Virtual Magazine of Morocco on the Web
Morocco Week in Review 
February 26 2005

Only 25pc of Moroccan children can read after primary school, WB specialist.
Morocco: Rural solar power electrification project awarded.
Morocco facing another serious problem.
International Female Arts Marathon in Morocco.
SOS to expand school.
Morocco looks for U.S. partners : Washington, North African kingdom conclude free-trade pact.
Morocco highlights investment opportunities for US companies.
Cleaning project in Fez continues.
Morocco's Innovative Teachers Competition Awards Education IT Projects.
World Bank grants Morocco 60.4 million Euros loan.
Investigations underway on discovery of 10 centuries-old currency North of Morocco.
John Lennon's 'Imagine' performed in Moroccan Arabic.
Queen Sofia visits Children institutions in Morocco .
Morocco's budget deficit to sharply rise in 2005.
Moroccan Post Service Commemorates Rotary International Centenary.
Program of $ 2.5 Mln to cut Social exclusion in Casablanca.
Over 100,000 low cost houses constructed in 2004
Over 100 dams secure water self-sufficiency in Morocco.
European jazz festival to be held in the imperial city of Fez.
'La Quatrième', new Moroccan educational TV on air Monday.
IOM to open a branch in the Moroccan capital city.
Anti-exclusion programme launched in Casablanca.
Archeology: Ras Ighir site to be excavated in March.
Culture - Youth : "Temps du livre" programme to be launched on Feb. 25.
Promotion of Amazigh culture linked to democratization process - Benabdallah

Only 25pc of Moroccan children can read after primary school, WB specialist.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 19

Senior education specialist for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in the World Bank (WB), Michel Welmond, said the biggest challenges Morocco has to take up is the improvement of the quality of education, noting that a study has revealed that only 25pc of Moroccan children who have been in primary schools can read, write and count, which is alarming. The study, he said in a statement to MAP agency, revealed that out of 10 schooled children, 6 finish their primary school, 3 or 4 reach high schools, 2 reach the Baccalaureate level and only 1 gets enrolled in a university.

Welmond said an assessment test conducted on children from 38 developed and developing countries placed Morocco in the 37th rank, which clearly reflects the quality of the Moroccan educational system. The education specialist said WB has approved a US$ 80 million loan to support a Basic Education Reform Support Program (PARSEM) in Morocco, destined to increase access to basic education, improve educational quality, encourage stakeholder participation, ensure financial sustainability, and promote accountability in sector management. He added that the financial institution is satisfied by the "remarkable" progress achieved by Morocco during the latest years to spread education and increase schooling rate. PARSEM addresses the challenges facing the Moroccan education system by supporting government efforts to boost the quality of basic education for all children aged 6-14 in a financially sustainable manner.
http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/news/general/mexico_1st_lady.htm 
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Morocco: Rural solar power electrification project awarded.
22-02-2005

The Maroccan company Temasol has won a contract for a rural solar power electrification program for 37,000 households in Morocco. Temasol is jointly held by Total Energie, Total through its subsidiary Total Maroc, and Electricité de France (EDF).
This was achieved after Morocco's Office National d'Electricité (ONE) issued an international tender in early 2004. In 2002, the partners were already awarded a program to equip 16,000 households.
Implementation of the program will be completed by end-2007. Each household will be equipped with a solar panel and battery system to supply power for lighting and domestic appliances. Temasol will use Total Energie's photovoltaic systems and will be responsible for managing the technical and financial aspects of the program. Under a ten-year contract, Temasol will perform maintenance and equipment replacement.
The project has an estimated budget of EUR21.2 million. ONE will provide
EUR17.4 million, with the financial support of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD). Technical assistance was provided in the first phase by the Fonds Français pour l'Environnement Mondial (FFEM).
Morocco's Office National de l'Eau Potable (ONEP) has asked Temasol to install and operate Total Energie photovoltaic pumps to provide drinking water to around 15 villages with close to 5,800 inhabitants. The contract for this program, which is also supported by AFD and FFEM, was signed on July 28, 2004. © 2005 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
http://www.albawaba.com/en/countries/Morocco/180501 
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Morocco facing another serious problem.
25 February 2005 RABAT

