Virtual Magazine of Morocco on the Web
Morocco Week in Review 
January 15 2005

Moroccan representatives adopt free trade agreement with USA
Morocco's representatives lash out at Le Monde's story challenging approval procedure of Morocco-US FTA
Morocco: The only Arab country eligible for the MCC 2005 Fiscal Year
Morocco chooses projects to receive Millennium Challenge Account aid
New Chemist Code: Negotiations still without result
Women's Rights: Fighting violence with education
New project to alleviate water shortages in Marrakech
Brussels hosts art expo on Moroccan Jews
Fighting locusts to cost Morocco US $110 Mn (minister)
Moroccans collect donations for Tsunami children
Meteorite found in Morocco contains little metal
Morocco sets up body to promote tourism activity
Moroccan tourism strategy faces difficulties, hotel federation chairman
Morocco's renewable energy sector boosted by three international agreements
OPEC lends Morocco 20 Mln dollars to build dam in Marrakech region
King Mohammed VI dedicates cinema studios in Ouarzazate
Teaching Democracy : Training session starts in Casablanca

Moroccan representatives adopt free trade agreement with USA
Rabat, Jan.13

The Moroccan House of representatives adopted on Thursday the free trade agreement signed last June between Morocco and the USA.  Minister-delegate for foreign affairs and cooperation, Taib Fassi Fihri, who served as chief negotiator for the FTA, explained that negotiations were conducted in accordance with a strategy based on clear standards that cater for constraints and particularities of Morocco's macro-economic and social situation as well as the reality of the productive fabric.  He went on that the agreement reflects joint will to develop economic and trade cooperation and attract American investments to the Kingdom.  Under the FTA, industry and sea fisheries products will be exempted from customs duties while textile goods enjoy a preferential treatment, he said.

All along the negotiations that took place alternately in Morocco and the USA (from January 2003 to March 2004), he went on, Morocco was keen on sending a specialized team in charge of negotiating the agricultural component of the agreement. A specific charter was set aside for agricultural products in the agreement, unlike precedent American experiences which include these products in the part related to market access.

The kingdom has also seen to provide the needed guarantees to the gains of the national industry as regards the use of generic medicine, the fight of epidemics, and the protection of the right to health care.  Representatives have, on their part, hailed the importance of the agreement while noting some worries as to potential negative effects on economic and social fields, calling for support measures and structural reforms to upgrade the competitiveness of various sectors. Some have proposed the creation of a cell to follow up the agreement implementation and the crafting of a strategy to boost the quality of Moroccan products.

The U.S.-Morocco FTA will immediately eliminate tariffs on 95 percent of bilateral trade in consumer and industrial products, with all remaining tariffs to be eliminated within nine years - the best market access package of any U.S. free trade agreement with a developing country signed to date. The agreement also significantly reduces barriers to U.S. agricultural products and services.
Morocco was the second Arab country after Jordan and the first African country to conclude an FTA with the USA.
http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/home_dep/forum_associations.htm 
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Morocco's representatives lash out at Le Monde's story challenging approval procedure of Morocco-US FTA
Rabat, Jan.13

The bureau of the Moroccan house of representatives and all parliamentary groups strongly rejected allegations mentioned in a story published by French "Le Monde" daily questioning the Morocco-US FTA approval procedures.

In a statement released this Thursday, the House "strongly rejects erroneous remarks, misplaced allusions and non-professional comments" of "Le Monde"
article, of January 8, on the approval procedure of the Free Trade Agreement signed last June between Morocco and the USA.

The story was titled "Moroccan parliament ratifies without reading key agreement".

The statement notes the "malevolent title" at a time the Moroccan parliament was starting to look into the agreement, insisting that the procedure was taking place in the strict observance of the institutional procedures in force. The Parliament, adds the statement, has been following very closely all the negotiation process and has often tabled questions on the matter to government members.

