FOM Newsletter December 2002
Morocco Week in Review December 21 2002 

According to Al-Hayat newspaper (December 17 2002), the World Bank has recently allocated an annual financial assistance package of $450 million for Morocco throughout the bank's CAS program (Country Assistance Strategy).  A large portion of this aid will be direct at the social aspects and improving the standards of living in rural areas in order to lessen poverty.  Presently, there are more than five million poor persons in Morocco. The World Bank instructed the new Moroccan government to raise its spending on health services to six percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) compared with an average five percent in previous years. Every two to three years, the World Bank designs a work plan to guide its operations in a client country. This work plan is detailed in a document called "Country Assistance Strategy" or CAS. In its final form, the CAS document describes all of the Bank's planned operations in the country-lending, analytical work, and technical assistance-for the time period covered by the CAS - usually three years.

Copyright 2002. All Rights Reserved. Financial Times Information Limited - Asia Africa Intelligence Wire

Morocco sees drawing 10 mln tourists by 2010, as realistic target

Moroccan tourism minister, Adil Douiri, on Friday said Morocco's objective to draw 10 million tourists by 2010 is a realistic target. "The fact that a 10-year strategy is signed between the State and the private sector and that H.M. King Mohammed VI makes of this objective a national priority give confidence to investors and financial operators," the Minister told Maroc West daily.  King Mohammed VI set the attracting of 10 million tourists as objective by 2010 during the first national conference of tourism, held in 2000 in Marrakesh.

According to Douiri, in order to ensure conditions of success to this ambitious project "we have worked over a year to reform the real-estate foundations in the country and set tourism development zones." "We are now endeavoring to implement measures likely to increase the number of visitors to Morocco," he said. Eleven companies out of 22 were selected for the construction of six new sea resorts, based on their financial capabilities, said the minister, adding that reaching 10 million tourists equally requires the construction of 80,000 additional rooms, i.e. 160,000 beds.  The contract signed last October between the Moroccan government and tourism operators, also provides for tax reforms to encourage investors, said Douiri, adding "banks have liquidity, all they need is confidence."

RABAT, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Morocco's Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 0.4 percent in October for a 2.2 percent annual rise, the state's Statistics Directorate said on Monday. The government has set a 2.0 percent inflation forecast for 2002 after 0.6 percent in 2001.  The directorate said in a report that CPI's rise in October stemmed mainly from a 0.9 percent in the foodtsuff price index, which makes up around 40 percent of CPI's total weighting.  

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

Morocco targets hearts and minds on child labor

FEZ, Morocco, Dec 15 (Reuters) - A group of tourists wanders through the narrow streets of the Moroccan city of Fez, marveling at the age-old production techniques of its craftsmen. But a few steps off the beaten track, in hole-in-the-wall workshops and ramshackle basements, adolescents and children work with urgency and concentration. This is an area of low wages. In these under-regulated workshops you either keep up the pace or go hungry. Many young workers are from families that have migrated to the city, fleeing lower incomes in the countryside. Some are as young as seven, earning around 60 dirhams (six dollars) for a six-day week.  These youngsters have now been targeted in a drive by the United Nations children's agency UNICEF with the Moroccan authorities to persuade artisans to stop hiring children under 12 and release those already employed for a few hours of schooling each week.

Officials also attempt to win over the hearts and minds of parents, visiting them at home. Under legislation passed in 2000, all Moroccan children under 15 should be in school. In 1993 Morocco ratified the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, which says children should be protected from economic exploitation. But there are no plans at present for a strict clampdown on child labour. 

CAUTIOUS APPROACH

Officials justified this softly-softly approach by pointing to the harsh realities of a country of 30 million in which 20 percent of the population lives in extreme poverty.  "We remind the artisans of the terms of the U.N. convention," said Laamoumri El Ghali, an official with the Handicrafts Ministry in Fez. "But if we strictly enforced the law, many workshops would have to close and we would have a lot of unemployed artisans." Families dependent on child labour, it is argued, would fall into extreme poverty if it were abolished overnight. In a dilapidated stone building, two men were using improvised welding equipment to make traditional copper tea-pots. El Ghali was the first official ever to visit, they told him. In response to his query about accidents, a boy in an orange T-shirt was fetched from next door. He pulled up his shirt to reveal burn tissue covering most of his chest and stomach.