Morocco's 5,000 traditional bathhouses are consuming some 30,000 hectares of forests annually for its firewood needs, a study says.
Idriss Hajera, director of Centre for the Development of Renewable Energy that did the study, warned that the study projected an increase in the firewood consumption soon to "one tonne per bathhouse per day" leading to higher rate of destruction of the forests.
Morocco, in collaboration with foreign centres and bodies, had tried to change this practice which adversely affects its forest resources, ecology and pollutes the environment.
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2005/February/middleeast_February746.xml&section=middleeast&col= 
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International Female Arts Marathon in Morocco.
25/02/2005

The Moroccan Association of Contemporary Creators will hold the second International Female Arts Marathon from 7-21 March. The event will promote the artistic and cultural productions of rural women. The marathon will start in the northern town of Asilah and move through numerous villages before ending in Es Smara. About 80 renowned artists will participate in the event, which hopes to encourage communication and exchanges between urban and rural woman. (Maroc Info Com, Emarrakech) http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/homepage/ 
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SOS to expand school.
22-02-2005

The Moroccan Village Association for Children (SOS) will soon expand its school for educating children in the rural region. The school, located near the village of Dar Bou?zza, was established in 2004 together with Zakoura Foundation for non formal education and is currently serving about 70 pupils, 28 of which are females. The Moroccan Villages Association for Children SOS is a non profit organization, which was established in 1985.
<i>Le Matin</i> reports that the organization's foremost aim is to take care of abandoned children, orphans and children and give these kids, who don't have another place to go to, a warm house to live in. The organization operates 10 such warm houses, which currently serve more than 350 children. © 2005 Al Bawaba ( www.albawaba.com  
http://www.albawaba.com/en/countries/Morocco/180437 
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Morocco looks for U.S. partners : Washington, North African kingdom conclude free-trade pact.
David Armstrong, Chronicle Staff Writer Wednesday, February 23, 2005

Morocco has long been renowned for the Casbah, its spectacularly rugged landscapes and exotic tourism. What it has not been well-known for is an embrace of modern business. However, that may be changing, thanks in large part to a new free-trade agreement with the United States that will kick in next month. Moroccan ambassador Aziz Mekouar, who is touring the United States to talk up trade and investment opportunities in his homeland for U.S. companies, said Tuesday that the present $1 billion yearly two-way trade between the United States and Morocco should grow substantially in coming years. "Anything can be produced in Morocco,'' said Mekouar, who gave an upbeat assessment of the country's potential at a luncheon meeting with Bay Area companies in a Menlo Park hotel and a subsequent interview with The Chronicle. "We have a market economy and the rule of law. People know the rules and work by the rules. We are creating a good business environment,'' he said."You do that by the rule of law.''

The free-trade agreement will eliminate Moroccan tariffs on most U.S.exports to the North African country, which include aircraft, grains and machinery, and cut back on some product quotas. The trade pact is Washington's first with an African country and second with a Muslim country, after an agreement with Jordan. "We didn't strike any deals today. But people are very enthusiastic about the FTA," Mekouar said of the Menlo Park meeting. U.S. companies already have a small but growing presence in Morocco, he said, pointing to Dell Computer, which operates a 24-hour call center there, and Motorola, which has some assembly operations in Morocco. "We are interested in attracting high tech, agriculture and financial services,'' said Mekouar, who has been Morocco's ambassador to Washington since 2002.

Morocco is a reasonably close ally of the United States in the war on terror, a factor that has been credited with accelerating the free-trade agreement. Bush administration officials, who steered the deal through Congress last year, have said they see Morocco as a moderate voice and progressive force in the Arab world.

