Virtual Magazine of Morocco on the Web  
Morocco Week in Review  
July 9 2005

American physicians donate Moroccan neonatal Center $150,000.
Moroccan-American Trade Organization Sees Strong Commitment to Free Trade Agreement Implementation.
Morocco seeks to curb road accidents' heavy cost.
Moroccan expatriates prefer to invest in real estate sector.
In Morocco, judicial goals familiar: Lehigh County judge finds justice the same in any language. 
Aeronautics Research Centre Planned for Casablanca.
Rabat International Festival to raise curtains soon.
Moroccans consumed over one million tons of butane gas in 2004.
First cartoons in Berber published in Morocco.
Mediterranean E-Business Management School Launched in Morocco.
Education : More classes for deaf children.
Education: Vocational training to be reinforced.
HM King Mohamed VI: New scholar board to propose fatwas aims at rooting out discord.
Moroccan Handicraftsmen Sculpt 'Fairy Garden' in Berlin.
Morocco central bank 2004 report: economy in good shape.
Japan donates local associations MAD 1.6 million to build rural roads.
Timitar Festival kicks off in miscegenation of cultures.
Third edition of "Holidays for all".
ROBERT PLANT - "I Heard The Blues In The Musical Scales Of Morocco" 
Here & there: Often overlooked history can still teach a few lessons.
Accor Group Decides to Invest Heavily in Morocco.
Moroccan Expatriate Investments Boost National Economy.
Evangelist inroads in Muslim Morocco.

American physicians donate Moroccan neonatal Center $150,000.
Rabat, July 08

American physicians have donated a Moroccan neonatal Center medical equipments worth US$ 150,000, said the American embassy in Rabat.
Initiated by Dr Grey Douglas, the donation includes two containers of medical equipments. The first container arrived last week, while the second will be shipped in August. This operation was carried out in collaboration with two American NGOs specialised in collecting medical equipments, "Kaiser Permanente" and "Operation USA", while shipping fees were paid for by the "Grey Family Association". The neonatal Center of Rabat Children Hospital, headed by Dr. Naima Lamdaouar Bouazzaoui, receives new-borns from all Moroccan regions. It also provides training for paramedics and looks for shelters for ill and premature babies abandoned by their parents.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/social/american_physicians/view 
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Moroccan-American Trade Organization Sees Strong Commitment to Free Trade Agreement Implementation.
WASHINGTON, July 7, 2005 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/

The Moroccan-American Trade and Investment Council (MATIC) today reaffirmed Morocco's commitment to carrying out the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States, which is now scheduled for implementation by January 2006. The U.S. Trade Representative estimates at that time that tariffs on up to 95 percent of current items traded between the two countries will be eliminated. "The Moroccan Parliament and government are working closely with U.S. trade officials to resolve the few remaining issues and to adopt formally the necessary legislative protocols and legal changes," said Ted Smith, president of MATIC. "We all recognize the challenge to negotiate and fully implement a free trade agreement in less than four years."

The Morocco-U.S. FTA was ratified by both countries earlier this year; it was hoped that the legislation and regulations would have been completed by mid-July. Mr. Smith said that teams from the two countries are meeting this summer to ensure that a complete package will be ready for the Moroccan Parliament when it returns in October for its fall session, allowing for a January 2006 start date, according to the U.S. Trade Representative's office.

Morocco has continued its high-profile efforts to build stronger ties with U.S. suppliers and manufacturers, and its major textile industry group recently attended a key show in New York with participation at other venues planned for later this year. Morocco is the host country for a regional investment conference sponsored by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) September 20-22, 2005, in Marrakech. These promotional strategies, according to Mr. Smith, are keys for the FTA to succeed across many sectors.
"The relationships that the U.S. and Moroccan companies are building today will enable the FTA to achieve visible results in a short period," Mr. Smith said. "The global market doesn't wait for anyone, so at MATIC, we're working hard now to develop our trade and investment ties with U.S. companies."

