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FOM Newsletter
January 2002Moroccan
renewable energies center developed techniques enabling to spare 500,000 tons
of wood a year.
Maghreban
associations recommend creation of Morocco-based children space.
Non-schooled children get 2nd
chance.
Japan
donates morocco 96 million dh-worth of equipment for rural areas.
Morocco
earmarks annually over us$ 130 mln to supply electricity to rural areas.
Moroccan
economy requires $10 billion investments annually
Marrakesh marathon takes
place January 27.
King
Mohammed names rector of Amazigh culture institute.
Morocco
expects slightly lower budget deficit in 2002.
Morocco
imports nine billion dollars worth goods in 2001.
Slight increase of
Morocco's exports in 2001.
King
Mohammed sets up foundation for reintegration of minor inmates.
Modern
technology to be introduced to textile Industry.
Food safety
regulators convene forum in Marrakesh.
Hackers attacked 103
Moroccan websites in 2001.
Economics, 1/17/2002
The techniques developed by the Moroccan Renewable Energies Development Center (CDER) enable to spare 500,000 tons of fire wood every year, director of the center, Abdelhanine Benallou, disclosed here. Benallou said during a recently-held information and awareness day on energy
sparing by Hammams (public baths) that the center developed an environment-friendly bath boiler that can save up to 50% of the fire wood used for traditional boilers. Some 40 Hammams in Marrakesh are today equipped with this new boiler and the center is promoting it around the country, as generalizing its use will reduce fire wood consumption and preserve the environment, the CDER director said. During the information day, the center signed a cooperation convention with a local association of Hammam owners, under which the association members will benefit from the technologies developed by the center. According to the center's statistics, there are 5,000 traditional Hammams and showers in Morocco, consuming an average 800 kg of wood a day each. The center also developed a solar energy oven that will be marketed in the rural world within two months, he said. According to the CDER, in Morocco, some 6 Million tons of fire wood are consumed and about 30,000 Ha of forests are depleted every year.http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/020117/2002011736.html
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Maghreban associations recommend creation of Morocco-based children space.
Culture, 1/12/2002
A Maghreban conference on the role of associations in rooting civism among children, held in Tunis, recommended the creation of a Maghreban children space, to be based in Morocco. Participants also supported the creation of civism-promotion clubs within schools, the drawing up of a charter of civic behaviors, supporting Palestinian children and increasing children access to leisure.
Participants from Tunisia, Morocco, Mauritania and Libya met to compare their respective country's experience in protecting children and defending their rights. Morocco presented to the conference the experience of children parliament as a model of promoting civism among children.http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/020112/2002011227.html
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Non-schooled children get 2nd chance.
Education, 1/15/2002
The Moroccan education ministry launched this month registration for non-schooled children or those who interrupted their education. Children, aged between 9 and 11, will be given a second chance to study as the ministry says it has made all arrangements to receive some 130,000 children from cities and rural areas this year. The ministry says the move is part of efforts to generalize schooling.
http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/020115/2002011531.html
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Japan donates morocco 96 million dh-worth of equipment for rural areas.
Economics, 1/15/2002
Japan has extended Morocco equipment and vehicles worth 96 million DH (US$ 8.3 Mln) destined to build roads in rural areas. The package will form 3 brigades to coat a total of 1,668 km of rural roads and tracks in the southern, central and northern provinces of Morocco. The project, part of the national rural roads program, will serve to break the isolation of the rural world and promote the economic and social integration of the regions to be serviced by these roads. It will also provide jobs and help train a skilled labor. Morocco's equipment minister, Bouamour Taghouane, praised results of the Japanese financial aid, channeled through the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Japanese Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC). This aid
benefits the sectors of water resources, dams, ports, highways, roads and training. Japan's ambassador, Hiromi Sato, said his government supports the Moroccan government's sustained development policy by bringing contribution to basic infrastructure, especially equipment. He went on that since 1986, Japan's aid to equipment sectors in Morocco has reached 7.55 billion Yens, accounting for 30% of all Japan's donations to Morocco.http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/020115/2002011523.html
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Morocco earmarks annually over us$ 130 mln to supply electricity to rural areas.
Economics, 1/16/2002
Morocco earmarks annually more than 1.5 Billion DH (US$ 130.4 Mln) to supply electricity to rural areas, said industry, trade, energy and mining minister, Mustapha Mansouri. The minister told the chamber of advisors (Moroccan upper chamber) 50% of Moroccan villages were connected to the national electricity grid. A new program was developed to supply electricity to 5,000 villages while another 1,110 villages will not be connected for lack of financial resources. He explained that his department is looking for new financing sources to supply electricity to the remaining villages.