Mekouar, who is also visiting Los Angeles, Boston, Atlanta, Detroit and other U.S. cities touting Morocco as a place to do business, said his country has several advantages as a commercial center. "Our location is good for being a trading hub,'' he said, citing Morocco's proximity to Spain and other nations in the southern tier of the European Union. Morocco also has a free-trade agreement with the EU. Moreover, he said, "Morocco has always had a market economy. We have never been socialist. Now, we are modernizing that economy.'' A poor country ruled by a powerful king, Morocco sees foreign investment as a key to development and is doing everything it can to attract investors and improve its infrastructure for trade. "We are building a new seaport for Tangiers that will be ready in 2007, and we already have a duty-free industrial district there,'' he said. "We have several new power plants built by foreign countries.'' Several trade associations are also actively trying to boost commerce with Morocco. Among them are ConnectUS, a trade organization based in this country that includes Google and Cisco Systems among its members. Another
bi- national business group, the Morocco-American Trade and Investment Council, includes Dell and Oracle Corp. as members.
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Trade agreement
-- A developing nation of 33 million people, Morocco is far down on the list of U.S. trading partners.
-- It ranks 70th as a market for U.S. exports, importing $475 million in American goods and services in 2003.
-- It stands 84th among nations exporting to the United States, with $381 million in goods sent to this country in 2003. Morocco's main exports to the United States include calcium phosphates, fruits and nuts, and apparel.
-- The United States, which runs an annual trade deficit in the tens of billions worldwide, had a trade surplus of $94 million with Morocco in 2003.
E-mail David Armstrong at davidarmstrong@sfchronicle.com 
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/02/23/BUGBHBFD3T1.DTL 
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Morocco highlights investment opportunities for US companies.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 24

Morocco's ambassador in Washington, Aziz Mekouar, held this week a series of meetings with American economic operators to talk up trade and investment opportunities in Morocco for U.S. companies. The meetings are part of a campaign meant to inform US investors and economic operators on business opportunities that will generate from the Free Trade Agreement signed between the United States and Morocco last June. The accord will immediately eliminate tariffs on more than 95 percent of bilateral trade in consumer and industrial products. All remaining tariffs on these goods are to be eliminated within nine years.

Mekouar met Tuesday in San Francisco with officials of over 30 companies to underscore the potentials of Morocco's economy and the promising sectors in the north African country such as agriculture, agro-food industry, pharmaceutics, textile, tourism, infrastructures and fisheries. "Our location is good for being a trading hub," he said, citing Morocco's proximity to Spain and other nations in the southern tier of the European Union.

Mekouar also highlighted the interest granted to the development of Moroccan road, airports and ports infrastructures. "We are building a new seaport for Tangiers that will be ready in 2007" he said, referring to the Tangier-Med port, to be finalized in 2007, and which will comprise containers terminals, a free trade zone, a logistic zone and an industrial zone.

The Moroccan diplomat also evoked the project of fixed-liaison that will bind Morocco to Spain through the Gibraltar. An executive of "Cms Energy" company that took part in the meeting recounted the "extraordinary experience" of his company in the north African country. "We went to Morocco for five days. We have stayed five years and we do not intend to leave the country soon," he said, describing Morocco as a promising market with a favourable climate for investments.

The present $1 billion yearly two-way trade between the United States and Morocco is expected to grow substantially after the implementation of the FTA. The trade pact is Washington's first with an African country and second with a Muslim country, after an agreement with Jordan.
http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/home_dep/h_dep22.htm 
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Cleaning project in Fez continues.