MATIC is a trade and investment promotion organization established as an initiative of King Mohammed VI of Morocco to maximize trade and investment opportunities between Morocco and the United States.
MATIC's U.S. office is located at 1101 Vermont Ave. NW, in Washington, D.C.
For more information, please visit MATIC on the Web at http://www.moroccanamericantrade.com 
SOURCE Moroccan-American Trade and Investment Council
CONTACT: Jean AbiNader of the Moroccan-American Trade and Investment Council, +1-301-802-1401 or Carrie Annand, +1-202-326-1796, for the Moroccan- American Trade and Investment Council
URL: http://www.prnewswire.com 
http://www.moroccanamericantrade.com
www.prnewswire.com 
Copyright (C) 2005 PR Newswire. All rights reserved.
http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sid188p7269/SecCountries/pagMorocco/chnAll%20Morocco%20News/obj22403786-8F1A-11D4-867000D0B74A0D7C/ 
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Morocco seeks to curb road accidents' heavy cost.
04 Jul 2005 Source: Reuters By Souhail Karam RABAT, July 4 (Reuters)

Morocco has launched a national action plan against reckless driving to recover some of the 11 billion dirhams ($1.2 billion) its economy loses annually because of road accidents, officials said on Monday. At 2.5 percent of the gross domestic product, the cost of road accidents -- mainly resulting from insurance claims -- exceeds the amount of foreign investment the country receives on average each year.
The plan, launched last week, includes deploying traffic squads to monitor main roads nationwide and impose harsher punishments on violators. "The country's highest authority is ... determined to curb the tragic human losses and devastating economic loss," a senior government official told Reuters, referring to King Mohammed.
The squads have advanced equipment to combat the "road bloodshed", a Transport and Equipment Ministry official said. "Drivers will be under close watch on a daily basis, even from the skies with traffic-controlling aircraft," the official said.
More steps will follow ranging from breathalyser tests -- a rarity in Arab countries -- to speed cameras and sanctions based on a points system that could lead to driving bans lasting years, he added. According to official statistics, at least 10 people are killed and 120 injured in road accidents every day in Morocco, a country of 30 million people but just 1.5 million cars. Government officials blame the accidents on reckless driving but their efforts in the past to curb crashes have been limited to television commercials and road blocks.
Some drivers said the government should first work on improving roads and ensure police officers were not selective in law enforcement. "What's the use of this plan if ... the law is not applicable to all?" said high school teacher Ali Idrissi.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L04681812.htm 
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Moroccan expatriates prefer to invest in real estate sector.
04-07-2005

According to a research carried out by the Hassan II Foundation for Moroccan expatriates regarding their investments in the kingdom during 2004, the Moroccan immigrants have injected into the Moroccan economy DM10-12 billion (US$0.8 - 1 billion) throughout that year. The Foundation researchers explained that this sum represents only about 30% of the funds which the expatriates actually transfer to Morocco each year and that "no one can determine the exact volume of investments carried out by expatriates". Bladi.Net reports that according to this survey, real-estate remains the principal objective of about 65% to 70% of the expatriates' investments. The remainder is distributed between other sectors, including the services, the agriculture and the industry sectors.
http://www.menareport.com/en/business,Economy_and_Trade/185792 
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In Morocco, judicial goals familiar: Lehigh County judge finds justice the same in any language. Wallitsch reflects on a trip promoting judicial development.
By Debbie Garlicki. Of The Morning Call. From The Morning Call -- July 4, 2005

On a four-month trip to Morocco this year, Lehigh County Judge Thomas A. Wallitsch rode a camel, flew over the Sahara Desert, slept in a Bedouin tent and became immersed in a different culture. And he learned that justice, whether you say it in Arabic, English or French, is a journey - with detours, roadblocks and construction - and not a destination.

From mid-January to late April, Wallitsch, who took a leave of absence, was a volunteer, unofficial ambassador and representative of the American Bar Association in its continuing initiative on judicial development in foreign countries. Last year the association and the U.S. State Department asked Wallitsch to go to Morocco to begin nurturing the program there. The American involvement in Morocco is part of a larger initiative focusing on regions and some countries in the Middle East and north Africa.

One of the goals is to collaborate with the government, judicial leaders and civilians in developing a national agenda that promotes judicial independence and encourages heightened standards for the conduct of judges.
Judicial independence refers to freedom from control or interference by outside influences. Other goals are to enhance the quality of the judiciary by helping with education and training and to build confidence in the courts.

Two lawyers from Washington, D.C., headed other programs on women in the law and legal clinics that would allow law students to meet with clients on human rights issues. Northern Africa's Morocco, which is slightly larger than California, has a population of almost 33 million and is strategically located along the Strait of Gibraltar. It is predominantly Muslim and is governed by a constitutional monarchy. The country gained its independence from France in 1956.