The Moroccan electricity office (ONE) has set at 2,500 DH (over US$ 200) the contribution of citizens to be connected to the electricity grid. The amount can be paid either cash or in monthly installments over 5 years. ONE ambitions to reach a 80% coverage in 2006 and 100% in 2008.
http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/020116/2002011653.html
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Moroccan economy requires $10 billion investments annually
The World Bank reported that Morocco needs at least $10 billion in annual investments, of which 65 percent should come from the private sector, in order to absorb the country's 25 percent unemployment rate, reported Al-Hayat. Investments are also required to boost the national income up to $50 billion in the next five years. This would enable Morocco to bridge the economic gap between the rural and metropolitan regions. Nearly five million Moroccans are living under the poverty line, most of who are from rural areas. - (menareport.com)
http://www.Menareport.com/index.php3?lang=e&up=&words=Morocco&sec=reg&x=22&y=11
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Marrakesh marathon takes place January 27.
Sports, 1/14/2002
The Marrakesh International Marathon will take place on January 27 with the expected participation of some 5,000 athletes. In addition to the sporting competition, the event is designed to promote tourism in the country. One million Dirhams were earmarked to this 13th edition, where 7 countries (France, Russia, Rumania, Ethiopia, Algeria, Saudi Arabia and Morocco) will take part.
http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/020114/2002011436.html
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King Mohammed names rector of Amazigh culture institute.
Politics, 1/14/2002
Morocco's King Mohammed VI appointed this Monday Mohamed Chafik as rector of the Royal Institute of Amazigh culture, set up last October. The sovereign recalled the contents of the Cherifian Dahir (Royal decree) setting up the Institute, mainly its role to preserve and promote the Amazigh culture as a national richness and a source of pride for all Moroccans. The sovereign also recalled the contents of the speech he had delivered in Khenifra (Middle Atlas Mountain City) when he sealed the Dahir setting up the institute, insisting that Amazigh is a fundamental component of national identity and that it belongs to all Moroccans, without any exception. He went on that the promotion of Amazigh is part of a societal, democratic and modern project, that consolidates the
country's national identity and linguistic, cultural and civilization values, which are the vectors and expression of this identity. King Mohammed VI assured Mohamed Chafik of his trust, given his qualities and his unfailing attachment to national sacred values as well as his moral and intellectual integrity and the respect and consideration he enjoys within cultural and academic milieus at both the national and international scales. The sovereign, who issued his orientations to the institute rector regarding the national responsibility vested on him, underlined the national dimension of the Amazigh culture that must be reflected in the institute managing board and in the various studies, proposals and recommendations that the institute would submit to the sovereign's appreciation.King Mohammed VI then named, in line with the provisions of the Dahir setting up the institute, the four members that will form, besides the rector, the temporary commission. These are advisor to the king, Abdelaziz Meziane Belfkih, director of the royal office, Mohamed Rochdi Chraibi, the official spokesman of the royal palace, Hassan Aourid, and the kingdom's historiographer, Abdelouahed Benmansour. The temporary commission shall propose to the king the members of the institute's first managing board and shall adopt the administrative and financial measures necessary to start the institute activities. The audience was attended by advisor to the king, Abdelaziz Meziane Belfkih, director of the royal office, Mohamed Rochdi Chraibi, and the kingdom's historiographer, Abdelouahed Benmansour.
http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/020114/2002011423.html
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Morocco expects slightly lower budget deficit in 2002. January 02, 2002
The Moroccan parliament recently approved a draft budget for the year 2002, carrying a 5.9 billion Moroccan dirham ($518 million) deficit. The 2001 budget, in comparison, is expected to result in a MD6.4 billion deficit. The national budget anticipates MD159.8 billion ($14.3 billion) revenues and MD165.7 billion expenditures. The 2002 budget forecasts MD12.5 billion in privatization receipts, mainly generated by the planned sale of Maroc Telecom, Banque Centrale Populaire (BCP), car assembly plant Somaca and tobacco manufacturer Regie des Tabacs. Last year, privatization revenues were 41.3 percent higher, at MD21.3 billion. The Moroccan government revised the budget downwards following the September 11 attacks on the US, calculating a 4.5 percent growth rate for 2002, instead of the more optimistic 6.5 percent figure released earlier. Morocco's 30-million strong population generates an estimated Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of MD365 billion. - (menareport.com)
http://www.Menareport.com/story/TheNews.php3?action=story&sid=195950&lang=e&dir=mena
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Morocco imports nine billion dollars worth goods in 2001. January 10, 2002
A recently published official report shows that Moroccan imports totaled 101 billion Moroccan Dirhams (nine billion dollars) in the first 10 months of 2001, a 0.4 percent decrease compared with the corresponding period of the previous year, reported Al-Hayat. The decrease resulted from declining oil and wheat purchases by Rabat. The same report also showed that Moroccan exports totaled MD 66 billion (six billion dollars) in the first 10 months of 2001, a 0.75 percent increase compared with the corresponding period of the previous year. - (menareport.com)
http://www.Menareport.com/story/TheNews.php3?action=story&sid=196875&lang=e&dir=mena
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Slight increase of Morocco's exports in 2001.
