Virtual Magazine of Morocco on the Web
Morocco Week in Review 
November 6 2004

Morocco expects 28% increase in date production
Holland donates Morocco 1.5 Mln Euro to help fight locusts
Some 400,000 hectares sprayed to fight locusts in Morocco
Moroccans Spend More on Food in Month of Fasting.
EIB lends Morocco 191 million euros for 3 energy and housing projects
Moroccan sociologist co-winner of 2004 Erasmus Prize
Morocco's need in housing, 125,000
Over 8,000 classrooms created over last 2 years, minister
Moroccan-Japanese cooperation in mother health training

Morocco expects 28% increase in date production
RABAT, Nov.03

Morocco expects date production to reach 70,000 tons this years, marking an increase of 28% compared to last year, says the ministry of agriculture, rural development and sea fisheries. These figures also represent a 16% growth compared to the average recorded in the last five years. The positive performance is mainly due to good weather conditions and sufficient rainfall. Good quality dates account for 35% of this production while average and poor quality dates represent respectively 38% and 26% of the output.
http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/eng.htm 
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Holland donates Morocco 1.5 Mln Euro to help fight locusts
RABAT, Nov 1

Holland donated 1.5 million euros to help Morocco fight the swarms of locusts that have been infesting since the last week of September the Southern part of the country coming from the Sahel region. The donation is to help purchase pesticide spraying pick-up vehicles that will enable to spray 15,600 hectares per day. Some 400,000 hectares were sprayed with pesticides to fight locust swarms in Morocco up to October 28th 2004. Fifty pc of the sprayed area is located around the towns of Guelmim, Tiznit and Taroudant, Southern Morocco, where locusts have migrated lately coming from the South. 450 million Dhs (around 45 million euros) have been spent to fight the plague in 2004, compared to 350 million in 2003.

In late September, new swarms invaded Southern Morocco. Morocco mobilized 28 aircraft and helicopters to fight migrating locusts for the 2004-2005 period, while a score of other aeroplanes could be added for the same purpose if needed in the future. Hundred of vehicles have been used in the anti-locust campaign, including 150 all terrain and 60 sprayer cars, as well as 380 cars belonging to various departments involved in the locust fight. More than 4.2 million litres of pesticides were bought for the campaign.
http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/home_dep/h_deppar09.htm 
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Some 400,000 hectares sprayed to fight locusts in Morocco
RABAT, Oct 29

Some 400.000 hectares were sprayed with pesticides to fight locust swarms in Morocco up to October 28th 2004, said on Thursday Moroccan agriculture minister, Mohand Laensar. At a cabinet meeting in Rabat, Laensar said 50 pc of the sprayed area is located around the towns of Guelmim, Tiznit and Taroudant, Southern Morocco, where locusts have migrated lately coming from the South. The minister said 450 million Dhs (around 45 million euros) have been spent to fight the plague in 2004, compared to 350 million in 2003.

In late September, new swarms invaded Southern Morocco, said the minister noting the magnitude of the insect swarms is larger than that of last year favored by good climate conditions in the Sahel.Morocco mobilized 28 aircraft and helicopters to fight migrating locusts for the 2004-2005 period, while a score of other aeroplanes could be added for the same purpose if needed in the future.Hundred of vehicles have been used in the anti-locust campaign, including 150 all terrain and 60 sprayer cars, as well as 380 cars belonging to various departments involved in the locust fight. More than 4.2 million litres of pesticides were bought for the campaign.The 2003-2004 anti-locust campaign, where 4.1 million liters were used to eradicate the plague, cost 122 million Dhs. 18 planes were rented to shore up the action of the army and Gendarmerie http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/home_dep/h_dep22.htm 
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Moroccans Spend More on Food in Month of Fasting.
Wed Nov 3, 2004 RABAT (Reuters)

Moroccans spend 28 percent more on food during Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting, a government study showed Tuesday. Ramadan is the holiest month of the Islamic calendar when practicing Muslims must abstain from food, drink and sex from dawn to dusk -- a discipline intended to better their souls and bring them closer to God. In Morocco, where Ramadan began on Oct. 15, an average family spends 28 percent more on food products than during the other months of the year, the High Planning Commission said.

The state body did not explain the reasons behind the rise but listed products whose consumption increase significantly during Ramadan, including milk and dairy products and eggs. The Iftar meal which breaks the fast after sunset has become increasingly lavish and heavy in recent years across the Arab world. Studies by health experts and dieticians have shown that many Muslims actually gain weight during the month of fasting.
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyID=6701462 
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EIB lends Morocco 191 million euros for 3 energy and housing projects
Rabat, Nov 4

The European Investment Bank lent Morocco 191 million euros to finance three energy and housing projects as part of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership programme (Euromed II). The EIB loan will serve to build the Tangier wind energy site contributing 80 per cent to the total amount of the project of 172 million euros, while the German Development Bank (KFW) will lend the project 50 million euros and the Moroccan Electricity office (ONE) will contribute 42 million euros. The wind energy farm, to be located in the Fahs-Lanjra province, some 15 km East of the Northern town of Tangier, is expected to generate 140 MW. The facility will stretch over a 20 km area on mountain peaks.