In addition to the multiple oral and written questions to which the government answered in plenary session, the foreign affairs committees of the two Houses held with the competent ministers several meetings on the subject, both during negotiations and after the end of talks in March 2004.

Several parliamentary groups have held information days on the Morocco-USA FTA in the presence of negotiators and the agreement was entirely published on various web-sites once it was signed last June and even before it was officially discussed in the parliament.

Therefore, the agreement was definitely not "mysterious", says the statement recalling how the various parliamentary groups are practicing, in a full and responsible manner, their constitutional prerogatives in controlling the government action.

It also notes that the French publication has "invited the French public opinion to a Moroccan-Moroccan debate over an agreement concluded with a third country".

Beyond their political divergences, goes on the House, these groups are proud of the democratic gains reached by the Kingdom, and particularly power-separation.
http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/eng.htm 
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Morocco: The only Arab country eligible for the MCC 2005 Fiscal Year.
By Karima Rhanem. 13/01/2005

Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) CEO Paul Applegarth told a press conference , January 13, in Dar America in Casablanca that "Morocco is the only Arab country eligible to apply for the MCC assistance for the 2005 Fiscal year."
"Morocco was eligible for the first time," Applegarth said. He added that Morocco was selected in recognition of the government's efforts to fight corruption, reduce poverty, encourage freedom of press, and improve its human rights record."

Morocco is invited to submit a proposal for assistance, which MCC will evaluate, based on its potential to improve economic growth and reduce poverty, the quality of the consultative process that guided the development of the proposal, and the country's commitment to continued policy improvement.
No specific amount is yet decided for Morocco's grant. "Morocco could get zero dollars as he could get up to $100 million. All depends on the quality of the proposal Morocco will deliver," Applegarth told Morocco Times.

82 candidates competed for this account, of which only 16 were selected. These include: Armenia, Benin, Bolivia, Georgia, Ghana, Honduras, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mali, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Senegal, Sri Lanka, and Vanuatu.

The countries eligible for this year's Threshold Program include: Burkina Faso, Guyana, Malawi, Paraguay, Philippines, and Zambia. Threshold countries do not qualify for the Millennium Challenge Account assistance, but have demonstrated a commitment to meeting the eligibility requirements for MCA assistance in the future. MCC is currently assessing 14 proposals and concept papers from countries that were eligible in 2004 Fiscal Year.

"The Millennium Challenge Account is about bringing the best of America to our relationship with the world," said Applegarth. He added that "the countries MCC has selected are being recognized for their hard work in putting into actions policies that will best meet the needs of their people, and we look forward to building partnerships with those countries that have developed a solid plan of action for reducing poverty and fueling economic growth."

Millennium Challenge Corporation is a US government corporation designed to work with some of the poorest countries in the world. The corporation, announced by George W. Bush in 2002, is based on the principle that aid is most effective when it reinforces sound political, economic, and social policies that promote poverty reduction through economic growth.

The press conference was attended by Thomas T. Riley, US Ambassador to Morocco, Roberto Powers, US Consul General, embassy officials, and journalists from both print and audiovisual media.
http://www.moroccotimes.com/paper/article.asp?idr=5&id=2587 
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Morocco chooses projects to receive Millennium Challenge Account aid
Rabat, Jan 12

Moroccan Premier, Driss jettou, said on Wednesday Morocco has the choice to identify the programmes that will benefit by the aid of the American Millennium Challenge Account (MCA).

At a joint press conference with MCA Managing Director, Paul Applegarth, the Moroccan added the relevant projects are discussed by American and Moroccan partners "but the choice of the programmes is completely left to Morocco" to decide on.

The MCA was announced in 2002 by president George W. Bush and aims at increasing the American development assistance by more than 50 pc in three years. The fund is destined to reduce poverty through the promotion of lasting growth in countries achieving good economic performances and developing human resources.