Three years ago, a leak from a gas canister flared up as he was lighting a gas ring. The scar tissue still gives him trouble. El Ghali noted down his details -- Badr El Mbarek, aged 15, burned. Metalworking is the most hazardous field, followed by jewellery and mosaic-making, because of the chemicals used. Children working with slipper-makers are exposed to vapours from the glue and dust causes respiratory problems for those working in the pottery sheds. Actors from a non-governmental organisation are being used in the workplace to press home the problems of using child labour. In one scene performed before a group of artisans employing children, a hard-pressed mother begged a craftsman to take on her young son as an apprentice: "Just teach him the trade," she implored. "You needn't pay him." There was embarrassed laughter from the audience. They recognized the emotional blackmail of the mother, who a few weeks later would demand payment for her child's labour.  

A reference to the effects of chemicals used in mosaic-making drew sheepish laughter. "Your eyes are as red as traffic lights!" the mother scolded the boy later. "Don't tell me you have started smoking hashish!" The message was that child labour may be cheap and endorsed by social attitudes, but it harms the child.

Rached Sibaoueih, a 35-year-old carpenter in Marrakesh, said some parents still liked to place their child with an artisan over the school holidays. "They prefer him to learn a skill than to hang around the streets picking up bad habits." Another carpenter, Mustapha K., said he would take his own son out of school when he reaches 12 years, to learn the trade. "I know boys who studied until they were 22, only to find themselves unemployed now, being supported by brothers or cousins who are artisans," he said.

Through 1970s and 1980s, child labour was a taboo topic in Morocco, says social anthropologist Chekib Guessous, author of a new book on the subject. It was linked to the politically sensitive question of educational provision. Poorer families used to regard schooling as of little use in the real world. But attitudes are changing. Eight-year-old Mokhsin, who has worked in a Fez pottery since his father and brothers lost their jobs, said: "When I go home, my friends who go to school say working is good for nothing. They make me cry. If I don't study it's as if I don't exist." Just 234 of the thousands of children working in the Fez craft sector were enrolled this year in the classes coordinated by UNICEF. Attendance is sometimes patchy, with employers pleading full order-books. When they do turn up for classes, some of the children are too exhausted to concentrate. There has been little pressure as yet from political parties, trade unions, or wider public opinion for any stricter stance on child labour. A rare press comment on November 1 called for those employing children to be penalised.  "It's time to move on to action," wrote the Fez correspondent of Aujourd'hui le Maroc newspaper, noting that neither awareness-raising days nor official measures had stopped the exploitation.

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

CASABLANCA, Dec. 17 - The creation of a US fund to benefit Moroccan Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) topped talks held here between officials from the US State Department, the US Embassy in Rabat and representatives from the Moroccan SME Federation, affiliated to the Employers Association (CGEM). According a CGEM release circulated here, the fund would either focus on financing investments or on buying stakes in Moroccan small and medium sized capital. The Federation hailed the keen interest of the American government to SME's sector, adding that this move will only enhance further bilateral cooperation, within the framework the Free Trade Agreement project between the two countries. 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 and Israel are already bound to the USA by a covenant of this kind.

RABAT, Dec. 19 - The Moroccan team in charge of negotiating a free trade accord with the United States on Wednesday held a meeting to debate preparations for the talks. Taieb Fassi Fihri, Delegate Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, who chaired the meeting, recalled that the establishment of a free trade zone between Morocco and the USA was decided during the official visit H.M. King Mohammed VI paid to the USA last April. Morocco set up 12 groups for sectoral negotiations in agreement with the US party. Morocco will be the second country in the Arab world and the fifth in the world to have such an agreement with the USA. Jordan, Israel, Canada and Mexico are already bound to Washington by a similar covenant. Taieb Fassi Fihri underlined that Morocco highly appreciates the US decision to negotiate a free trade agreement with Morocco. Such a move is interpreted as a significant encouragement to the political and economic reforms ushered in by Morocco and a powerful means to upgrade bilateral relations, he said. Participants in the meeting exchanged views on various aspects of the projected accord and on means to optimize it for Morocco's social and economic development and for the promotion of Moroccan-US relations.