Wallitsch had to adjust not only to the mountainous country with its large areas of plateaus, valleys and plains, but also to its court system where, unlike in Pennsylvania, judges are not elected by voters, juries do not decide guilt and appellate courts have a different structure. One of the first things Wallitsch did was suggest changing a key word describing the program. Instead of using the word judicial ''reform,'' he advised, the program should bill itself as a tool for judicial development.

Reform carried a negative connotation and implied the system had been broken and needed to be fixed, Wallitsch said. That was not the kind of impression the United States wanted to leave, certainly in times of distrust of American motives worldwide, he said. Participants in the initiative met with Moroccan judges, lawyers, Ministry of Justice officials, nongovernmental organizations and the media to learn how the judicial system works and what changes the Moroccans wanted to make.

''We showed them that there was a real effort, a real desire on the part of the United States, to be here, not just to proselytize and put in an appearance but to do some things,'' said Wallitsch, who has been a judge since 1991. After learning what the Moroccans wanted to do, Wallitsch, a resident liaison for the project in the coastal capital of Rabat, developed a long-term work plan that the bar association office in Morocco will follow in coming years.

Morocco doesn't have elected judges. There are no campaigns, no politicking, no war chests. After graduating from law schools, the top students who aspire to be judges take a test. Those who excel attend a judicial training center for two years. The new judges can be assigned to ''courts of first instance,'' a cross between Pennsylvania's courts of common pleas and district judges. Moroccan judges in intermediate appellate courts preside over trials involving serious charges and hear appeals. There are no jury trials in Morocco.

Unlike the U.S. Supreme Court, which has a chief justice and eight associate justices, the Moroccan Supreme Court has about 150 justices who serve in six different chambers, depending on specialty. The country has about 3,000 judges.

The head of the judicial training center in Morocco wanted advice on how trainers - current and former judges - could learn better teaching techniques, such as using PowerPoint presentations and audio and visual aids.
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b1_5moroccojul04,0,5594802.story?coll=all-newslocal-hed 
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Aeronautics Research Centre Planned for Casablanca.
03/07/2005

A centre for aeronautics and space research will be established in Casablanca at a cost of 12m euros under an agreement signed Friday (1 July) in Rabat by French company Teuchos and the Moroccan government. The project, scheduled for operation in 2010, will help create some 400 engineering and senior technician jobs. Under the agreement, Teuchos will establish a partnership with Moroccan universities to carry out various projects for Teuchos' parent company, the Safran Group. The Safran Group is an aerospace, defense and communications company.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/homepage/ 
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Rabat International Festival to raise curtains soon.
Rabat, July 06

The 11th Rabat International festival will raise curtains on July 22 through August 2. The 11th edition novelty is that it will offer a varied programme around the year, said the festival director, Abdelhak Mantrach. The festival will feature 440 Moroccan musicians representing the rich national cultural heritage such as popular, modern, Amazigh, Sahrawi and Andalusia musical styles. 116 artists from the Arab world will flood to Rabat from Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Sudan notably Marcel Khalifa and Oumaïma El Khalil (Lebanon), Assala Nasri and Mayadin band (Syria), Camilia Jabrane (Palestine), Nassir Al Chamma (Iraq), Edouard Saïd Arab music Institute band.

The festival will also showcase 48 International artists notably Newdays band (Wales), Petrouchkas (France), the Billitones (USA), Rai X (Morocco-Switzerland), Duo Grizard (France), Hallet Eghayan (France) and Serbie Monte negro (Serbia). As for the motion picture, 12 long feature-length movies from Greece, Syria, Egypt, Netherlands, Burkina Faso and Morocco will vie for the Hassan II international competition. Along with these activities, the Rabat festival will organise special activities for youth and children, workshops for scenario writing and cinema direction and celebrate Arab and international personalities.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/box3/rabat_international/view 
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Moroccans consumed over one million tons of butane gas in 2004.
Rabat, July 06