Jettou said he voiced, during his talks with MCA president, the satisfaction of Morocco for being chosen to be part of the country benefiting by the American programme in 2005.
Morocco is the latest nation to be registered on the list of countries eligible of MCA aid. 15 other countries already received MCA aid in 2004 which stood at one billion dollars.
The programmes likely to get the American aid concern agriculture, electrification, water supply, education and vocational training, Hettou said.
Applegarth said competition to be part of the nations likely to get MCA help is harsh, for out of the 82 candidates, only 16 were chosen. Arménia, Benin, Bolivia, Georgia, Ghana, Honduras, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mali, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Senegal, Sri Lanka, and Vanuatu have been chosen by the programme.
http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/news/economy/soc-Chad.htm 
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New Chemist Code: Negotiations still without result. 
By Houda Filali-Ansary.14/01/2005

Health Minister Mohamed Cheikh Biadillah told Wednesday the Council of Advisors that the new pharmacy legislation is aimed at improving the protection of consumers and pharmacists. Not everyone seems to agree...
Health Minister Mohamed Cheikh Biadillah declared Wednesday Jan. 12 that the new pharmacy legislation is going to make it possible to help organize and modernize the pharmaceutical sector. He added that it also aims to create legal and organizational tools for a better protection of consumers, chemists and producers.

The minister answered questions by the Council of Advisors on the new legislation project and the impact of the chemists' strike.

Biadillah said that the project has been under examination since the 1990s.
He added that a commission was created with the participation of representatives of the National Pharmacists' Association, the National Federation of the Pharmacists' Syndicates and the Moroccan Association of Pharmaceutical Industries.

However, the pharmacists are not happy with the Ministry's decision. After two strikes -Dec. 29 and Jan. 7 - things do not seem to improve between the pharmacy and the Ministry of Health.

"It is true that we had several meetings with the minister. He took note of our complaints, but without ever taking one into consideration. The proof is that the bill's content did not change since it was first presented," said Kamal Belhaj Soulami, the President of the National Federation of Pharmacists' Syndicates in Morocco to the French language weekly Challenge Hebdo. Some of his collegues from FNDPM went even further, accusing the ministry of lacking rigour.

To give justice to both parties, one must remember that the present code has not been amended since its promulgation on Feb. 19, 1960 - forty-years ago...
While there is general agreement that some parts of the Dahir decree no longer correspond to the present-day reality, changing some of it is bound to generate dissensions (new procedures, norms, multiplication of available goods), some even make many pharmacists fear for their future.

Among the main problems are: the amendments of the 300m obligatory distance between pharmacies, which led to a higher concentration of pharmacies in less populated areas; the possible elimination of the "right to substitution", which would make it impossible for pharmacists to replace certain medicines with others with similar formulas, depriving patients of cheaper generic medicines, and the obligation for pharmacists to hire assistants whose number would be determined by pharmacies' turnover.
http://www.moroccotimes.com/paper/article.asp?idr=11&id=2608 
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Women's Rights: Fighting violence with education.

Good education of children is an efficient way to eliminate violence against women and prevent future generations from suffering from it, said participants in a Study Day on Violence against Women Jan. 8 in Rabat.
A lack of education inside as well as outside children's homes, and bad examples given by certain parents to their children can lead to the transmission of violent behaviour from one generation to another, agreed the participants convened by the Association of Women Jurists (AFJ).

They also insisted on the need to use a language more accessible to Morocco's illiterate population during awareness campaigns, adding that mosques and universities can play an important role by transmitting messages condemning violence against women, said MAP.

"This meeting was organized by AFJ. This association gives great importance to training and awareness in the area of women's and children's rights, and seeks to reinforce the links with those civil society partners which are in direct contact with the population", said Nadia Oulehri, the President of AFJ.

