FOM Newsletter March 2001
Morocco Week in Review
 March 31,  2001

On a group of housemaids covered by a study, 45.4% are aged between 10 and 12 and 26.4% are aged below 10 years. Findings of the study, conducted by the Moroccan League of Children protection and the UNICEF, were made public at a conference on "girls and economic exploitation."

The study further found that most of the housemaids work all day long and are facing bad treatment without any legal protection. The League acting chairwoman hoped that the labor code, under preparation, will include a legal provision to ensure to little housemaids a legal protection, raise the legal working age and sanction those who violate the law.  Other speakers at the conference deplored the various forms of exploitation against girls who work as housemaids, including economic and sexual exploitation, calling on all components of the Moroccan society to join efforts to guarantee the protection of children rights, ensure good working conditions and take legal action against those who violate the laws.  They also recommended the creation of a higher family council and called for regular controls of industrial plants, consolidation of the role of labor inspectors and encouraging the schooling of girls in the rural world.

RABAT- The United Nations Development Program and Morocco have launched a pilot project, aimed to promoting the creation by rural women of micro-enterprises in water quality control. The project, co-financed by the UNDP and the Moroccan drinking water utility (ONEP), will, in a first stage, create 5 micro-enterprises in rural areas. Promoters who have undergone a practical and theoretical training will receive loans, equipment and a transport means. ONEP will sub-contract to this newly-created companies water sampling and analyzing works.

Poverty eradication is a basic option of Morocco's social and economic policy to build a society based on democracy, progress and solidarity, Morocco's minister of economic forecasts and planning, Abdelhamid Aouad told a conference at the UN office in New York. The minister stressed that since he accessed the throne, King Mohammed VI has adhered to this option meant to improve the human development, generalize schooling and modernize enterprises. To support his lecture at the conference held by Italian NGO "Gruppo CERF" and the UN social and economic issues department, the official focused on Morocco's approaches in defining and assessing poverty and action programs to eradicate poverty. He went on that the approaches have two dimensions: a social approach targeting least-favored social layers which suffer effects of unequal wealth distribution and an economic approach based on enterprise restructuring, unemployment reduction, and economic growth promotion.

Moroccan-French tourism cooperation to focus on training, eco-tourism and restructuring.

Morocco and France have identified three priority sectors in their cooperation in tourism, namely restructuring the Moroccan Tourism office (ONMT), training, and eco-tourism. These three priority fields of cooperation were set during talks held by visiting French state secretary for tourism, Michelle Demessine, with Moroccan officials. In the field of training, the two countries agreed on a series of actions, mainly training ONMT executives in statistics, hotel grading and marketing.  Cooperation in eco-tourism and lasting development covers technical assistance to pilot projects. Morocco, which received in 2000 about 2.5 million tourists, targets 10 million tourists in 2010. According to 1999 figures, the sector contributed 7.8% of the GDP and was the first supplier of hard currency with 18.7 billion DH ($ 1.78 Billion). Morocco also projects to bring hotel accommodation capacity to 120,000 beds in 2004 and 230,000 in 2010. On Monday, the French official and Morocco's minister of finance, economy, tourism and privatization, Fathallah Oualalou, dedicated a new hotel in Rabat, operated by French travel agency "FRAM." The four-star hotel has 100 rooms and an international restaurant.

Morocco's measures to prevent the spread of the foot-and-mouth disease are actually preventive ones, since the country is free from any case since April 1999, said head of the animal health department at the agriculture ministry. The official said since 1977, Morocco has started an annual immunization campaign which shielded the livestock against diseases raging in other countries. He added the regular campaign is now over and surveys showed a total absence of the virus in all sensitive species (ovines and bovines), calling for further vigilance. On March 15, Morocco has banned the entry to Moroccan ports and airports of living animals from countries where the epidemic rages on. All animal products, with the exception of milk and dairy products, are submitted to a treatment while vehicles coming from the United Kingdom and France are disinfected. Imports of vegetal products and animal feed from contaminated countries is not forbidden but submitted to an authorization by the health services of these countries, while grains and vegetal fodder are not considered as sources of contamination. In airports and ports, passengers coming from contaminated countries are called to abstain from bringing food likely to contain the virus.