"A Healthy City for a Clean Environment" this has been the motto for the last several years for the city of Fez, explains Mohammed Moussa, the regional director of the Autonomic Administration of Water and Electricity Distribution of Fez (RADEEF), , which stands behind this project. During the 1990s, explains Mohammed Moussa, pollution has dramatically increased in the region and especially many wadis have been transformed into flowing sewers.
<i>Le Matin</i> reports that RADEEF focused mainly on water cleaning and as part of this project established a number of water purifying facilities to prevent the damages caused by sewer to the environment. © 2005 Al Bawaba
( www.albawaba.com  )
http://www.albawaba.com/en/countries/Morocco/180373 
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Morocco's Innovative Teachers Competition Awards Education IT Projects.
23/02/2005

The "Innovative Teachers Forum" award ceremony on Monday (21 February) in Rabat saw ten teachers honoured for utilitarian, relevant and innovative use of information technology (IT) in education and training.
The forum is part of the "Partners in Learning Programme," a joint project launched by the National Education Department and Microsoft to introduce new IT technologies into schools. (Le Matin, L'Economiste) http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/homepage/ 
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World Bank grants Morocco 60.4 million Euros loan.

Morocco and the World Bank signed Wednesday Feb. 23 in Rabat a MAD 604 million loan convention to back the Basic Education Reform Support Program (PARSEM) in Morocco. PARSEM, a five-year plan worth 250 million Euros, is an investment operation aimed at supporting reform efforts in the country. It allows a less rigid funding and a greater use of national financing systems. PARSEM supports Government efforts to boost the quality of basic education for all children aged six to fourteen in a financially sustainable manner.

The actions to be supported by PARSEM consist in generalizing access to basic education to most school-children by 2008, improving the quality of education through reducing dropout and repetition, rates and improving students learning and building institutional capacity, reinforcing institutional capacity in association with the sector's decentralization process at the central, regional, provincial and local levels. The project is part of World Bank Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) for Morocco which spells out education sector reform and decentralization as one of the key priorities for fighting poverty in the Kingdom.

The WB vice-president of Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, Christian Poortman, stressed that Morocco achieved remarkable progress in developing its education system. Education was extended to almost all children at the primary level, he said, as the national enrolment rate for primary education increased from 56% during the 1990-1991 school year to 91% during the 2003-2004 school year thanks to the allocation of 6.6pc of GDP budget to the education sector, he pointed out.

The loan convention was signed by Minister of Finance and Privatization, Fathallah Oualalou, in the presence of Minister of National Education, Higher Education, Staff Training and Scientific Research, Habib El Malki and Minister-Delegate to the Prime Minister in charge of General and Economic Affairs, Rachid Talbi Alami.
http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/home_dep/forum2.htm 
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Investigations underway on discovery of 10 centuries-old currency North of Morocco.
Tangier (North), Feb. 24

Local authorities in the Northern Moroccan town of Asilah are investigating the mysterious discovery, a month ago, of a batch of coins dating back to almost 10 centuries near a small village called Sidi-Yamani. The 468 coins that were handed over to the museum Al-Kasbah of Tangier, are of a great archaeological and historical value, according to experts who, based on the date struck in Hindu figures (480 of the hegira), the old coins date back to the reign of the Almoravides dynasty .

Made of a yellowish metal alloy, probably of copper or bronze, the coins are in an excellent state of conservation. With a circumference of 2,1 cm and an average weight of 10,10 gr., the two sides of the coins are struck by the religious invocation "there is no God but Allah" (on the face) and "Mohammed is the prophet of Allah" (on the back).  Although these inscriptions do not leave any doubt about the Moslem origin of the old currency, there is, on the other hand, no indication about the country whose reign put this currency in circulation.

While underlining the priceless archaeological value of the discovered coins, an expert explained that only deep analyses by specialists in the numismatics are able to shed light on the exact origin of the currency. However the mystery remains complete on the circumstances of this important archaeological discovery.

According to the investigation team, the local authorities were informed, few weeks ago, on the circulation of old coins among young people of a "douar" (small village) known as "Labrana". One of them explained how he found the coins on a construction site. A representative from the local Culture department explained that the douar in question is located near a very old trade route, baptized "road of the sultans", and which figures on the first sketches of the area map in the 18th and 19th centuries. ...

Under the reign of several Moroccan dynasties, the road was used by trade caravans and by the European delegations arriving at the ports of Tangier or Asilah before heading south to the imperial city of Fès to meet the sultan there. Under the provisions of the law on archaeology, any object of antiquity discovered under the ground is regarded as state-owned property.