AFJ, which was created in May 2004, aims at keeping an eye on the application of current legal texts relative to women and children's rights; advising and assisting women with small and medium projects; providing women in difficulty with legal assistance; and participating in the education of women at the legal, economic and citizenship levels
http://www.moroccotimes.com/paper/article.asp?idr=11&id=2496 
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New project to alleviate water shortages in Marrakech.
13-01-2005

The OPEC Fund for International Development on Wednesday signed a US$20 million loan agreement with the Kingdom of Morocco to help finance a project to alleviate water shortages in the city of Marrakech. Construction of the Wirgane Dam is expected to boost potable water supplies by some 17 million
m3 annually.
The availability of water in Morocco varies widely, ranging from an annual precipitation of one meter in mountainous areas to less than two centimeters in desert zones. This unequal distribution has necessitated the use of dams to help maintain an adequate supply of water during periods of drought. In light of Morocco's rapidly rising population and increased demand for irrigation water, however, concerns have arisen regarding capacity levels, and studies predict widespread water shortages if current infrastructure is not expanded.
This situation holds particularly true in the city of Marrakesh, home to more than 850,000 inhabitants, and where dams represent the primary source of water for both domestic and industrial consumption. Objectives of the project, therefore, are to secure additional potable water supplies from the N'Fis River, one of the most important water sources in the region, by constructing a new dam.
To be located approximately 60 km from Marrakesh in the N'Fis Valley in the west-central part of the country, the Wirgane Dam will be built with reinforced concrete and have a height of 71 m and length of 233 m. In addition to containing a spillway and four gates, a tunnel with a 70 million
m3 storage capacity will be built within the body of the dam. All associated hydraulic and electro-mechanical equipment will be installed. Additionally, the capacity of the existing treatment station in Marrakesh will be increased by constructing a 20,000 m3 collecting reservoir and basins for treating and filtering water. Another component of the project will entail the compensation and resettlement of some 1,200 individuals.
The Kingdom of Morocco has previously received 12 loans from the OPEC Fund, supporting projects in the agriculture, education, energy, health, national development banks and water supply and sewerage sectors. The country has also benefited from technical assistance grants in the areas of agriculture and energy.
This agreement was signed in Vienna by Mr. Redouane Houssaini, Counsellor of Foreign Affairs and Chargé d'Affaires ai of the Kingdom of Morocco to Austria , and by Mr. Jamal Nasser Lootah, Chairman of the Governing Board of the OPEC Fund.
http://www.menareport.com/en/business/178966 
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Brussels hosts art expo on Moroccan Jews
BRUSSELS, Jan. 10

Brussels will host from January 26 through May 15, an exposition on Moroccan Jews, aiming to highlight the co-existence of Jews and Muslims in Morocco through art works and testimonies.

The expo, titled "one object, two cultures," aspires to reach a large public, including the Moroccan community in Belgium, organizers said.
Artworks, handwritten documents, textile, paintings, music and testimonies will illustrate the "stunning interweaving" between Moroccan Muslims and Jews, which produced a remarkable cultural and artistic heritage, most importantly the Andalusian music.

Paul Dahan, manager of the Moroccan Jewish art museum in Brussels organized a similar expo in January 2003 in association with president of Citoyenneté Plus, Mohammed Er-roukhou. Last Friday former France grand rabbi René Samuel hailed the co-existence of different communities in Morocco, and paid tribute to HM King Mohammed VI "who worked a lot in favor of inter-religion dialog."

The experience of Morocco, where various communities have lived in harmony side by side for centuries, is an example for other nations, he told a press conference in the wake of the first congress of "imams and rabbis for peace"
that wrapped up Thursday in Brussels.

The congress was held from January 3 to 6 under the Aegis of HM King Mohammed VI and HM King Albert II of the Belgians.
http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/eng.htm 
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Fighting locusts to cost Morocco US $110 Mn (minister)
DAKAR, Jan.14

The anti-locust campaign, that started in October 2003, will cost Morocco US $110 million, said, here Thursday, Moroccan Minister of Agriculture, Rural development and Fisheries, Mohand Laenser.