The second project, to cost 89.6 million euros, aims at cutting down the polluting emissions from the coal thermal plant of Mohammedia, 60 km South of Rabat. The project will receive 40 million euros from the EIB and 49.6 million euros from the ONE.

With the two projects the ONE received a total EIB lending of 425 million euros since 1997, under Euromed II.

The third project will finance low cost housing and related infrastructure and will cost 189.2 million euros, including 93.6 million euros from Al Omrane Holding and 71 million euros from the EIB, as well as 18.3 million euros from the housing solidarity fund (FSH) and 6.3 million euros as subsidies. The project, part of the fight of unhealthy housing and shantytowns, consists in building 100,000 low costing lodgings to be sold to low income families.
http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/home_dep/h_depmay1979.htm 
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Moroccan sociologist co-winner of 2004 Erasmus Prize
BRUSSELS, Nov.04

The Erasmus prize awarded by Dutch foundation Erasmus, went this year to Moroccan sociologist Fatima Mernissi, Syrian writer Sadik Jalal and Iran's Abdulkarim Soroush. "Religion and modernity" is the theme chosen by the foundation for its annual prize which rewards exception contribution by an individual or institution in cultural and social science fields. The prize named after a 16th century Dutch humanist will be handed to the three co-winners this Thursday. This year's theme comes at a time debate on the integration of Muslims in the Dutch society was brutally revived after a young Muslim killed on Tuesday director Theo Van Gogh, known for his controversial stances in Islamic extremism. The prize, worth 150,000 euros, will be awarded at a special ceremony to be followed by a series of debates on the "role of the media in relationships between, the West and the Arab world".
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Morocco's need in housing, 125,000
RABAT, Nov.05

Though 90,000 dwellings are built annually, 125,000 households are still in need, said director general of the National Agency of shanty towns fighting (ANHI), Abdelaziz Filali. Filali, told the Tangiers-based "Medi 1" radio station, that among these households, some 40,000 opt for shanty towns and irregular housing. Casablanca, where most of the problem is focused, has 50% of Morocco's shanty towns, he said. "We have 445 shanty towns in Casablanca and each one need specific intervention."

As for solutions, the executive said that in some shanty towns, restructuring can be carried out locally, while in others, it is necessary either to set up equipment meeting the standards or completely move inhabitants. Filali added that the problem can not be solved immediately, though all parties are mobilized to try to ease the demand, especially in Casablanca. Shanty towns remain a problem for 4 million Moroccans and 40,000 unhealthy dwellings are created every year, the radio said http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/news/general/gen_0019.htm 
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Over 8,000 classrooms created over last 2 years, minister
RABAT, Nov.04

Education minister, Habib El Malki, said the number of classrooms created over the last two academic years amount to 8,500. However, he said, despite all his department's efforts to meet infrastructure needs, some regions are still under-equipped. Speaking at the House of Representatives (parliament lower chamber) question time, El Malki explained this situation by the boom in the populations of big agglomerations' outskirts, mainly because of rural exodus. He also evoked his department's "limited budget" in terms of investments and the non respect by some companies of the deadlines set for the delivery of building material. The minister went on that 26 new high schools, with 177 classrooms, are included in the 2004 budget. El Malki added the education ministry plans to build more accommodation structures for teachers in remote areas, currently numbered at some 16,000, covering up to 70% of needs in rural areas.
http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/news/economy/h_deplocusts.htm 
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Moroccan-Japanese cooperation in mother health training
Rabat, Nov 3

Morocco and Japan signed here on Wednesday a cooperation agreement on the inception of a training and educational system to reinforce skills and capabilities in mother health in rural areas. The project, which will be implemented in the regions of Fez-Boulmane, Meknes-Failalet (Central Morocco) and Guelmim-Essmara (South-West), aims at enhancing medical stuff skills and awareness on the importance of mother health.

A press release of the representation in Rabat of the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) said the provinces of Ifrane and Sefrou, Central Morocco, will serve as pilot zones for the implementation of the provisions of the accord. The Japanese contribution to the three year project consists in supplying the concerned regions with equipment and ensuring technical training in Japan to the staff of various facilities. The technical assistance is part of a 113 million Dhs aid, 11.3 million euros, earmarked in 2003 to help Morocco boost the facilities, skills and capabilities in mother health fields.

The Japanese aid already contributed to the construction of 37 health centres in rural zones, the acquisition of medical equipment for 40 health institutions as well as the purchase of 13 ambulances and other vehicles. The initiative also helped train in Japan 24 Moroccan trainees, including physicians, midwives, nurses and other health department personnel.
http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/eng.htm 
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