Economics, 1/15/2002
Exports in 2001 earned Morocco some 72.54 billion DH (about US$ 6.30 billion) compared to 71.35 billion DH the previous year, scoring a slight increase of 1.7 percent. The increase was made possible by a 10.7 percent progression of exports of phosphates and phosphates by-products, which stood at 12.86 billion DH ($1.11 billion) compared to 11.62 billion DH in 2000, said the exchange office in a release. Exports of textile and leather items and exports of agri-food products have also progressed respectively by 4.4 percent and 5.1 percent. This slight increase of overall exports -despite a decrease of exports of sea products (-9.6 percent), agricultural produce (-11.0 percent) and electric and electronic devices (-3.2 percent)- contributed to alleviating the trade deficit by 3.3 percent. The trade deficit thus went down from 41 billion DH (about $3.56 billion) in 2000 to 39.7 billion DH (nearly $3.45 billion) in 2001. Morocco's imports did not score any noteworthy change and stood at 112.3 billion DH ($9.76 billion), the exchange office said adding that the oil bill amounted to 13.3 billion DH ($1.15 billion).
http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/020115/2002011525.html
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Morocco's sea products exports decline by 9.6 in 2001.
Economics, 1/15/2002
Morocco's exports of sea products were worth some 8.55 billion DH (about US$ 743.47 million) in the period extending between January and November 2001, scoring a decrease of 9.6 percent compared to 2000. According to the exchange office, which disclosed the figures, the drop is mainly related to a decrease of 27.3 percent in exports of shellfish and mollusks. Exports of canned fish have recorded an increase of 19.9 percent as their value went up from 1.89 billion DH (about $164.34 million) in 2000 to 2.27 billion in 2001. Exports of fresh fish, worth 1.3 billion DH ($113.04 million), also recorded a slight increase of 7.5 percent. With national territorial waters extending over 1.2 million KM2 and with a 3,500 km long sea coast, Morocco has huge sea resources and harbors over 840 fish species. Fish consumption in Morocco remains however low as it stands at only nearly 7 KG per person per year. The fishery sector employs nearly 400,000 workers.
http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/020115/2002011526.html
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King Mohammed sets up foundation for reintegration of minor inmates.
Culture, 1/16/2002
Morocco's King Mohammed VI chaired on Tuesday the first meeting of the managing board of the foundation for the reintegration of minor detainees and inmates which the king decided to set up following a visit last December to the Oukacha prison in Casablanca. The king made the decision after the visit he had paid last December to the Oukacha prison in Casablanca and after he got informed about the detention conditions of inmates and especially the youth. The king who chaired the first meeting of the foundation at the Marchane Palace in Tangiers Tuesday said that the creation of this foundation, to be placed under his effective chairmanship and to be named after him, translates his will to guarantee full rights to his faithful subjects, including inmates. King Mohammed VI said the foundation is meant to consolidate the rehabilitation and pedagogical role of detention centers to make of them a social and humane space for the reintegration of inmates.
The Mohammed VI foundation will mobilize means to provide pedagogical and vocational training to inmates in a bid to help in their social and family reintegration once they are released, the king said. He added that the making of the managing board that includes representatives of human rights organizations, which are most active in this field, and of private sector operators translates his will to associate the civil society in the advanced reforms that he was keen on introducing in the law regulating the organization and functioning of prisons and in the draft penal procedure code, mainly through the setting up of institutions of judges enforcing courts rulings and a minors' justice as well as the setting up of rehabilitation centers entrusted with protecting and rehabilitating
young delinquents to ease their social reintegration. King Mohammed VI who hailed the voluntary spirit and commitment evidenced by the foundation's managing board members urged them to get first-hand information on the conditions of inmates in prisons and in rehabilitation centers of young delinquents and to submit him, the soonest possible, a draft plan of action to progressively provide these centers with the required equipment. The draft plan of action will be studied at the coming meeting of foundation managing board. The managing board of the Mohammed VI foundation for the reintegration of detainees and inmates of childhood protection centers is made up of Zoulikha Nasri, Omar Azziman, Aziz Akhennouch, Abdelaziz Alami, Mustapha Amhal, Noufissa Benchemssi, Ali Belhaj, Hassan Benmoussa, Mohamed Lididi, Najat M'jid, Assia El Ouadie and Abdellah El Oualladi.Director of the royal office, Mohamed Rochdi Chraibi, attended the meeting.
http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/020116/2002011623.html
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Modern technology to be introduced to textile Industry.