"We spent around US $40 million from October 2003 to June 2004, and an additional US $45 million since last September. We will spend more before the end of the summer" to face locusts invasion, said the minister in an interview with MAP at the end of an international scientific meeting on locusts held in Dakar.

"The overall amount used for fighting the pest will easily exceed US $110,"
he said, recalling that during locusts invasion of 1978-1989 Morocco spent US $100 million.

According to the Moroccan official, donations and contributions of the international community represent 15pc of the total amount.

The "hardest step" in the fight of locust swarms is the mobilization of financial means and purchasing pesticides in the international market, said Laensar who led a Moroccan delegation to the seminar that brought together representatives of North African and Sub-Saharan countries that were affected by the locust invasion.

There is a lack of balance between offer and demand because producers of pesticides are highly solicited due to the number of countries affected by this plague, he explained, underling that this situation leads to an increase of pesticide prices.

Besides, the Minister noted that Morocco has mobilized over 50 airplanes, 400 vehicles, and a 2000-strong team to combat locust swarms.

Morocco sprayed three million hectares from November 2003 to June 2004, i.e.
50pc of the area treated in the West African region that groups north Africa and West African countries, said Laensar.

The minister warned of a new invasion next March and February, assuring that his country is poised to face it. Laensar hoped the international community will mobilize to help Sahel countries treat more areas.

The Moroccan official had deplored during the seminar that scientific researchers focus on locusts' mode of life and their reproduction, rather than means to eradicate them.
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Moroccans collect donations for Tsunami children
RABAT, Jan. 12

The Moroccan civil society has launched a campaign to collect donations for the "Children of Asia" hit by the Tsunami .

"In the aftermath of the natural disaster that hit some south-eastern Asian countries, the Moroccan civil society (...) is launching a campaign to allow all Moroccans show their solidarity with the people affected by the disaster," said in a release a group of associations that launched the campaign to last from January 13 to 20.

The donations will be received in all banks under the form of a crossed check or transfers to the bank account N: 2623.01.3926.08, in Bank Al-Maghrib in the name of "children of Asia."
Donations will also be collected under the form of SMS to cost 5 Dhs, (nearly half EURO) to number "530" in the two Moroccan telecom operators.
The sum gathered will be transferred to the same bank account.

The donations will be handed to the UNICEF.

The associations taking part in this operation include Mohammed V Foundation for solidarity, the Collective for Modernity and Democracy, Zakoura Foundation. Donations have been unprecedented to help victims of the earthquake and tidal wave that swept across the Indian Ocean.

Morocco has already sent an emergency aid to the Tsunami victims consisting of 25 tons of medical products.

The Tsunami devastated coastlines in Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and India and reached as far as Somalia on the east African coast. Death toll in this natural disaster exceeded 157.000 victims and could reach as high as 200,000.
http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/home_dep/mad_2throne.htm 
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Meteorite found in Morocco contains little metal
Rabat, Jan 14

Geo-chemical and mineral analyses of the meteorite found two months ago near the Moroccan central town of Benguerir show the asteroid belongs to the ordinary chondrite type, which does not contain much metal matter, said Mrs Hasna Chennaoui, of the American meteorite directory.

Mrs Chennaoui, also professor at the Casabalanca-Ain Choq science college, told the Moroccan TVM channel on Thursday the asteroid contains a lot of sulphide.

She explained studies of chondrites allow to have data on the making of the solar system and planets, as well as on the disappearance of dinosaurs or other species that lived on earth.

The scientist added the meteorite arrived on earth from a planet in the outer space or from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter and is the first to have been declared in Morocco. It has been scientifically studied and recognized internationally, she went on to say.

The scientist called for the creation in Morocco of a scientific research body to conduct surveys on asteroids, for the country has all the needed potentials.
http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/news/general/gen-2m.htm 
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Morocco sets up body to promote tourism activity
OUARZAZATE, Jan.14

Morocco launched, here Thursday, the Tourism Directorate, a new body designed to analyze tourism activities, assess competitiveness and establish norms for investment and exploitation costs.