Morocco discloses US$ 12 Million budget to fight Natural Disaster

RABAT, Dec.19 - Morocco's Premier, Driss Jettou disclosed here on Wednesday a US$ 12 million budget for the natural disaster protection programme for populations and sensitive sites.  Jettou announced the figure during question time at the Chamber of Representatives in response to a question on the effects of the torrential rain and flash floods that recently hit Morocco, claiming more 60 lives and considerable material damage. The government is determined to set up a special fund to fight natural catastrophe effects, he said, adding that the fund will be adequately funded. He also mentioned broad lines of an emergency programme, devised by the government to restore damage in hit areas such Mohammedia, 64 km South Rabat, 100 km South Rabat and Settat, 140 Km South Rabat.

MOROCCO: AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK GRANTS $105 MILLION LOAN.

According to Al-Hayat newspaper (December 17 2002), the African Development Bank granted Morocco a $105 million loan. Morocco needs this loan to finance the compulsory health care program, which the government intends to launch next year. The program aims to cover low-income individuals and families.  This governmental program aims to increase the ratio of the Moroccan population, who receive adequate health services, to 40 percent compared with present 15 percent of the population.  

Copyright 2002. All Rights Reserved. Financial Times Information Limited - Asia

Morocco's human rights consultative council to adopt global standards

The newly appointed Secretary General of Morocco's Human Rights Consultative Council (CCDH), Driss Benzekri, said the Council is poised to adopt several mechanisms in line with a global standards of human rights that include civil, political, economic and social rights.Benzekri, who was speaking at a program broadcast by Morocco's national television (TVM), said CCDH noted that "in spite of the achievements scored in the realms of human rights, there are still other fields to work on." He recalled the Royal directives stressing the necessity to consolidate human rights' achievements and monitor malfunctions and violations, thus enhancing the rule of law. Meantime, scores of Moroccan human rights activists on Sunday marched through the streets of downtown Rabat to claim justice for former victims of abuses. The march sought to urge the authorities meet the urgent claims of victims of rights abuses, organizers said. Mohamed Nedrani, member of the executive bureau of the Truth and Justice Forum, called for shedding light on past human rights abuses to completely shelve the dossier of political prisoners and see to it that the violations are not repeated in future.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Zayed University, Intel, Sakhr Software and Emerging Technologies sign MoU

Dec 18, 2002 (Al-Bawaba via COMTEX) -- Jordan's Zayed University in association with Intel, Sakhr Softwareand Abu Dhabi-based Emerging Technologies recently signed a cooperation agreement to bring voice portal technology to education and research in the Arab world.  The bi-lingual voice portal project agreement aims to create voice portals that allow cross-border access for participation and support to research and development projects among educational institutions. Scholars and researchers from Casablanca to Beirut will be able to have unprecedented scope for participation in pan-Arab research and development projects. Similar projects to facilitate pan Arab research and development are currently being examined in Lebanon, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan with a view to promote cross border collaboration and enhance the link between the academic and commercial world. - (menareport.com By Mena Report Reporters (C) 2002 Albawaba.com, All rights reserved.

Saudi Prince Walid Ibn Talal Donates US$ 5 Million to Morocco

RABAT, Dec.18 - Saudi Prince Walid Ibn Talal donated US$ 5 million to Morocco following torrential rain and floods that recently hit some regions of the Kingdom, claiming more than 60 lives and considerable material damage. The donation will help purchase rescue material and equipment to be used to bring immediate assistance to disaster-stricken populations.  

http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/eng.htm 

RABAT, Dec 14 (Reuters) - A leading independent Moroccan rights group said on Saturday the only way to establish real democracy and protect human rights in the kingdom was by writing a new constitution.  "Authorities are not honestly for the promotion of human rights. Otherwise, they would have started by changing the constitution," Abdelhamid Amine, head of the Moroccan Human Rights Association (AMDH), said.  "Some articles in the current constitution are just not in line with the spirit of human rights," he told Reuters in an interview. "It grants absolute authority to the king and relative authority to parliament, the government and justice," Amine said. The debate about constitution reform is a highly-sensitive issue in Morocco, a country ruled for some 12 centuries by dynasties of monarchies. Under the Moroccan constitution, the king and his decisions cannot be subject to criticism, as the Commander of the Faithful he is the supreme religious authority in the country and he can dissolve parliament and name a new government.