Archaeologists deplore the fact that the original site of the coins discovery is not identified yet. "That would have enabled us to carry out meticulous excavations on this site, and the chances to make new lucky finds would be stronger," said an expert who fear that the discovered coins represent only one part of a more important batch of object of great archaeological importance, that may fall in the hands of mysterious treasure hunters.

Dr. Ahmed Siraj is one of the very few university researchers who have studied the phenomenon of the treasure hunters in Morocco. In a study entitled "clandestine Archaeology in Morocco", this teacher of history at the Human Faculty of Science of Mohammedia, affirms that the phenomenon is very old in Morocco. He showed in this regard documents attesting of its existence since the 11-eme century.

The treasure hunters did not limit themselves to the territory of Morocco. They toured various places in the area of North Africa. An area rich in history and where several prosperous civilizations followed one another. Siraj reports in his study that in the 16-eme century in Fès, the treasure hunters were organized under the banner of trade associations made up of ironworkers or carpenters. Beyond the beliefs and legends surrounding this practice, the treasure hunters had effective techniques to unearth goods of value hidden under the ground for centuries.
http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/speeches/speeches2005/interview_pais.htm 
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John Lennon's 'Imagine' performed in Moroccan Arabic.
Rabat, Feb.23

Moroccan Artist Sapho has recently performed at the Olympia in Paris a new version in Moroccan Arabic dialect of John Lennon's legendary song 'Imagine', reports Morocco Times, an English news website. The song was translated into 'Darija' (Moroccan dialect) by Dominique Caubet, teacher of Maghreb Arabic at the National Institute of Languages and Eastern Civilizations. The concert aimed to show solidarity with the French journalist Florence Aubenas and her Iraqi guide Hussein Hanoun, kidnapped in Iraq 47 days ago. The concert was broadcast live on Monte Carlo radio for the Arab World. "Imagine" was John Lennon's second major release apart from the Beatles. Released in 1971, it has remained John's most commercially successful album. It was recorded primarily in John's home studio which turned out to be the last time he would ever record in England.
http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/home_dep/forum8.htm 
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Queen Sofia visits Children institutions in Morocco .

Queen Sofia of Spain arrived, Thursday, in the northern town of Tetuan, where she is due to visit several children's institutions, said MAP Queen Sofia was greeted on arrival by Princess Lalla Salma (wife of HM King Mohammed VI). Her activity schedule includes visits to the League for the Protection of children, the Used Water Technology Transfer Centre, the Hanane Disabled Children's Protection Centre and the Cervantes Spanish Teaching Centre. The Spanish Queen arrived in Morocco from Mauritania, where she visited with Aicha Ould Taya, wife of the Mauritanian president, several towns and social institutions. Algeria was the first leg of the Spanish Queen's tour to the region.

Earlier this year, Queen Sofia accompanied her husband, King Juan Carlos, on a three-day State visit to Morocco on Jan. 17-19. On Jan. 19, Princess Lalla Salma and Queen Sophia visited, in Tangiers, northern Morocco, the social centre "Assadaka" for children and young people in difficulty. The centre was set up as part of a partnership between Entraide Nationale (public establishment for the fight against poverty) and the Spanish NGO 'Paideia' that is active in the protection of young people and children in difficultly.
http://www.moroccotimes.com/paper/article.asp?idr=2&id=4172 
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Morocco's budget deficit to sharply rise in 2005.
Fri February 25, 2005 RABAT (Reuters)

Morocco's budget deficit is set to exceed government forecast for 2005 and reach 5.6 percent of GDP, due mainly to the payment of overdue pension allocations by the state treasury, according to a report from the country's top planning body. The figure is far higher than the estimate of the finance and privatisation ministry, which expects the deficit to be 3.2 percent of GDP in 2005, the same level as in 2004. Economic growth is set to be 2.6 percent in 2005, against 3.0 percent forecast by the government, and 3.2 percent in 2006, said a report by the Planning High Commission, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters on Friday. GDP rose 3.5 percent in 2004. The trade deficit is set to reach 15.3 percent of GDP this year and next, almost unchanged from 2004, added the commission which is in charge of helping the government draw strategic development plan of the economy.
http://www.reuters.co.za/locales/c_newsArticle.jsp?type=businessNews&localeKey=en_ZA&storyID=7739975 
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Moroccan Post Service Commemorates Rotary International Centenary.
24/02/2005