Minister of tourism, Craftsmanship and Social economy, Adil Douiri, told a press conference Thursday that the new Directorate will help tourism operators have a clearer vision in the decision-making process.

The Tourism Directorate will benefit all actors in tourism by publishing data on investment costs and tourism units' exploitation revenues.

The body is a new orientation tool for the promotion of the Moroccan tourism sector that attracted in 2005 nearly 5.12 tourists. It is also an essential tool for the consolidation of partnership between public and private partners and for the realization of the vision 2010, aiming to attract 10 million tourists to Morocco by the year 2010.

The Directorate, to hold its first session at the end of January, will comprise representatives of the public and private sectors. It was launched on the fringes of the 5th annual convention of tourism (January 13-15).

The Convention brings together professionals, investors and representatives of national and international institutions to assess the development of the progress made in implementing the Moroccan 2010 tourism strategy.

HM King Mohammed VI chaired on Thursday the signing ceremony of two conventions on the implementation of the "Marrakech medina Project" in Marrakech (central Morocco) and on the "Robinson Club" project in Agadir (southern Atlantic city).

The two projects, to be finalized in two years, will reinforce the hosting capacity in the two cities and will generate 600 direct jobs.

The "Robinson Club" project, to be run by Robinson Club company, will require a budget of 497 million Dhs (around US $55.2 million). Meanwhile, "Marrakech medina Project," which will be run by the French group Marmara, will necessitate 210 million Dhs (around US $23.3 million).

Other tourism project are being implemented in the south region of Morocco, including two hotels, Mercure and Ibis Moussafir, as announced in the 5th Convention of tourism.
http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/news/economy/h_deplocusts.htm 
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Moroccan tourism strategy faces difficulties, hotel federation chairman
Agadir, Jan 12

The implementation of the 2010 tourism development strategy, targeting to reach 10 million tourists in 2010, is facing numerous difficulties in spite of the progress made lately in this field, said chairman of the Moroccan federation of the hotel industry (FNIH), Abderrahim Oumani.

On the eve of the 5th annual national tourism convention to be held in the Moroccan Southern town of Ouarzazate January 13 to 15, Oumani surveyed the accomplishments in tourism areas, mainly the management handover of four tourist resorts, air transport liberalisation, priority granted to tour operators...

He however noted that difficulties hindering the tourism strategy implementation arise from poor coordination in the carrying out of the various projects and delay in the restructuring plan of the tourism ministry and the national tourism office (ONMPT).

Oumani called on the government to keep its promises to fund tourist projects and promote investments in the sector, and stressed the need to increase hotel bed capacities.

The Moroccan official said countryside and mountain tourism made progress and highlight the need to enhance domestic tourism, particularly through promotion campaigns among Moroccan citizens.

The implementation of the 2010 tourism strategy is provided for in the agreement signed by the Moroccan government and the national tourism federation in 2001.
http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/home_dep/h_deppar09.htm 
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Morocco's renewable energy sector boosted by three international agreements
Marrakech, Dec. 29

The renewable energy sector in Morocco has been boosted by the signature, Wednesday in Marrakech, of a three-party cooperation agreement between Morocco and Italy, on the one hand, and Morocco and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), on the other.

The Agreements aims at developing the Moroccan market of the solar-water heaters (Promasol), through two mechanisms of financing for the promotion of the Moroccan market of renewable energies.

The first agreement relates to cooperation between the Italian Ministry of the Environment and the Territory and the Moroccan Center for the Development of Renewable Energies (CDER), that will benefit from a one million dollars Italian contribution .

The second agreement that sets up the framework of cooperation with the Italian Ministry of the Environment and the Territory as well as with the PNUE and the UNDP is related to the use of renewable energies in the hotel sector.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Moroccan Minister of Energy and Mines, Mohammed Boutaleb, underlined the importance of this technology for the development of partnerships, in particular within the framework of the Mediterranean Program of Renewable Energies.

