FOM Newsletter December 2002
Morocco Week in Review December 14 2002 

BRUSSELS, Dec.10 - The European Union (EU) earmarked 59,7 million euros for the implementation of a structural adjustment water project in Morocco.  The amount is the first instalment of a 120 million euros budget, allocated for the realization of this project that aims to consolidate Morocco's new water policy, EU's Commission spokesman told MAP.  The funds were disbursed after Morocco had fulfilled all conditions related, among others, to the development of awareness programmes to promote the economy of water and the control of water pollution.  The spokesman did not however give a deadline for the disbursement of the second instalment, adding it depends on progress made in this project, which is being implemented within the framework of MEDA programme, the financial instrument of Euro-Mediterranean partnership.

RABAT, Dec. 09 - The United States on Monday lauded Morocco's cooperation in the ongoing struggle against terrorism. "I conveyed to King Mohammed VI the appreciation of the US administration for Morocco's support and cooperation in the struggle against terrorism," US Undersecretary for the Middle East and North Africa, William Burns, said at a press conference in Rabat. "Morocco remains an exceptional ally in the war against terror," added Burns, who is currently in Morocco part of a tour in the Maghreb. The US official said he had excellent talks with King Mohammed VI a wide range of bilateral and regional issues. He hailed Morocco as a model of tolerance, noting that this model of understanding is "very important for the region, especially in these moments." The official underlined, in this connection, that Morocco's values of tolerance are another reason for the consolidation of partnership with the North African country.

Burns said his country appreciates also Morocco's "ambitious and courageous economic and political reforms, noting that Washington will continue to back these efforts.  The start of formal negotiations for the conclusion of a free trade accord with Morocco is an illustration of the excellent ties between Rabat and Washington, he said, adding that the projected accord will be beneficial to both countries. Burns, who already visited Algeria, is yet to visit Tunisia part of his Maghreban journey.

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RABAT, Dec.11 - Morocco announced on Tuesday that it will start by end of next January a first round of negotiations with the USA for the conclusion of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Moroccan Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Delegate Minister, Taieb Fassi Fihri, who made the announcement during question time at the Chamber of Advisers (upper house of parliament), said the second round is slated for next March in Morocco. Sector group meetings are to be programmed in between these two deadlines, he said. Morocco will be the second country in the Arab world and the fifth in the world to have such an accord with the USA. Jordan, Canada, Mexico andIsraeli are already bound to the USA by a covenant of this kind. The Moroccan official said he examined with American officials during a recent trip to Washington legal measures related to international commercial negotiations. He recalled the lobbying undertaken by Morocco within the US Congress, which led to the signing of a document by 55 congressmen, in favor of the conclusion of the FTA between the two countries.

RABAT, Dec. 10 - The Mohammed V Solidarity Foundation has so far earmarked 7 million dirhams, nearly US$ 700,000, to meet the needs of the victims of floods that hit some parts of Morocco recently. The assistance was extended in accordance with the instructions of H.M. King Mohammed VI, the Foundation said in a release, adding the money went to shelter victims whose houses were destroyed by the floods and to provide them with basic needs, such as food. The assistance was equally used to buy drugs and hygiene products to protect people and livestock. The aid went particularly to victims in the provinces of Settat and Mohammadia

Morocco on Tuesday decided to lower the voting age to 18 instead of 20 in force until now in the country. The decision was announced by King Mohammed VI in a speech he made at the appointment of the Diwane Al-Madalim (Ombudsman) and the Human Rights Consultative Council. "In order to fulfil our aspiration to see the Moroccan youth massively contribute to the achievement of our project to build a democratic and modernist society, We have decided to reduce the voting age to 18," said King Mohammed VI The king, who made the announcement on the occasion of the World Human Rights Day marked on December 10th, invited the government to take the necessary measures to enforce the decision. King Mohammed VI voiced confidence that the Moroccan youth will assume their mission with idealism and enthusiasm. The Moroccan youth, he added, will give a strong impetus to responsible citizenship and will inject a new blood to the democratic practice. Touching on Morocco's human rights achievements, the king said "while we value the major progress made by Morocco, over the last decade, and acknowledged nationally and internationally, we should not lose sight of the fact that democracy is an ongoing struggle and that the protection of human rights is a continuous, never-ending process." He underlined in this connection the need to carry on efforts. ""It is (É) necessary for us to work just as hard to finish the job as we did when we started it," he said. "What has been accomplished is an outstanding achievement which has laid the groundwork for a unique Moroccan experience in the field of human rights," said King Mohammed VI, noting "this can be clearly seen from the approach that has been adopted to settle the issue of political prisoners and exiles, and also from the preventive measures which have been taken to ward off any human rights abuse in the future." "In addition, human rights are now taught as part of education and vocational training curricula," he said. The king equally stressed that "Morocco's experience has become a model in how to deal with human rights issues, along with their most sensitive, arduous, and complex aspects, and in how to get the thorny problems related to these issues settled fairly, equitably and lawfully."

RABAT, Dec. 13 - Some 140 million dirhams, nearly US$ 14 million, were raised during this year's solidarity campaign in Morocco, the Mohammed V Solidarity Foundation said. The global amount includes 114 million dirhams in cash and 26 million dirhams in in-kind donations, said the Foundation, which added that the global amount is not final, as the counting of accounts and bank payments is still continuing.  The Foundation lauded the massive participation and generous contribution of Moroccan nationals in Morocco and abroad to the solidarity campaign.