The Moroccan Postal Service joined other nations in celebrating the centenary of Rotary International by issuing a postage stamp, a special envelope and an album-notebook. A stamp exhibition commemorating the event and 75 years of the Rotary Club in Morocco will be on display at Teatro Italia in the Italian Consulate in Casablanca until 4 March.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/homepage/ 
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Program of $ 2.5 Mln to cut Social exclusion in Casablanca.
Casablanca, Feb.24

An integrated program of literacy, training and social integration (PIAFIS), worth 21.5 million DH (over US$ 2.5 Mln) was launched on Thursday in Morocco's economic capital, Casablanca. The three-year program, meant to fight social exclusion in some poor neighbourhoods, will target youth who will benefit from various counselling, training, vocational training and social integration activities, to prevent some risk factors like school dropping and poor access to cultural activities and leisure.

PIAFIS, a joint program by the ministry of social development, family and solidarity, the department in charge of vocational training and the department of literacy and informal education, is also meant to consolidate adult literacy program and education to citizenship values. It will benefit 1,400 teens aged between 13 and 15 through informal education, 2,000 youngsters aged between 15 and 26 who will get training, professional integration and self-employment courses and another 24,600 adults who will be dispensed literacy courses. If the program is successful in Casablanca, it will spur the city's development and narrow social disparities and will be expanded in other cities, officials hope.

The state secretariat in charge of literacy and non-formal education signed on the occasion with the association of the Casablanca-Chicago twinning committee a framework-convention of partnership and cooperation for the setting forth of a social and professional integration program. The two sides will team up to carry out a literacy program for people aged over 15 years.
http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/home_dep/eco_3.htm 
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Over 100,000 low cost houses constructed in 2004
Rabat, Feb. 24

Over 103,000 low cost houses have been constructed in 2004 in Morocco, including some 27,000 that were restructured, revealed, here Wednesday, Minister in charge of Housing and Urbanism, Ahmed Toufiq Hejira. Speaking at a press conference, the minister said social housing constructions almost doubled from 45,000 housing units placed under construction in 2002 to 99,000 in 2003 and 91,000 in 2004, while houses that have been entirely built reached 58,000 in 2004.

The commitment of the government to attain the objective of 100,000 houses a year will be reached in 2005, pledged Hejira who also announced the launching of the first part for building low cost houses (9,500 units) for less than MAD 120,000 (about 11,000 Euros). In the southern provinces of the Kingdom (Sahara), the official went on, 20,000 housing units included in the projects "Al Wahda" and Al Awda" are under construction for a MAD 1.2 billion global cost. Another 40,000 units are to be built starting 2005 by the ministry in collaboration with southern provinces development agency. As for the north-eastern town of Al Hoceima, struck last year by a violent earthquake, Hejira said 3,500 earthquake-resistant houses have been built, while 4,500 are under construction. The minister also said a new approach has been adopted to eradicate shanty towns with the aim to re-house 99,736 families. HM King Mohamed VI launched in the past two years the construction works for 265,000 social houses for a global cost of about MAD 28 billions.
http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/home_dep/h_dep08m.htm 
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Over 100 dams secure water self-sufficiency in Morocco.
Rabat, Feb.23

Morocco secures fresh water self-sufficiency through 103 large dams of a capacity of 16 billion m3, said on Tuesday Moroccan premier, Driss Jettou. Morocco has made large-scale progress in securing water needs for its expanding population, noted the minister at a meeting of the Inter-ministerial Commission for Water. Jettou noted the importance of the Commission in the implementation of the national policy of water that is based on a prospective vision taking into account the evolution of resources and the national needs.