Moroccan consumption of Butane gas exceeded 1.3 million tons in 2004, said, here Tuesday, minister of Energy and Mining, Mohammed Boutaleb. Speaking at the House of Advisors' question time, he said six plants produced 23 million butane gas carboys that are filled in 31 centers throughout the kingdom. Morocco increased on May 16 the price of oil products to mitigate the impact of the persisting upsurge of oil price except for butane gas that remained unchanged.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/economy/moroccans_consumed_o/view 
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First cartoons in Berber published in Morocco.
Rabat, July 6

"Tagellidt N Ayt Ufella" (Queen of Heights) is the title of the first Moroccan cartoons in Berber language published in by the Royal institute of Amazigh culture. The first cartoons of the kind tells the adventures of a young queen who fights evil to protect her people who live in the mountains heights.Written by Meryem Demnati, a university teacher and researcher, the cartoons is destined to primary schools pupils to instill into them values of solidarity, freedom, brotherhood and patriotism. With a very low readership, owing to its high price, cartoons should be developed not only to help promote the Berber language but also as a learning tool side by side with conventional supports, says the author.
Demnati is also working on two other adventures of the Queen of Heights.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/culture/first_cartoons_in_be/view 
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Mediterranean E-Business Management School Launched in Morocco.
06/07/2005

Al Akhawayn University of Ifrane and the Italian Business Management School of Lecce jointly opened the Mediterranean School of Advanced Studies in e-Business Management on Monday (4 July) at the Casablanca Technopark. The school will offer an international master's degree in e-business management for studies in modern economic analysis. Requisites for prospective students from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Jordan, and Syria include university degrees in business management, engineering or computer science.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/homepage/ 
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Education : More classes for deaf children.
7/6/2005

Yasmina Baddou, the Moroccan Secretary of State in Charge of Family and Solidarity announced Monday in Rabat that her department is considering the launch, in the city of Settat, of an education unit specific to deaf children. The Secretary of State, who was answering a question by the House of Councillors, explained that the project was aimed at providing these disabled children with an opportunity to continue their studies once they left primary schools. She added that her department is also planning to create about thirty day nurseries and 160 primary school level classes in several Moroccan cities. She explained that the new education units will be equipped with the necessary teaching tools. Baddou also indicated that during the 2004, 2005 school year, her department provided financial support to some 624 disabled children belonging to poor families.
http://www.moroccotimes.com/news/article.asp?id=7922 
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Education: Vocational training to be reinforced.

Said Oulbacha, the Moroccan Secretary of State in Charge of Vocational Training, declared Tuesday in Rabat that his department is planning to create 24 new higher studies establishments, extend 13 institutes and re-organise 12 others by 2007. Oulbacha who was answering questions by the Chamber of Councillors, explained that these projects should be carried out in various Moroccan provinces.

They should also deal with various such as tourism, textile, information or communication, reported MAP. The department is also working on the creation of specialized institutes in collaboration with the French Development Agency. They should train students to work in industries such as building and public works, the car industry, leather-related crafts and audiovisual production.

During the 2004-2005 school year, professional teaching was provided in
2,209 establishments, 491 of which are State-funded and 1,718 belong to the private system.
http://www.moroccotimes.com/news/article.asp?id=7920 
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HM King Mohamed VI: New scholar board to propose fatwas aims at rooting out discord.
Fès, July 8

The establishment, within the Higher Council of Ulema, of a board of scholars assigned the task of making fatwa recommendations to the command of the faithful on events that warrant legal ruling aims to root out discord and dissent in religious matters, said HM King Mohammed VI in a speech he made on Friday at the opening of the first session of the Ulema council.
The sovereign said the fatwa institution should be enabled to "operate as a mechanism for the reactivation of Ijtihad [jurisprudence], an approach which has been widely used in Morocco for centuries, and which is based on the usul (founding principles) of the Maliki rite - especially the rule which states that where there is no legal text or decision, the guiding principle should be the safeguard of people's interests - as well as on an innovative combination of traditional Islamic rulings and practical experience".
"This is how the fatwa tradition, which is one of the pillars of religious life, can be preserved and institutionalised as a collective endeavour which leaves no room for those who claim to be knowledgeable in religious matters, charlatans, or for those who indulge in foolish behaviour or fabrications," the Sovereign said.

