King Mohammed dedicates maternity in Martil Morocco
141 million euro in European aid to Morocco
Local poll: 33 percent of candidates have secondary education level
Five percent of candidates to local poll are females
King Mohammed dedicates education, training compound for handicapped persons in Tetouan
No drop of foreign tourists in Morocco after may 16 terrorist attacks
Scott to receive Morocco's highest honour
Asilah poised to be starting point for cross-Atlantic sails
Moroccan culture highlighted in Helsinki

King Mohammed dedicates maternity in Martil Morocco
Local, 9/2/2003

Morocco's King Mohammed VI dedicated here on Monday a maternity hospital and inquired about several social projects in the northern city (province of Tetouan). The project, worth some 2.4 million dirhams (roughly 240 million dollars), was financed by the Mohammed V Solidarity Foundation ($30,000), the health department ($30,000), the Spanish International Cooperation Agency ($180,000) and the Martil Municipality. The Mohammed V Solidarity Foundation also donated the hospital $30,000-worth of medical equipment. The facility, to be supervised by 2 doctors, 4 midwives and 6 nurses, will extend services to 36,000 inhabitants. Following the dedication ceremony, King Mohammed VI was briefed on the 2003 housing rehabilitation program that benefits 56% of Martil's shanty towns dwellers. The second phase of the program, worth some 9.3 million dollars, will cover an 83-hectare surface and benefit some 2,820 families. Through this program, Morocco ambitions to reduce the number of shanty towns populations from 80% to 35%. Sanitation and housing works in "Catalan," "Ahkik" and Chbar districts, to cost some 9 million dollars, will be carried out for the benefit of 2,816 families. King Mohammed VI also inquired about the renovation works of Martil's drinking water, sewage and power networks, which will cost some 9.2 million dollars. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/030902/2003090225.html

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141 million euro in European aid to Morocco
RABAT, Sept 6 (KUNA)

The European Union has allocated 141 million euro worth of aid to Morocco for the financing of trade development projects, rehabilitating industrial organizations, controlling secret migration through the Strait of Gibraltar and for protecting the environment. A statement from the EU office in Rabat said the aid, which was officially announced yesterday, comes in line with the Union's plan to assist the national finance of nations south of the Mediterranean in accordance with future visions of establishing a free trade zone in the area by 2010. The allocated sums are part of a 426-million-euro package set aside for Morocco during the 2002-2004 period, in support of the nation's developmental efforts, particularly in effort to strengthen the African country's economic ties with Europe. Also within the same aid package, the European Union presented a sum of 42 million euro to Jordan in support of its emergency budget, allocated to face the after-effects of the war in Iraq. Egypt received 63 million euro to help it through economic transition, in addition to assisting preserve its economic and social balance. Lebanon received 43 million euro, which will go towards the support of its small to middle-size industrial organizations and for agricultural development, in addition to civil society organization support. Algeria was allocated 25 million euro, to be channeled towards administrative modernization and reform projects. http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm?id=KUN0010030906061649§ion=Countries&page=Morocco&channel=All%20Morocco%20News&objectid=22403786-8F1A-11D4-867000D0B7 4A0D7C

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Local poll: 33 percent of candidates have secondary education level
Morocco, Politics, 8/30/2003

Some 33 percent of candidates to the local elections, to be held September 12 in Morocco, have a secondary education level. Figures disclosed by the interior department on candidates' social and cultural profiles show that 20 percent of candidates have a fundamental educational level. Only 18 percent of these candidates have a university level. Some 122,658 candidates mostly representing political parties, will vie for 23,689 seats in local urban and rural councils throughout Morocco. At professional level, 22.61 of these candidates are wage-earners, 17.87 are farmers, 11.67 are craftsmen and 10.41 percent are tradesmen. Teachers account for 8.23 percent of candidates, while 8.82 of them are civil servants and 3.59 are students. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/030830/2003083016.html

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Five percent of candidates to local poll are females
Morocco, Politics, 8/30/2003

Five percent of candidates to the local elections Morocco will hold next September 12 are females. According to figures by the Interior Department, 30 percent of candidates to these elections are below 34 of age and 31 percent are aged between 35 and 44. Twenty-six percent of candidates are aged between 45 and 55 and 13 percent only are above 55. Some 122,658 candidates mostly representing political parties, will vie for 23,689 seats in local urban and rural councils throughout Morocco. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/030830/2003083018.html

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King Mohammed dedicates education, training compound for handicapped persons in Tetouan
Morocco, Education, 9/2/2003