Economics, 1/17/2002
In a leading step to make use of technological applications and information technology for developing Egyptian industry, the Chamber of Software Industry has started organising a series of symposiums and conferences aiming at identifying the means by which each and every industry could benefit from these applications. The target is to enhance the quality and competitiveness of these products for export purposes. The symposiums have started with the spinning and weaving industry, being one of the major and oldest industries in Egypt in which the country enjoys many relative advantages. The choice of the textile industry was prompted by the drop in textile
exports over the past few years and the urgency of regaining its previous status as a vital industry for the national economy.Head of the Software and Technology Commodity Council, Sayed Ismail, who is also deputy chairman of the chamber, said that the chamber intended to hold the symposiums for the Egyptian industries that enjoy relative competitive and export advantages that could be enhanced through the use of modern technology. Following the textile industry, the coming symposiums would focus on other industries such as Pharmaceuticals and foodstuffs. The symposium on the use of modern technological applications for developing the textile industry witnessed discussions on means of upgrading performance and reducing costs of production as well as the expected effect on the textile companies and factories. Chairman of the Holding Company for Textile Industries, Al-Mo'atazBellah Abdul-Maqsoud, said that the use of modern technology and information technology in the textile industry was a long-term investment whose benefits for the industry could not be denied.
"This will of course leave such positive effect on the quality of the textile products and reduce costs of their production which is likely to help enhance exports," he said. Abdul-Maqsoud added that the presence of an adequate information and technological system inside a factory was vital to the process of production and making the best use of its full capacity. It will also help provide adequate updated information on the market in terms of needs, consumers' tastes and how to obtain raw materials required for the industry. As for the financial aspect and whether it could constitute an impediment for providing the spinning and weaving factories and companies with modern technology, he said that high costs could never be an obstacle for modernizing the industry. He elaborated that the process of developing and modernizing each factory would be preceded by adequate studies that would identify the level of technology to be introduced to it in accordance with its conditions.
On training the workers on modern technology, Abdul Maqsoud said that it did not constitute a problem as the few textile factories that had underwent development processes training did not take a long time and workers as well as personnel were able to handle the new technology easily and competently. Chairman of the Chamber of Software Industry, Magdi Khairallah, said that during the symposium on the spinning and weaving industry, there was an agreement in principle between the Holding Company for Textile Industries and the Chamber, that three of the software companies taking part in the symposium would conduct an experiment immediately in three affiliate textile companies . "This aims in the first place at identifying the expected volume of benefit they could achieve through introducing modern technological methods and information technology to them," he said.
http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/020117/2002011743.html
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Food safety regulators convene forum in Marrakesh.
Local, 1/17/2002
Food safety regulators will convene a global forum in Marrakesh January 28 through 30. The forum, co-sponsored by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), will provide opportunity for food safety regulators in the world to consider, discuss, and share experiences on food safety issues. The purpose of the forum is to promote the exchange of information on approaches and experience acquired by national food safety regulators in dealing with current food safety issues of potential importance to public health and international food trade, to advance the process of science-based public consultations and to facilitate capacity building, particularly in developing countries. The main theme of the Global Forum will be "Improving Efficiency and Transparency in Food Safety Systems - Sharing Experiences." Under this main theme, participants will tackle four broad food safety topics: Regulatory Issues, Risk Management, Capacity Building Communication and Participation.
http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/020117/2002011731.html
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Hackers attacked 103 Moroccan websites in 2001.
18 January, 2002
RABAT (Reuters) - At least 103 Moroccan Internet websites were attacked by hackers last year, in several attempts to modify their contents, the official MAP news agency has said. Quoting experts at leading Menara site, MAP said local firms specialising in information technologies have urged the authorities to set up a legal framework and proceedings to deter hacker attacks and protect the E-business activity in Morocco. The Casablanca-based Menara is run by state-owned Moroccan telecom operator Maroc Telecom. MAP didn't say if the hackers' attempts caused damage to the target sites. The first hackers' attack was registered in November 2000 and targeted the finance ministry website, officials had said. Morocco has an estimated 200,000 to 400,000 internet users, and had some 2,500 providers and cybercafes in 2001.
http://www.reuters.co.uk/news_article.jhtml?type=internetnews&StoryID=526387
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