The King said the first mission of the Higher Council of Ulema should be to use its great competence in matters relating to Islamic jurisprudence and help people to be better informed about the founding principles of the Maliki rite, particularly its distinctive reliance on the cardinal rule of safeguarding people's interests. HM King Mohammed VI said he assigned the Standing Committee for the revitalization of the heritage, the task to authenticate the "Al-Muattaa", by Imam Malik bin Anass, insisting the book should be analysed in accordance with the highest scientific standards, and that the exercise should reflect the importance of the subject as well as the high esteem in which the author is held by Moroccans.

The Sovereign stressed he was resolved to carry on with the current reforms in the religious domain, which made a significant headway regarding the project for building a new society, calling on all Ulema to shoulder the tremendous responsibilities lying with them, and to join the general movement of reforms being implemented. The Moroccan King said he was relying on the contribution of Ulemas to give full meaning to the concept of constructive citizenship and urged them to adopt an open-minded approach to progress and modernity, while preserving the immutable characteristics of the Moroccan distinct identity, as well as the Nation's unshakeable, unanimous commitment to its sacred values, namely religious moderation, democratic monarchy and territorial integrity.
"By virtue of the legal Bei'a (act of allegiance), I am the custodian of these immutable values, whose sacredness and inviolability I guarantee, as per the Constitution and by force of law," the Sovereign said.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/box2/hm_king_mohamed_vi/view 
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Moroccan Handicraftsmen Sculpt 'Fairy Garden' in Berlin.
Berlin, July 8

The German capital has been embellished by a "fairy garden"
inspired by the Arab-Islamic tradition and bearing the stamp of Moroccan craftsmanship blending both nature and culture. For more than three months, Moroccan artisans have been chiselling the yellow stones decorating the gates, cutting and pasting the enamelled squares that embellish the flowerbeds and the walls, ennobling and sculpturing the red cedar wood embellishing the ceilings and the domes.
This architectural pearl, which was dedicated in the presence of Moroccan ambassador in Germany, Rachad Bouhlal, required almost 250 tonnes of products, all of which were imported from Morocco. The ambassador said "that's a nice day for Berlin" to witnesses the inauguration of this paradise and of a new open door on the Arabo-Islamic culture.
Enraptured, the figures who were present described the new garden as "a real piece of art" noting that it is to become an inescapable attraction for millions of visitors in the German capital.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/box3/moroccan_handicrafts/view 
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Morocco central bank 2004 report: economy in good shape.
Rabat, July 07

The Moroccan central bank, Bank Al-Maghrib, released on Wednesday its annual report which cites Moroccan economy good performances in 2004 and presages promising future prospects. The report, presented by the bank's Governor Abdellatif Jouahri, to HM King Mohammed VI notes that economic and financial performances indicate a clear improvement of growth, despite the international adverse juncture, resulting from the rise in oil prices. According to the report, growth was maintained at a sustained pace, stimulated by domestic demand of consumption and investment.

The Gross Domestic Product posted a 4.2% growth, while unemployment regressed to 10.8% nationwide and 18.4% in urban areas. Meanwhile, inflation was maintained at 1.5% and the financial situation continued its consolidation thanks to the favorable evolution of tourism receipts, remittances of Moroccan expatriates and the flow of foreign investments.
State receipts and expenses rose respectively by 6.6% and 6.3%. The rise in state expenses is ascribed to the rise in oil prices, the quake of Al-Hoceima and the locust invasion. With 3.2% of the GDP, the budget deficit slightly surpassed the 3% goal set by the finance bill. The treasury general indebtedness rate improved from 80.4% of the GDP in 2003 to 76.6% of the GDP in 2004, including 16% and 10% respectively of the direct external debt and of the guaranteed debts.

As far as foreign trade is concerned, the trade balance deficit continued to worsen in 2004 to reach 15.9% of the GDP, as a result of negative factors such as the rise in oil prices, the regression in the offer of sea products and harsher foreign competition on some products. Indeed, imports grew by 14.8% while exports posted a limited progression of 3%. However, the widening trade deficit was mitigated by the positive performance of tourism receipts and remittances of Moroccan expatriates which improved respectively by 12.6% and 8.2%.

Owing to privatization and net payments of external debts, Morocco received up to MAD 17 billion (US$ 1.8 Bln) in foreign currencies bringing the currency reserves to MAD 144.8 billion (US$ 16.08 bln) which is the equivalent of 10 months of goods and services imports. (MAP/MORE)SH Meanwhile, the Dirham exchange rate recorded an annual regression of 1.9% compared to the Euro and an appreciation of 8% to the US dollar.

