FOM Newsletter March 2003
Morocco Week in Review 
March 8 2003

WASHINGTON, Mar.04 - A coalition of over 40 US firms voiced support to the free trade agreement Morocco and the United States are seeing to conclude.  In a letter to US trade representative Robert Zoellick, the coalition said "We firmly believe the negotiation and completion of a US-Morocco FTA is in our strong national economic and trade interest." "From an economic and trade standpoint, the United States has much to gain from an FTA with Morocco, the firms said, recalling that Morocco "is in a leadership position in the WTO through its role as the Chair of G-77 and WTO Africa Group."  "An FTA would level the playing field and open up new commercial opportunities for US exporters, farmers and investors," the letter went on.  A Morocco-US FTA "would expand existing trade and investment linkages between our two countries," the coalition said, adding that many US companies have found Morocco to be an important market and a hospitable investment climate in which to do business." "At a time of great uncertainty and potential peril home and abroad, the United States must build closer ties with our friends and allies in the Muslim world and enhance stability in a moderate Islamic state like Morocco," the letter reads.  "An FTA is an important mechanism for achieving closer economic ties, which we believe will support our vital stakes in the region." The coalition includes such leading US companies as AOL-Time Warner, Caterpillar, Federal Express, Phillip Morris, Boeing, Pfizer, Merck and CMS Energy.

US Scales Down Import Duties on Moroccan Carpets

WASHINGTON, Mar.06 - The United States has scaled down import duties on carpets from five countries, including Morocco, by virtue of a law adopted Wednesday by the US Chamber of Representatives.  The new legislation, approved by a majority of 415 votes for and eleven against, concerns Egypt, Morocco, Nepal, Pakistan and Turkey. The new legislation provides for preferential regime ranging from a substantial reduction of customs duties to a total remission according to the types of carpets imported, including hand-made ones.  The United States and Morocco kicked off earlier this year in Washington negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement.

Nearly 5,000 women heads of enterprises in Morocco

The number of women who are managing and/or owning enterprises stands at about 5,000, that is 0,5% of Morocco's active population, says a new study conducted by a Moroccan expert for the International Labor Office. A rate of 65% of the firms covered by the study operate in the field of services, 24% in industry and 11% in agriculture and fisheries. As to capital of these firms, 80% of the enterprises have a capital of less than 1 million DHs (US$ 100,000), 8% have a capital ranging between DHS 1 and 2 million and 4% have a capital greater than DHs 5 million. According to the study, 81% of the polled firms were created between 1981and 2001. The remaining 19% were set up before 1980 and were either inherited by women or partially or entirely purchased. The study also finds that 84% of the polled enterprises employ less than 10 staffers, and only 4% have over 200 wage-earners.

UNDP involves Egyptian Arts and media personalities in Anti-HIV/AIDS action in the Arab states

With over 500,000 people known to be living with HIV/AIDS in the Arab states, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is associating Egyptian renowned media and entertainment personalities to its anti-HIV/AIDS action in the Arab states. UNDP says in a press release the action aims to create the awareness needed to keep prevalence rates down and prevent the further spread of the disease. The UNDP outreach initiative on HIV/AIDS in the Middle East and North Africa echoes a message from UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, delivered at the recent Pan-African Film and Television Festival. He stressed the central role artists can play in reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS, one of the eight Millennium Development Goals set by world leaders at the Millennium Summit. "The visibility of HIV/AIDS and the way artists and media can speak out on the issue, are critical determinants in how society responds to the challenge. UNDP believes that artists and the media can create an enabling environment for addressing the epidemic in a humane, proactive and effective manner," says Walid Badawi, Regional Program Adviser, UNDP's Regional Bureau for Arab States. "They are not only potential new leaders themselves, but have the added responsibility to create and intensify public leadership by setting an example for others in society to follow," he explained. Prominent artists like Hussein Fahmy, who serves as UNDP Goodwill Ambassador for the Arab States, Safia El Omari, Samir Sabri, Lubluba, Mahmoud Kabil, Hisham A'bas, Midhat Saleh and Hakim are among the figures associated to this endeavor.The main goal is to engage the support of key personalities who can contribute to a process of exploring ideas and finding appropriate cultural leverages that will help form an effective response to HIV/AIDS in the region and help break the silence associated with it, says the UNDP.