The Commission has taken a series of measures to develop this vital sector especially in rural and Sahrawi areas (south) aiming for the rationalization of water use, the generalization of access to water, interregional solidarity, the reduction of disparities between urban and rural areas part of programs destined to ensure hydraulic safety in the kingdom.
http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/news/general/italy_moroccan.htm 
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European jazz festival to be held in the imperial city of Fez.
Fez, Feb. 25

A European jazz festival dubbed "Jazz in Riads" will be organized next March 8-13 in the city of Fez (central Morocco) by the regional tourism center and the French association "Jazz in Riads". Renowned musicians and composers will participate in the festival, which will be held annually. Participants include the duo "Guitar Mania", known for reproducing the music of the 1930s, composer and cellist Eric Longworth, and the trio Gnaoua.

The music festivity, which will be performed in the prestigious ancient palaces and Riads of Fez such as "la Maison Bleue", "Dar Ghalia", "Palais Mnebhi", is meant to promote the artistic diversity of Fez, like the international yearly festival of the world sacred music. The festival will be closed by a large concert dedicated to the youth of the city.
http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/news/spo_cult/spor2002.htm 
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'La Quatrième', new Moroccan educational TV on air Monday.
Rabat, Feb.25

The new Moroccan satellite TV "La Quatrième" will start broadcasting Monday, according to its promoters. "La Quatrieme", the fourth public TV channel in Morocco will focus on education and culture, said Maria Latifi who will be heading this new channel that viewers around the world can watch through "EUTELSAT 2", from 5pm to 23pm GMT and from 12pm to 23pm GMT during weekends, in its early stage. "La Quatrième" offers in addition to documentaries, education-support programmes, Amazigh (berber) language and road safety lessons, etc.
http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/eng.htm 
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IOM to open a branch in the Moroccan capital city.
Geneva, Feb 22

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) is to open a branch in Morocco "to bring in an efficient contribution to the handling of migration issues" in the North African kingdom. The agreement on the opening of the representation in Morocco, signed in Geneva on Tuesday, will further reinforce the cooperation links between Morocco and the IOM, said Omar Hilale, Moroccan ambassador to the UN in Geneva, who along with IOM Director General, Brunson McKinley signed the document. Morocco, said Hilale, is striving to ensure human rights, including the rights of immigrants, through many initiatives such as the creation of a ministry and the Hassan II foundation, both in charge of Moroccan nationals living abroad, as well as the Mohammed V Solidarity Foundation.

He said the complexity of the migration phenomenon "prompted Morocco to adopt a strategy making of the fight of person trafficking a priority of government actions ». Hilale said Morocco became member of the IOM in 1998 and signed with organisation several instruments, including two program conventions on the establishment of the observatory of the Moroccan community residing abroad and the center for the rights of migrants.

McKinley said the opening of the IOM branch in the Moroccan capital city will help efficiently contribute to the government's efforts in migration fields. IOM Director General said the organisation will receive financial and technical assistance to fund programs and projects to deal with migration issues in the Mediterranean.

In 1951, at the initiative of Belgium and the United States an International Migration Conference was convened in Brussels, resulting in the creation of the Provisional Intergovernmental Committee for the Movements of Migrants from Europe (PICMME). PICMME soon becomes the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration (ICEM).

ICEM's Council changed, in 1980, the Organization's name to the Intergovernmental Committee for Migration (ICM) in recognition of its increasing global role. In 1989, ICM becomes the International Organization for Migration (IOM) upon the amendment and ratification of the 1953 Constitution.
http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/news/general/gen_0019.htm 
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Anti-exclusion programme launched in Casablanca.

An integrated literacy, training and social integration (PIAFIS) programme worth MAD 21.5 million was launched Thursday in Morocco's economic capital, Casablanca. The three-year programme is aimed at fighting social exclusion in poor neighborhoods. It will target young people who will benefit from various counseling, training, vocational training and social integration activities to reduce risk factors such as school drop outs, and improve the poor's access to cultural activities and leisure.