At the capital market, 2004 witnessed the listing of Maroc Telecom which contributed largely to the strong expansion (over one third) of the transactions volume and to the expansion of over 4/5 of the stock exchange capitalization. In addition to tariffs dismantling, consequent to the enforcement of the Free Trade Agreement with the European union, the economy openness process was consolidated in 2004 with the signing of new FTA agreements with the USA, Turkey, and a group of Arab Mediterranean countries.
The report recommends to take investment-inducing measures, mainly more efficient reforms to face internal and external challenges facing Morocco on the mid-term. Morocco should also settle structural problems of governance and competition and re-allocate resources to sectors which have strong development potential and comparative advantages. The report further advises to make up for the delay in improving the competitiveness of Moroccan enterprises.

The balance of public finance continues to depend closely on privatization receipts and warns of the depletion of this resource in a near future. Other recommendations include speeding up fiscal reforms in order to generate more resources to be allocated to economic and social infrastructures and to actions geared to fight poverty. Upgrading pension and social welfare funds in order to improve their services and contribute, therefore to developing savings, is also recommended.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/imp_politics/morocco_central_bank/view 
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Japan donates local associations MAD 1.6 million to build rural roads.
Rabat, July 07

Japan has extended local Moroccan associations in Chtouka Ait Baha, Agadir (Southern Morocco) a donation of MAD 1.6 million (US$ 174,814).
The donation will help finance two projects, worth MAD 800,000 (US$ 88,900) each, for the construction 4.6 km-long of rural roads tracks) in the region. This donation is part of the Japanese government non-reimbursable aid to local micro-projects in Morocco.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/social/japan_donates_local/view 
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Timitar Festival kicks off in miscegenation of cultures.
Agadir, July 04

The 2nd Timitar Festival "Signs and Culture" kicked off, here Saturday, in miscegenation of cultures. At the opening ceremony, the festival aficionados sampled an exceptional menu as the African, Arab and Amazigh cultures met in a unique moment of cultures symbiosis. The Amazigh, or free men, were the inhabitants of most of North Africa before the Arab era. In a distinctive fusion of M'balax, folk and blues, the Senegalese singer Ismaël Lô spoke racism, poverty and famine and chanted peace and tolerance.
The emotion-filled voice of "The African Bob Dylan" charmed the local and foreign music lovers who teemed the Al-Amal Square.
Rhythms ascended as "Oudaden" band went on the scene to feature some of their Amazigh repertoire.
Yet, the strong moment of the opening ceremony was "Nass El-Ghiwane" show.
"The African Rolling Stones" had the same impact on the audience as they have been doing during the thirty last years.
Themed "An Amazigh festival in the heart of the world", the festival is featuring 45 musicians representing Amazigh, Arab and world music notably Alpha Blondy, Faudel, Raul Paz (king of Salsa), Enzo Avitabile & Bottari, Kepa Junkera, Njava, Toto La Momposina, Tarek Nasser, Moha Oulhoucine Achibane, la Raisssa Tachenouiteand Najat Aâtabou.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/culture/timitar_festival_kic/view 
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Third edition of "Holidays for all".

The third edition of "Holidays for All", organized by the Moroccan National Authority for vacation camps, at the secretariat of state in charge of youth, is taking place from July 2 to September 2.
In an official statement, the secretariat-general of the National Authority, Mohamed Qertiti, called for maximizing all efforts and financial means in order to ensure the success of the program. Qertiti also emphasized the need to mobilize and work in cooperation with the various NGOs operating in Morocco, under the guiding principal of "the child's best comes first".
<i>EMarrakech</i> reports that Qertiti also presented the past and current achievements of the National Authority for Vacation Camps and reviewed the various actions taken by the representatives of the secretariat of state in order to further promote the "Holidays for All" program. © 2005 Al Bawaba
http://www.albawaba.com/en/countries/Morocco/186011 
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ROBERT PLANT - "I Heard The Blues In The Musical Scales Of Morocco" 
[Rock Hard - 05.07.09 06:48:34]

Gearing up for a sold out show at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, LED ZEPPELIN legend ROBERT PLANT spoke to Suntimes.com about a number of topics including his current album with THE STRANGE SENSATION, Mighty Rearranger, out through Sanctuary.