Operation Smile launches second mission in Marrakesh

The second mission of the NGO, Operation Smile, providing reconstructive surgery and related healthcare to indigent children kicked off in Marrakesh Thursday. The mission is conducted by a 60-person staff, made of surgeons, anaesthetists, paediatricians, speech therapists and nurses. Head of Operation Smile-Morocco, Abdu Jbara, told MAP the mission, to continue until March 16, will benefit some 700 persons nationwide, including 200 who will undergo surgeries. A total of 40 to 50 persons will undergo surgeries daily, and their follow up will be ensured by Moroccan doctors, Jbara said. A similar operation will be organized March 27-April 04 in the southern city of Laayoune, he announced. "These two missions will cost some 4.5 million dirhams (nearly US$ 450,000)." Some 2,051 Moroccan patients have undergone Operation Smilesurgeries since it was launched in the kingdom in 1998.

Morocco, EU Sign 65m Euro Convention on Training Development

BRUSSELS, Mar.06 - The European Union has earmarked Morocco, under a convention signed here Tuesday, 50 million Euro to the development of professional training in tourism, textile and new information and communication technologies. The 6-year project, worth 65 million Euro, is meant to back the development strategies of these "job-creating sectors," the European Commission says in a release. The strategy seeks to enhance the competitiveness of enterprises operating in these sectors by providing skilled labor, the commission said, adding that the level of Moroccan labor force is unlikely to attract enough investments. The convention was signed by Moroccan minister of finance and privatization, Fathallah Oulaalou, who was on a 2-day working visit to Brussels, and European commissioner of foreign relations, Chris Patten.

http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/eng.htm 

New Family Code to Be Ready in 3-4 Months, official

RABAT, Mar.07 - Head of the commission for Mudawana (family code) reform, M'hamed Boucetta, said "the new text will be ready in three or four months." In an interview published Friday by the weekly "La Vie Economique", Boucetta, who was appointed in January head of the commission looking into reforms of the Mudawana, said "when the family code will be promulgated, there will be a large communication and awareness campaign." On alleged disagreements between the reform commission members, he said "there are absolutely no deep divergences or positions that are impossible to conciliate. It is about finding the appropriate wordings that fit everyone."  Boucetta gave the example of the first article of the code, which will be modified from the old wording, "the family is placed under the headship of the husband", to the new wording of it will be "placed under joint headship of the two spouses."  The head of the Mudawana reform commission deems that the most important is "to seek in the values and principles of Islam elements that can help move forward in the legal status of women and the protection of the family, society's nucleus."On the abolition of polygamy which has been long a claim of women organizations and political parties, Boucetta said "I can not suggest the abolition of polygamy. It would never be accepted anyway (...) What we need today is to make it impossible using the Quran's provisions themselves." He said there will be many new things in divorce and repudiation regulations. "The husband will not be able to decide alone in this question, and the procedure of reconciliation will be improved and systematized," he said, adding that "the right to divorce would thus be equal for either spouse, and placed in the hands of family tribunals."

Moroccan NGOs Campaign Against Sexual Abuse, Human Trafficking, Forced Labor and Slavery-Like Practices in Prostitution and Domestic Service

WASHINGTON, March 3 /PRNewswire/ -- In recent years, the number of Moroccan girls and young women at risk for sexual abuse, slavery, forced labor and trafficking has grown dramatically. Issues of poverty, rural exodus and the corresponding growth of urban areas, migration to Europe and the Arab Gulf States, a large domestic service sector employing young girls, a heavy dependence on foreign tourism and investment, rapidly evolving moral standards and challenges to traditional sexual behavior are currently confronting Morocco as it stands at the crossroads of its political, social and economic development.  During the 31 days of March 2003, the International Human Rights Law Group in Morocco (IHRLG Rabat) and its 13 local partners will conduct a variety of events in more than 20 sites across Morocco to raise awareness of the growing number of Moroccan girls and young women at risk of sexual abuse, forced labor, human trafficking and slavery-like practices in prostitution and domestic service. This first-of-its-kind national advocacy initiative targets the public, government officials, civic authorities, junior high and high school students, NGOs, and girls and young women at risk. The "Month of Awareness" campaign is made possible through generous support of the BritishEmbassy Rabat. IHRLG campaign partners: Association Amna pour defendre les femmes victimes de violence (Tanger), Association de recherche feminine pour le developpement et la cooperation (Tetouan), Union de l'action feminine Section de Tanger), Initiatives pour la protection des droits de la femme (Fes), Centre d'ecoute et d'orientation juridique et psychologique pour femmes agressees (Casablanca), Oum el Banine (Agadir), Terre des Enfants (Agadir), Association Amal pour la femme et le developpement (El Hajeb), Liaison du IHRLG (Marrakech), and Association Bayti (Rabat et Essaouira). Events planned for the "Month of Awareness" include prevention, information, awareness raising, direct assistance, and advocacy activities that incorporate impact theatre pieces, videos, debates, discussions, round tables, open houses, support group meetings, awareness-raising civic caravans to rural areas, prison visits and women's human rights education sessions.