"Instead of talking about reforming the constitution, we believe that the real need is for a change of this non-democratic constitution," Amine said. "The constitution recognises the importance of human rights but its articles promote despotism and not democracy," he added. King Mohammed appointed this week some human right activists to the official Human Rights Advisory Council (CCDH), including prominent human rights campaigner Driss Benzekri as secretary-general.  

WINDOW-DRESSING

"It's all window-dressing. The king controls the CCDH. Human rights activists do not represent the two-thirds required to make up a decisive majority in the council," said Amine. The AMDH and Justice and the Truth Forum (FJV) have rejected authorities' invitation to join CCDH. The enthronement of King Mohammed in July 1999 raised high hopes for human right activists after he ordered inquiries into human right abuses during the reign of King Hassan, who ruled the country for 38 years with an iron fist.

The king has ordered compensation of victims of rights abuses and has allowed Marxist militant Abaraham Serfaty to return to the country. He has also lifted the house arrest of Sheikh Abdeslam Yassine, the spiritual leader of the banned Islamist Justice and Charity Group, seen as the key opposition to the monarchy. But Amine said the developments on human rights were "frail". "Employers still don't respect the labour law, women's rights are flouted, justice is not independent and not fair, prisons are decrepit, poverty is rising, children's rights exist only on paper and the press is struggling to find total freedom," he added. 

((Rabat newsroom, +212-37 720065 fax +212-37722499, rabat.newsroom@reuters.com ))

Morocco's potentials as a distinguished tourism destination were publicized at an evening held Wednesday in London with several figures and tour operators attending.  The evening sought to promote Morocco as a privileged venue for international congresses and targeted leader companies in Great Britain. The encounter is a first stage of a series of events to be staged for European professionals to sell Morocco's image as a tourist destination. The coming meeting will be held in Milan, Italy, and will be followed by a Roadshow in Germany and a special encounter in Paris next May. Speaking at the evening, Othman Cherif Alami, President of "Atlas Voyages," which sponsored the event, said Morocco is determined to promote its destination to reach the objective of having 10 million tourists by 2010. Ms. Celia Sands, grand daughter of ex British Premier, Sir Winston Churchill, recalled her grandfather's love for Morocco, where he used to spend his holidays. She said she will devote parts of a book she will publish on the life of Sir Churchill, to Morocco. Contacts were made at the London evening to sign contracts for the holding of congresses in Morocco between 2003 and 2004, drawing 2,000 people.

The Moroccan capital city of Rabat readies to play its role as capital of Arab Culture for 2003. The program decided to mark the event will be different from those adopted by other Arab cities which were made capitals of Arab culture in the past, such as Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Cairo (Egypt) and Beirut (Lebanon), Moroccan Culture Minister, Mohamed Achaari, said on Friday. The official stressed the need to highlight Morocco's peculiarities, enjoying a strategic geographical location and striving for rapprochement between Arab and European thinkers and intellectuals.  "Given its African roots, Morocco can also contribute to promoting Arab-African dialogue through hosting several cultural and artistic activities," he said.  The program related to the proclamation of Rabat as capital of Arab culture, features several events, including the Rabat Festival and other festivals of poetry and music. Rabat was proclaimed capital of Arab culture for 2003 by the Council of Arab culture ministers, at a meeting held last October in Amman, Jordan.

MARRAKESH, Dec. 14 - The 4th Global Forum on reinventing government wound up Friday here with the adoption of the Marrakesh Declaration. Participants called for associating citizens in re-defining the role of the State, encouraging local communities to take their own well-being in hand and invited firms to manage lasting growth and wealth. The civil society should be mobilized to take up social and cultural challenges and governments must be fully responsible and accountable, said participants in some of their recommendations. Other recommendations include the creation and development of new types of partnerships, the use of information and communication technologies in reinventing government, the improvement of global solidarity with a view to making the world a better place to live and the respect of all cultures.  The Marrakesh Forum also called for increasing support of international partners to development and urged Morocco, in its capacity as leader of the Group of 77 (G-77) for 2003, to ensure the follow up of implementation of the recommendations with the leaders of the world, international organizations and NGOs. Participants agreed to hold the 5th Global Forum next year in Mexico.

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