About his affection for North African music, "Morocco came as a kind of, as a gift really,'' he says. ''A friend of mine was a singer in a band, and he'd been to Marrakesh with his wife in about 1971. He said, 'You've got to go to Marrakesh. You've just got to see this place.' Marrakesh is quite tidy now. But then, it was an incredibly romantic place to be. It was a cowboy town, great, very exciting. I went there, and I walked into the markets, with a guardian, a guide -- because the hustlers are so vivid, you know -- with my wife at the time, who is Indian. And I'm walking along, and suddenly I'm completely bowled over by the sound. The smells, the colors, the powder-blue sky. The sounds that were around me were amazing. And that was it. I was done for then. And you know, English singers, really, most of us just wanted to be bluesmen. We just wanted to play, we just wanted to be in that era. It was like a bunch of cowboys trying to be Howlin' Wolf."

"I heard the blues in the musical scales of Morocco,'' he continues. "I just started collecting cassettes in the medina. And I got it. I mean, I got it, but couldn't play it. I couldn't sing it. So gradually over the years I've tried to make it so that I sing me, and the music accosts and seduces. It kind of becomes a hybrid between rock 'n' roll and desert music. There was one guy I knew, Ibrahim, who played in a band and worked in Algiers. He never heard the blues. So when he first heard John Lee Hooker, he could not believe it. He said, 'But this is what we do.'"
http://www.bravewords.com/news.html?id=30012 
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Here & there: Often overlooked history can still teach a few lessons.
By Richmond Talbot MPG Newspapers

I'm hoping to visit Morocco in the fall, and the tour company provided me with a list of recommended reading to prepare me for the trip. It's filling some of the gaps in my schooling. Morocco is farther west than Greece and Rome, but a lot happened there that I never learned about in Western Civ. Maybe it's the Civ part that was thought not to qualify. Many of the books with which I was educated were written by tweedy professors who liked to sit in armchairs smoking briar pipes and discussing the Punic Wars from Rome's point of view. Perhaps North African culture, no matter how ancient and complex, seemed a little uncivilized to them. One of the books I've read lately is "Lyautey and the French Conquest of Morocco" by William A. Hoisington Jr.
Louis-Hubert-Gonzalve Lyautey was the French Resident General in Morocco. He was the top man on the scene and in charge of making everything work. His picture on the frontispiece of the book depicts an old man erect in a splendid uniform. He has brushed white hair and a magnificent moustache. His clear eyes regard you with the weary look of a man who must spend much time listening to the prattle of inferiors. His right hand grasps what may be a glove, while the fingers of his left hold a cigarette.
His plans for Morocco were peaceful penetration and indirect rule. Neither worked. He wanted to make the territory a protectorate instead of a colony, and bring it under French influence by friendly means. But instead of strewing their benefactors' path with flowers, many Moroccans preferred to hurl themselves at the muzzles of the civilizer's guns, making it necessary to slay them in large numbers. Casualty lists were lopsided due to the superiority of French weaponry, but the natives resisted the benefits of progress even so.

As Lyauty attempted to lead the Moroccans into the 20th century, he was annoyed at them dragging their feet. As for indirect rule, he found cooperation difficult to obtain. It took three sultans to get one who'd comply, and the pashas in the cities were apt to be disloyal. Those who'd further French interests often turned out to be men of an inferior sort.
Among the rural tribes, it was even worse. The Berbers, whose ancestors fought the Romans, were nearly impossible to keep in line. Just when it looked as though things were becoming peaceful, Armed el Hiba, a Saharan pretender to the throne, led a holy war against the French and had to be put down with heavy casualties on both sides.
There was some uneasiness at home about the loss of French lives and the expense, but the reason the nation was willing to spend so much blood and coin to benefit this foreign part of the world was threefold - pride, power, and trade.
I found something disturbing about all this, and I finally realized what it was - Iraq. History never repeats itself exactly, yet we invaded that country, encouraged a government we hope will be friendly to us, and have to use force to keep it in place. Being touchy about colonialism, many insurgents see the government officials as tools of American policy. Despite superior firepower, we have to watch our backs. We sincerely want to help the Iraqis live free and happy lives, but of course there's all that oil.
The French had considerable influence in Morocco. The language is widely spoken, and although the Qu'ran forbids the faithful to drink alcohol, there are regions that produce wine. After Moroccan independence Lyautey's remains were dug up and shipped back to France, where they rest at Les Invalides, near those of Napoleon.
e-mail rtalbot@mpgnews.com   http://oldcolony.southofboston.com/articles/2005/07/07/news/news08.txt 
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Accor Group Decides to Invest Heavily in Morocco.
04/07/2005

