rank nations according to their development level, he said, deploring the mass emigration of Moroccan engineers to foreign countries.

TANGIERS - Morocco is among the 12 Developing Countries which receive in priority Japanese assistance, said Japan's ambassador to Morocco, Hiro Sato. The diplomat, who attended end of last week in Tangiers a meeting with local authorities, said his country is ready to further develop bilateral cooperation, recalling that in 1999 Africa received 10% of Japan's US$ 15 million-worth assistance to least developed countries. The diplomat proposed the dispatching of volunteers to help in local projects in northern Morocco and said bilateral cooperation which dates back to 1967 has several aspects: financial cooperation in the form of non-reimbursable aid, technical assistance and training.

Morocco's Telecom Operator Launches New Mobile Phone Information Service.

RABAT - Morocco's telecom operator "Maroc Telecom" has launched a new service of practical information and services through the mobile phone.  The paid service offers information on trains, yellow pages, TV programs, exchange rates and movies. It also includes information on praying hours, stock exchanges, sports results and others.

The Kuwaiti Fund for Arab Economic Development granted on Thursday Morocco a loan worth US$ 5.7 million as a contribution to financing the Casablanca-El Jadida highway. The loan, extended at 4% interest rate is reimbursable in 20 years with a four-year grace period.  The accord was signed by general manager of the Fund, Badr Mechari El Homeidi, and general The loan will cover 38% of the highway total cost, estimated at US$ 136.3 million. It will finance a 79 km-long stretch of the highway.  On the same occasion, the Fund general manager signed with Morocco's finance, economy, tourism and privatization minister, Fathallah Oualalou, the loan-guarantee convention. Meanwhile, Kuwait Investment Authority has entrusted to the Moroccan bank (SGMB) the management of all its funds invested in Morocco, worth some US$ 200 million.

RABAT (Reuters) - Morocco will spend 22 billion dirhams, or $1.85 billion, for the construction of 1,000 kilometers of expressways in the next 10 years, the official MAP press agency said Thursday. The agency said a 250-kilometer section would be built soon between the southern cities of Marrakesh and Agadir.

The International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) held Thursday a ceremony to pay tribute to the Moroccan athletics star of the eighties Said Aouita. The ceremony, held on the eve of the Rome Golden Gala, first phase of the athletics golden league, was chaired by IAAF interim President Lamine Diack of Senegal. Said Aouita was the first athlete ever in history to run the 5000 m race in less than 13 mn, when he covered the distance in Rome in July 1987 in a timing of 12:58.39.  Winner of the Jess Owens trophy, the most prestigious world athletics distinction, Aouita is so far the only athlete in the world having won the IAAF Grand Prix three times, in 1986, 1988 and 1989. He is also holder of 44 successive victories in races from 800 m to 5000 in less than 26 months. He held five world records in 1,500 m, 5,000m, 2,000m, 3000 and 2 miles. Aouita told MAP the tribute ceremony in his honor is a tribute to Morocco and to all Moroccan athletes. Aouita and another Moroccan star athlete of the eighties, Nawal Moutawakkil (first Arab woman to hold an Olympic Gold medal in the Los Angles games of 1984), will be celebrated on July 7 by the Qatar-based Al-Jazira satellite TV channel. Aouita and Al-Moutawakkil were recently polled by the popular channel as the Arab athletes of the year.

A government council meeting, chaired by premier Abderrahmane Youssoufi, adopted on Thursday a draft law amending the press code Dahir (Royal decree). Briefing reporters on the amendments, Morocco's communication and culture minister listed a series of amendments, assuring that they were proposed to match progress in the Moroccan society and progress in democracy and human rights practices. He added the reforms are also dictated by the need of a better management of new information technologies, a good usage of its advantages while averting mis-usage. He said the new proposed amendments include: consecration of the freedom of publishing, edition and diffusion of books and publications, renewal of the right to information for all citizens, the right of all the media to have access to information sources without restriction, the obligation for the media and journalists to respect the constitution principles, law provisions, the code of ethics and observe accuracy and honesty in reporting. It also stipulates that authorities should deliver a provisional receipt soon after a new paper application is submitted and to deliver a final receipt within 15 days. Other reforms proposed include the need for all press bodies to guarantee transparency of their financial management, by publishing once a year details of their accounts. Banning a newspaper henceforth falls within the competence of justice in case of offenses mentioned in article 41 of the press code while the seizure of a paper by the interior ministry has to be surrounded by some guarantees, mainly substantiating the decision, and securing the right to resort to justice which has to make its ruling in 24 hours.  Imprisonment sentences were cancelled for several offences and reduced for others.

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