RABAT- The fast food chain, Mac Donald-Sweden, has introduced new products derived from the Moroccan cuisine in its food: the Mac Marocko and Hot Chicken Sahara. A total of 10,000 Mac Donald employees have been trained to prepare and sell the new products while the Moroccan tourism office is offering a trip to Morocco to the 10 best employees. Mac Donald will stage a promotion campaign on French and Swedish TV stations and stick posters and ads on Moroccan tourism. This is the second operation of the kind after the one Mac Donald devoted to France.

Morocco's tomato exports were estimated at 163,999 tons up to March 22, recording a decline of 15% compared to the volume of 195,011 tons exported in the corresponding period of last season.  The association of fruits and vegetables producers and exporters says after a favorable period in the beginning of the season due to a production shortage, tomato prices started to plummet starting last January to reach 2.5 French Francs per kilogram on the French market. The price does not even cover the European duty. On the local market, tomatoes are sold at a price varying between 0.6DH to 1.10 Dh per kilogram, compared to 5 Dirhams last January. However, the slump in prices did not benefit consumers but only the brokers.

A delegation from Morocco's upper house, the Chamber of Advisors, started on Tuesday a visit to Washington D.C. for meetings at the US Congress and the state department. Head of the delegation, 3rd deputy-speaker Ahmed Kadiri, said the trip is "a new step in consolidating the already longstanding Morocco-US relationships based on mutual respect" and reflects the two countries' will to promote exchanges in economic and trade realms as well as in the cultural sector through the exchange of visits by students and university teachers. Kadiri went on that during their talks with US officials and representatives, the advisors (senators) will focus on deep changes going on in Morocco and actions led by King Mohammed VI to deepen democratic principle and consolidate the rule of law, by fighting corruption and encouraging solidarity to reduce gaps between social layers and regions. The delegation members will also speak about several priority issues for Morocco, mainly the Sahara issue which is an artificial problem dating back to the cold war. He added that in the modern world, such a problem should no longer exist and should be settled so that resources can be used to human promotion. Arab issues are also included in the Moroccan delegation talks in Washington, he said stressing the role of the USA in the quest of peace in the Middle East and the interest that the kingdom and King Mohammed VI, who chairs Al-Quds committee, grant to the need to reach a fair and lasting solution through the liberation of all occupied Arab territories and restoring to the Palestinians all their rights, including the right to establish an independent state, with Al-Quds as a capital. Other subjects to be brought by the Moroccan delegation include developing countries' concerns such as indebtedness, illiteracy, health and food security. Since the start of the year, two groups from the US congress have visited Morocco in January and February. Another delegation, led by republican representative, J.C. Watts, is expected in Morocco next April, part of an African tour to Senegal, Nigeria and Ghana.

The second edition of the Children's International Drama Festival opened Wednesday in the northern Moroccan city of Tangiers, under the aegis of the country's ministry of culture and communication.  Among the plays to be performed at the festival are "Al Ghoulaw malhamat al kheir wa char" (the ogre or the epic of good and bad) by the "Al khachaba" association of children's drama in Temara, "Al insane wa kafas" (the man and the cage) by the Bsat association for culture, drama, arts and travel in Ahfir, "Hikayat assad" (story of a lion) by the Kaleiodoscope workshop of Casablanca, "Battat wa sayyad" (the canes and the hunter) by the AL Adouae workshop of Casablanca, "Rayan attifl saghir" (Rayan, the small child) by the drama company of the ministry of culture and communication, and "Mama ghoula" (mother ogress) by the Fanous company of Rabat. On the bill are also "The beautiful green partridge" by Ourson d'Or of Canada, "The new adventures of Zando" by the Danaya company of Togo, "Wings of courage" by the Petit Monde company of France, as well as "The storytelling bird" and "Eddella" by the Tunisian national puppet centre. Organisers have also planned for meetings and discussions on experiences in children's drama, especially in Morocco.

RABAT- The Hassan II Foundation for Moroccans living abroad has opened a website: <http://www.alwatan.ma/index.asp> dedicated to supplying various information to the Moroccan expatriates. The portal website, an interactive relay, contains information on Morocco, tourism, culinary art, history, geography, on-line polls, home news, culture, sports, economic and studies on immigration in addition to the foundation activities.