The 2 July edition of Al-Sharq Al-Awsat reported the Moroccan branch of French-based Accor Group, one of the world's largest hotel and service groups, decided to invest 1.6 billion dirhams in the next four years by building 15 new hotels in Morocco. The latest investment will increase the number of Accor hotels in Morocco to 36 by 2008.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/homepage/ 
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Moroccan Expatriate Investments Boost National Economy.
04/07/2005

According to research published recently by the Hassan II Foundation, Moroccan expatriate investments injected nearly 12 billion dirhams into the national economy in 2004. Foundation researchers explained the amount only represents about 30 per cent of expatriate funds transferred to Morocco annually and that "no one can determine the exact volume of investments carried out by expatriates." Bladi.Net reports the research indicates real estate remains the principal objective of about 65-70 per cent of expatriates' investments. The remainder is distributed mainly in the service, agricultural and industrial sectors.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/homepage/ 
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Evangelist inroads in Muslim Morocco.
Jul. 5, 2005. By OLIVIER GUITTA <mailto:editors@jpost.com>

In the past few years, increasing numbers of Westerners have been converting to Islam. Agence France Presse recently reported annual figures in France alone of 30,000 to 50,000. But a new phenomenon - largely unreported in the Western media - is occurring: Muslims, especially in the Maghreb (north-west Africa) are becoming Christians.

The controversy over the conversions has been most acute in Morocco. Since the beginning of the year there have been numerous articles in newspapers such as Le Matin, La Gazette du Maroc, Le Journal Hebdomadaire, and even business magazine La Vie Economique and political weekly Telquel have written about this "greatest danger." According to most reports, the culprits are American evangelical missionaries operating in major cities such as Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech and Fez to remote areas in the mountains or the countryside. The statistics differ wildly: Missionaries are reported to number anywhere from 150, according to French weekly newsmagazine Le Nouvel Observateur, to the 800-plus figure most often used. Converts are said to number anywhere from 7,000 to 58,000. These discrepancies are easily explained by the fact that both missionaries and converts have to stay constantly below the radar.

Even though Morocco is a much more tolerant country than say Saudi Arabia regarding freedom of religion, it nonetheless imprisons anyone trying to convert a Muslim for up to three years. Karen Thomas Smith, one of the four officially registered American pastors in the country explains that because of this missionaries have to pass for businessmen or officials from NGOs.

THE RECENT visit of the American televangelist Josh McDowell, invited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and received by King Mohammed VI, has sparked lots of conspiracy theories. In fact, Le Journal Hebdomadaire reported on January 8 that this evangelization campaign was part of US President George W. Bush's campaign in the current war. Unsurprisingly, the article pointed out that this was also the goal of the neocons and the Zionists.

Nationalist MP Abdelhamid Aouad went even further when he declared that the evangelists' ultimate goal was to convert 10 percent of the Moroccan population by 2020. He even raised this issue in the Moroccan Parliament and asked the minister of Islamic affairs what the government was doing about the massive evangelization underway. Despite the minister's assurance that there was nothing to worry about, in March the authorities deported on "immigration grounds," a South African church representative who had been in the kingdom since 1999.

Also, a March "confidential" report ordered by the government on the topic of conversion and cited by La Gazette du Maroc, confirmed that there were indeed around 800 foreign missionaries in the kingdom. Qualified as "top-notch proselytizers," they used all available means such as Web sites, radios, satellite TV, video and audio tapes and books to succeed in their mission. Indeed, plenty of bookstores in Morocco carry translations of the Bible printed in the US and in French. According to one pastor, some missionaries also openly distribute on the streets of Casablanca leaflets about Christianity mostly meant for young people and promising them "a better life."

CLEARLY, THE evangelists are focusing their energies on the young and the poor, but that's not the whole picture. Another target, according to Pastor Jean-Luc Blanc are the intellectuals and the privileged. However, there is no typical profile of a convert. On March 5, the French daily Le Monde published numerous interviews with converts in Morocco and Algeria.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1120468323054&p=1006953079865   
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