Morocco's King Mohammed VI dedicated in Tetouan Monday the Hanane II compound of education and training for handicapped persons. The 13,000 m2 compound, which necessitated a 18 million dirham (about 1.8 million dollars) budget, includes a vocational training center, a center of specialized education, an observatory for studies and research, a healthcare facility and a covered multi-purpose sports hall. The institution will be training handicapped children and provide them with skills to integrate the job market. It will also support and follow up education research and programs, and coordinate professional and training activities for the compound's executives. Princess Lalla Meryem, sister of King Mohammed VI, had launched on December 15, 2001, the construction works of the compound. The compound will ensure the training of 165 mentally handicapped pupils, including 51 girls, as of the 2003-2004 school year. The training center of the other compound, Hanane I, will be in charge 72 deaf pupils, including 28 girls. The Hanane association for children protection was set up in 1969 at the initiative of handicapped children's parents. King Mohammed VI also launched several housing projects for the inhabitants of the "Dhar Ahsan," "Taffalin," "Dar Moursya" and "Touibla" shanty towns, and other projects to upgrade drinking water and electricity networks in "Korat Sbaa" district. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/030902/2003090226.html

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No drop of foreign tourists in Morocco after may 16 terrorist attacks
Morocco, Economics, 9/2/2003

No drop was registered in the number of foreign tourists visiting Morocco despite the terrorist attacks that hit Casablanca last May, noted on Sunday the French radio station (RFI) part of a special program on tourism. "The country has a significant asset in its tourism promotion strategy, that is the Moroccan Diaspora," said RFI, underlining that some 3 million Moroccan expatriates "are the first source of foreign currency, ahead of tourism." Quoting estimates of the Moroccan finance and privatization ministry, the French radio said remittances of Moroccan expatriates reached 3.7 billion Euro this year, that is an increase of 5 percent compared to last year. Some 30 to 40 percent of these foreign currency transfers were made in July and August, a period when expatriates return to their country for summer holidays, RFI underlined, deeming that the "challenge ahead for Morocco is to succeed in attracting the third generation of immigrants to be in its turn a generation of investors." RFI recalled that Morocco created in 2002 a ministry in charge of Moroccan expatriates to maintain links with Moroccans abroad, adding that an exhibition destined for Moroccan expatriates was held at the beginning of August at the international fairground of Casablanca http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/030902/2003090234.html

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Scott to receive Morocco's highest honour
02/09/2003 - 14:06:02

Director Ridley Scott, whose location film work has poured millions of pounds into Morocco, is being honoured at the Morocco film festival next month with the country's highest award. Scott, who filmed Black Hawk Down and parts of Gladiator in the country, is to receive the Wissam alaouite at the festival, which runs from October 3-8. Scott told journalists at a New York press conference that he recently returned to Morocoo to visit King Mohammed VI to discuss filming much of his next project, the epic Tripoli, there. Set in the 12th Century, Tripoli stars Russell Crowe and tells the story of Saladin and his battles in the Holy Wars. Scott plans to begin filming early next year. http://breakingnews.iol.ie/entertainment/story.asp?j=79012696&p=79xy34xz

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Asilah poised to be starting point for cross-Atlantic sails
Morocco, Local, 8/30/2003

The north Moroccan Atlantic sea resort of Asilah, better known as a heaven of culture, is expected to be amongst the most important starting points for sailboats bound for the other side of the Atlantic. Giancarlo Buono, who works for the company in charge of the sea resort project whose foundation stone was laid Tuesday by King Mohammed VI, told the press Asilah will become one of the most important places for sailboats. Sailboats are an important part of these sea resort project which will have the same capacity as the Monte Carlo port, especially since sea resorts capacity in the Mediterranean is currently limited. The project construction works will start next February and will take 36 months. It will include a basin accommodating 500 boats, a mall, an emergency health center, two hotels, a theater, a yacht club and fishery activities facilities. Construction works of the project, which will cost nearly 550 million DHs (US $55 million), will start next February and will take 36 months. In the construction phase, the project will generate some 500 jobs and 700 others after completion http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/030830/2003083025.html

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Moroccan culture highlighted in Helsinki
Morocco, Local, 8/30/2003

Morocco is participating for the first time in the international exhibition of Helsinki, Finland, under the sign "the Night of Arts," which opened Thursday. Morocco's participation will be in the form of artistic works and drawings representing the country's cultural product. The Helsinki exhibition aims to acquaint people with historical cities and archeological sites. Moroccan plastic arts and craftsmanship products like Jewels, carpets and pottery will be exhibited in the expo. The exhibition concerns the public who is interested in the Moroccan tourism product and Morocco, land of dialogue and encounters and whose civilization is deep-rooted in history, culture minister, Mohamed Achaari told the Moroccan channel "TVM." Several Moroccan artists will present their works in the exhibition. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/030830/2003083024.html

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