Morocco cuts electricity tariff for textile firms

RABAT, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Morocco's textile firms expect to benefit from a recent government cut in their electricity rates to boost investment in an industry that is a backbone of the North African country's exports, according to an industry group.  "This measure will benefit firms representing 60 percent of our total production and 35 percent of the value of our exports," Mohamed Tazi, secretary general of industry group AMITH, told Reuters on Wednesday. Textile and clothing goods account for around a third of total Moroccan exports' value, or 28 billion dirhams ($2.7 billion). The industry employs some 193,000 people. Several European and U.S. firms have moved plants to Morocco because of cheap labour costs and the country's proximity to the European market. They include Dewhirst , Fruit Of the Loom and Marks & Spencer .  Upstream industries, such as spinning, weaving and knitting, are eligible for a 0.20 dirham/kWh discount on electric power supply over the next three years, in effect since October. "An upstream firm running 24 hours a day under average voltage will end up paying 0.52 dirham per kWh," Tazi said.

The cut was included in a framework accord between AMITH and the government in August, he said in a telephone interview. Under the accord, AMITH pledged to invest some $2.0 billion by 2005 to raise output to 45 billion dirhams and create an additional 100,000 jobs. A high cost for energy has been one of the main grievances of textile and clothing industry operators. The previous kWh tariff, at around 0.82 dirham, was the highest in the Mediterranean area. "The tariff was exorbitant. But now, we are closer to levels of our competitors such as Tunisia (0.48 dirham) and Turkey (0.52 dirham)," Tazi said.

((Souhail Karam, Rabat newsroom, +212-37 720065 fax +212-37 722499, rabat.newsroom@reuters.com)) ($1=10.471 Moroccan dirhams)

THE HAGUE, Dec. 12 - Mohamed Chafik, Rector of the Moroccan Royal Institute for the Amazigh Culture, has been awarded the 100,000 Euro Dutch Prince Claus Grand Prix for 2002. The Prize jury unanimously chose Mohamed Chafik among ten candidates for his considerable cultural contribution, particularly for the promotion of the Amazigh culture as a key component of the Moroccan culture, head of the Jury, Adriaan Van Der Staay said. The Arab-Amazigh dictionary published by Chafik shows the linguistic and cultural unity existing between the Amazigh in all Maghreban countries. The Amazigh, or Berbers, are non-Arab natives of North Africa. They live in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and in some parts of Libya and Niger. According to Der Staay, Chafik placed the Amazigh culture in the context of a national serene dialogue far from any political claims. Speaking at the Prize awarding ceremony, Chafik paid tribute to the "lucidity and courage" of King Mohammed VI, who, he said, "recalled to Moroccans that their culture is plural and that Amazigh culture is one of the foundations of this culture." Through the creation of the Royal Institute for the Amazigh Culture, the Sovereign arbitrated a national debate wherein all voices had a chance to be heard through," Chafik said. Nine other candidates to the prize won 25,000 Euros. These include Bolivian musician Marcelo Lavandez, Syrian caricaturist Ali Ferzat and Senegalese singer, Youssou Ndour.

Morocco, Best Placed to Host High-Level Meetings, (WB Official)

MARRAKESH, Dec. 12 - Morocco, as a bridge between civilizations cultures and religions, is the most placed country to host high-level meetings, said Theodore Ahlers, Director of the Maghreb at the World Bank Middle East and North Africa department. Ahlers, who was addressing the 4th Global Forum on governance in Marrakesh, stressed the importance of issues debated at the Forum, issues that have always been at the center of the World Bank concerns. More than 1200 participants coming from over 100 nations worldwide are attending the event to discuss questions pertaining to good governance and development.

Ahlers underlined that good governance goes hand in hand with the growth of revenues, increase of private investments and of other human development indicators. "Good governance is not a one-way process but rather the result of a permanent exchange and cycle wherein civil society can make its voice heard and priorities defined," he said. The Marrakesh Forum, to close doors December 13, is co-sponsored by the United Nations and the World Bank.

RABAT, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Morocco on Friday stepped into the crisis over an oil spill that devastated the Spanish coastline by offering Spanish fishermen access to its own rich fishing grounds. Spain thanked Morocco and expressed its gratitude. The offer by the Muslim North African state and Spain's prompt response signaled the healing of a rift that started two years ago with the non-renewal of a fisheries accord between the two countries. Morocco's Royal Palace said in a statement that the step was taken as an exceptional measure which was "dictated by the principles of solidarity and good-neighbourliness". It did not say when it would take effect, but the licence would last for three months. "Following the sinking of the Prestige ship off the Spanish coasts of Galicia and the ecologic disaster that it has caused...King Mohammed decided to exceptionally grant the possibility to access its exclusive economic area to fishing trawlers from the stricken area," said the statement, carried by the official MAP news agency.

Spain's Galician coast has been devastated by fuel oil washed up from the single-hulled tanker Prestige which broke in two and sank in the Atlantic, killing wildlife and threatening the livelihoods of entire fishing communities. "The authorization...will last for three months, eventually renewable in the light of the development of the situation in the field," the Rabat statement added.  Two years ago the decision not to renew a fishing deal had prevented some 400 mainly Spanish trawlers from operating in Moroccan waters. The schism widened further in July after the Spanish military expelled Moroccan troops at gunpoint from the deserted islet of Perejil. Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar reacted swiftly to the Moroccan offer. He told reporters on the sidelines of an EU summit in Copenhagen: "I have spoken personally with the king and I have given him my thanks for this gesture, and I want to stress how much we appreciate this, as I have had the opportunity to tell him personally." The Moroccan decision followed talks between the foreign ministers of the two countries on Wednesday at the end of which the two neighbours agreed to swap envoys once more after having mutually recalled their ambassadors months ago. Relations between the Madrid and Rabat have also suffered because of Morocco's claim over the Spanish North African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla as well as differences over immigration and a row over the future of the Western Sahara.

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

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