Solar water heaters in Morocco rose from 20,738 in 1998 to 111,332 in 2004, CDER said adding that the development of this sector will have a positive impact on industry as it will create more than 1,000 jobs and drain some 1.2 billion Dirhams investments (about 130 million dollars).
http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/home_dep/eco_131.htm 

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OPEC lends Morocco 20 Mln dollars to build dam in Marrakech region
Rabat, Jan.12

A loan agreement of 20 million dollars meant to fund the construction of the Wigrane dam in the central region of Marrakech, was signed on Wednesday in Vienna by the Moroccan embassy acting chargé d'affaires to Austria, Redouane Housseini, and Opec fund for international development governing board chairman, Jamal Lootah.

A Moroccan embassy communiqué said the Wigrane dam building falls within the policy initiated by the late King Hassan II and King Mohammed VI to endow the country with water reservoirs.

The Wigrane dam loan adds up to the 11 loans granted to Morocco by the Organization of petroleum exporting countries since 1977 in various sectors such as drinking water, waste disposal, energy, health, education and dam building.
http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/eng.htm 
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King Mohammed VI dedicates cinema studios in Ouarzazate.
Economics,1/13/2005

Morocco's King Mohammed VI dedicated this Wednesday in the southern Moroccan city of Ouarzazate a compound of cinema studios, a joint project by Italian and Moroccan producers, Dino De Laurentiis-Cinecitta and Said Alj.

The compound, built on 160 ha, cost 70 million DH (6.3 million Euros), including 20 millions (1.8 million Euros) for equipment.

The "Dino De Laurentiis-Cinecitta" studios include two shooting sets, of
2,357 square meters each, four workshops of set decoration crafts of 2,400 square meters each, three production workshops (2,452 msq each), a site for costumes and dresses, a restaurant with a capacity of 200 meals per hour and an architecture and decoration workshop.

The studios compound with a capacity to host 3 to 5 movies annually, was designed in the respect of local architecture patterns such as tours and kasbahs (old forts).

After watching a documentary on the compound and shooting techniques and the potentials available in the city, the sovereign extended the Wissam al kaffa al fikria (decoration of intellectual merit) to Dino De Laurentiis, cinema producer and CEO of Dino De Laurentiss production company, and to Luigi Abete, also a movie producer and chairman of the Cinecitt^ studios and of the Italian enterprise association.

The king also awarded to Said Alj, a Moroccan movie producer and president of "Sanam Holding," and to Soheil Ben Barka, producer and director, the Wissam Al Arch (Throne decoration) of the knight order.
http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/050113/2005011322.html 
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Teaching Democracy : Training session starts in Casablanca

The Moroccan Centre for Civic Education is currently organizing a training session on "The bases of democracy and education to citizenship". The session, which was launched in Casablanca Tuesday Jan. 11, will last until Jan. 19. It includes the participation of about 40 education officials, professors, Human Rights association members and NGOs from Morocco, Palestine, Bahrain, Lebanon, Yemen, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia and Algeria.

This meeting aims at providing education professionals with training in the areas of democracy and civic education, as well as inciting them to diffuse these values and make the young aware of the spirit of citizenship, their rights and obligations, said the president of the Moroccan Centre, Imad Elarbi.

The Moroccan Centre for Civic Education is the Moroccan branch of the Arab Network for Civic Education, an independent organization implanted in nine countries. It works in collaboration with Ministries of Education, regional academies, Human Rights associations and Civil Society associations in order to help its members develop their training skills in order to teach students in the area of civic education. Among its principles are the respect of Human Rights, democracy, tolerance, the elimination of all forms of extremism and violence and the popularisation of a tolerant culture
http://www.moroccotimes.com/paper/article.asp?idr=11&id=2545 
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