PIAFIS is a programme jointly organized by the Ministry of Social Development, Family and Solidarity, the Vocational Training Department and the Literacy and Informal Education Department. It is also meant to consolidate grownup literacy programmes and education to citizenship values.
PIAFIS will benefit to 1,400 teenagers aged between 13 and 15 through informal education, 2,000 others aged between 15 and 26 who will be given professional integration and self-employment courses and 24,600 grownups will follow literacy courses.

If the programme is successful in Casablanca, it will be extended to other cities, said officials. The State Secretariat in Charge of Literacy and Informal Education signed the same day a partnership and cooperation convention with the association of the Casablanca-Chicago twinning committee for the launch of a social and professional integration programme. The two sides will team up to carry out a literacy programme aimed at people aged over 15.
http://www.moroccotimes.com/news/article.asp?id=4178 
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Archeology: Ras Ighir site to be excavated in March.

A scientific team from the Agadir Ibn Zohr University and the National Institute of the Sciences of Archeology and Heritage (INSAP) will start an archeological study on the Ras Ighir site next March. The site is situated 38 km north of Agadir, on the road to Essaouira. It includes several caves inhabited since prehistoric times. Remains found on the site revealed that its inhabitants used to trade with Mediterranean countries such as Phenicia (Lebanon), Carthage (Tunis) and Iberia (Spain). This study will include archeological excavations. It will be made by a team composed of various specialists and researchers, in addition to members of the Ibn Zohr students' association, said a communiqué from the university.
http://www.moroccotimes.com/news/article.asp?id=4150 
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Culture - Youth : "Temps du livre" programme to be launched on Feb. 25.

The State Secretariat in Charge of Youth announced yesterday the second edition of the national "Temps du livre" (Time to Read) programme which will start on Feb. 25. This new edition will be characterized by the introduction of three new actions, said a communiqué from the State Secretariat.

The first action will be the introduction of a national network of Literary cafés dedicated to cultural and artistic activities focused on reading and books. To this end, the State Secretariat called for coffee-shop owners to participate. It committed itself to helping them with cultural activities. The second action will consist of nation wide events and meetings in which writers and intellectuals will talk to young Moroccans about writing and will present them with their publications.

This activity aims to rehabilitate writers in the Moroccan society, mainly in the minds of young people, in order to encourage them to read, write and create. The third action will consist of a national reading clubs' competition that will reward the best young authors' creations, starting from Feb. 25. 200,000 books were distributed and 200 libraries were created last year following the first edition of the "Temps du livre" programme.
http://www.moroccotimes.com/news/article.asp?id=4126 
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Promotion of Amazigh culture linked to democratization process - Benabdallah

The special attention granted to the promotion of the Amazigh culture is linked to the rational adhesion to the democratization process launched in Morocco, said Saturday Feb. 19 the Minister of Communication and Goverment Spokesperson, Nabil Benabdallah. This declaration came as Benabdallah was speaking at the opening session of a national conference on "Consolidating the Place of Amazigh in the National Media," organized by the Tiznit Town Council and the "Imghran for Culture and Arts" association, said MAP. "This particular interest comes from the fact that Amazigh culture is one of the essential components of Moroccan civilisation," added the minister, who insisted that his department has been working on the promotion of the Amazigh.

Benabdallah also reminded the assistance of the initiatives taken by his department in the framework of the global audiovisual reform plan. The most important realization of the plan being the partnership convention signed last July between his ministry and the Royal Institute for Amazigh Culture (IRCAM). This led to the creation of a joint commission for the application of proposals aiming at the effective integration of Amazigh into the public media.

The Minister of Communication added that the reinforcement of Amazigh newspapers is a social necessity given its links with the democratization of the information sector. His department is ready to participate actively in the building of a "strong and professional Amazigh written press," he said.
http://www.moroccotimes.com/paper/article.asp?idr=11&id=4020 

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