Only 1% of Moroccans are connected to Internet, unlike the mobile phone penetration which noticed a boom thanks to the sector liberalization and competition, said Morocco's secretary of state for post and telecommunication technologies, Nasr Hajji. The official told a meeting held by the Rabat local association "Ribat Al fath" Internet is not yet a popular phenomenon in Morocco compared to the rate of connections in other countries (52% in the USA, 32% in Britain, 14% in Spain, 4% in Brazil and the United Arab Emirates). For justice minister, Omar Azziman, the Internet which transcends borders needs a new legal framework and revision of some existing laws. Minister of social economy, small and medium enterprises and handicraft, Ahmed Lahlimi, said the government which endeavors to make of Internet a new tool to get administration closer to citizens is resolved to develop E-commerce. He cited, in this context, the creation of an e-commerce platform for handicraft, agriculture and fisheries cooperatives. He also said a new "administration on line" program is being developed to enable citizens and enterprises get on line information on administrative procedures, consult laws and carry out various administrative formalities. He cautioned that internet usage should meet requirements of a legitimate freedom of users, protection of consumers basic rights, protection against illegal contents, respect of private life and safety of e-commerce transactions.

9th Thousand Casbahs rally, over 2,000 km in southern natural landscape.

A Moroccan local mechanic sport association and Spanish "Nomada" club are holding next April 8-13 the 9th "Thousand Casbahs" rally, an international sporting event combining competition and tourism. The race to depart from and arrive in Ouarzazate (southern Morocco) will cross several southern towns, taking participants on their 4x4 cars on an exotic trip that also challenges their orientation skills. Some 36 cars, 72 pilots from Europe and Morocco have to date confirmed participation. Organizers explained at a press conference that the race is not a speed competition but an exotic adventure in the most beautiful Sahara landscapes, oases and other tourism sites and a test of orientation skills. The previous edition set out from Meknes and covered around 3,000 km to reach the city of Ouarzazate.

The 16th edition of Le Marathon Des Sables (Sand Marathon) will kick off Sunday with the participation of 630 racers from several countries. Athletes, marchers, racers, youth and elderly, including more than 10 percent of women, are participating in this physical and psychological endurance test that will start in the region of Erfoud and wind up on Saturday April 7 in the region of Tazaghine. Participants in this race to conquer the desert will live through an unparalleled adventure that offers fabulous landscapes and provides opportunity to discover the splendor and magic of desert. This week-long footrace in six phases across 243 km grueling desert terrain in Southern Morocco is a test of courage, determination and enthusiasm. The participants, carrying all their food, clothes and sleeping gear on their backs, only receive a nine-liter ration of water each day, and spend the nights on the hard desert ground under an open-sided Berber tent. The participants in the Marathon Des Sables who are aged this year between 17 (a Japanese) and 78 (a French) do not seek to shatter records, but to reach the finish line. They walk or run to test their own capacity, challenge the desert and plunge in exoticism. Besides competitors from a dozen European countries, fourteen Moroccans are participating in the marathon, including Brahim el Joual, a butcher from Fez, who participated in all the editions of the marathon since it was first launched in 1986, and Lahcen Ahansal, one of the serious contenders vying the final victory, such as he did in 1997, 1999 and 2000. For the second consecutive year, doping tests will be conducted according to the rules of the International Athletics Federation.

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - A German couple who met as contestants on the reality television show ``Big Brother'' were married on Friday in what the producers said was the first wedding to come out of the globally franchised real-life soap.  Karim, 29, and Daniela, 31, who met on the show last year, exchanged vows in a private civil ceremony in the groom's home city of Frankfurt, a spokesman at their public relations firm said.

The show's German producer was one of the witnesses. A public wedding party was to be held on Saturday, with proceeds from ticket sales going to hospital's in Morocco, where Karim's family come from. ``The fame one gets from 'Big Brother' doesn't last long. You take from it what you can. We wanted to do something for people who are not as fortunate as we are,'' he said in statement. Originally a Dutch concept, the ``Big Brother'' format has caught on worldwide, spawning a host of imitations.  A group of young people live together under the watchful eye of multiple cameras 24-hours a day, with viewers nominating one to be ejected at regular intervals until only one winner remains.

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