Details about the campaign, descriptions of events and contact information on the "Month of Awareness" campaign partners are available in English and French via the IHRLG website: http://www.hrlawgroup.org . The International Human Rights Law Group is a non-profit organization engaged in advocacy, strategic human rights lawyering, training and coalition building around the world. Our mission is to empower local advocates to expand the scope of human rights protections and to promote broad participation in building human rights standards and procedures at the national, regional and international levels. IHRLG is a long-standing leader in the international movement to promote the human rights of women. Headquartered in Washington, IHRLG operates field offices in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Morocco, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan and Sierra Leone. IHRLG also conducts field-based projects and partnerships in Brazil, Cambodia and Yemen.

RIYADH, Feb 27 (Reuters) - The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) said on Thursday it had signed a $41.2 million financing facility with Morocco to partly finance a highway project. A statement from the Jeddah-based IDB said the project, being built at a cost of $79 million, would help boost transportation between Europe and the north African country.  It said the 54-member IDB had extended a total of $1.5 billion in financing to Morocco since the bank was set up in 1975 to help boost trade exchanges between Islamic states. ((Bahrain newsroom, +973-524424, fax +973-536194))

United States (US)-based companies have approved the initiative to grant Morocco preferential status in trade. This is an attempt to match a previous agreement signed between Morocco and the European Union (EU). Al Sharq al Awsat reported that this agreement would benefit both parties and would help complete new and pending projects. 

http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm?id=AFPublicationAraPress7083&Section=Countries&page=Morocco&channel=All%20Morocco%20News&objectid=22403786-8F1A-11D4-867000D0B74A0D7C 

Court Jails 'Satanist' Heavy Metal Fans

RABAT (Reuters) - A court in Casablanca on Thursday handed out prison sentences ranging from one month to one year to 14 heavy metal music enthusiasts, the official MAP news agency reported. The trial followed articles in some newspapers which described the accused as "Satanists" who recruited for an international cult of devil-worship. The 14 men aged between 22 and 35 years were found guilty of "possessing objects which infringe morals" and of "acts capable of undermining the faith of a Muslim." Morocco's penal code allows a maximum sentence of three years for attempting to convert a Muslim to another faith. Nine of those sentenced are musicians in three Moroccan heavy metal groups: Nekros, Infected Brain and Reborn. Parents, friends and college supervisors of those sentenced had argued that the case arose from a misunderstanding of the heavy metal sub-culture and should never have come to court. Soumayah Kortbi, whose 31-year-old brother Ayoub Kortbi was sentenced to three months, said, "I am disappointed with justice in my country. It is as though the court did not take the trouble to find out the facts." The French-language weekly magazine TelQuel had ridiculed the judge's remarks during the trial that "Normal people go to concerts in a suit and tie," rather than in a black T-shirt with heavy-metal symbols which was shown to the court. The judge also found suspicious the fact that one of the musicians chose to pen lyrics in English rather than Arabic. Journalist Nourredine Ben Malik, whose sensationalist interview with 21-year-old girl involved in the heavy metal scene in the weekly As-Sahifa last July helped trigger the police enquiry, was contrite following the sentencing. "I am against these sentences," he told Reuters. "There was no solid argument behind them, and I've signed a petition saying as much. "These are just young people who like a certain kind of music. If there is a problem with their thinking it is not a matter for the courts but for their families, political parties and society." 

For some of Morocco's francophone middle classes, the case set alarm bells ringing, against a background of rising electoral support for Morocco's Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD). In legislative elections last September, the PJD emerged as the third largest party in parliament, and it looks set likewise to gain ground in local elections in June. PJD member of parliament Mustapha Ramid on January 23, before the trial began, asked parliament to have a concert by the three heavy metal groups banned. The following month he criticized European and U.S. cultural centers operating in Rabat and Casablanca. Driss Ksikes, chief editor at TelQuel magazine, said that with this verdict, "Morocco's young people will not feel at home in their own country. I think our judicial system needs psychologists if they don't understand that young people are by essence subversive and like to shock."

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