Virtual Magazine of Morocco on the Web  
Morocco Week in Review  
July 16 2005

North African Students Participate in Leadership Programme in United States.
Morocco's Islamic Party Commends New Fatwa Body.
Phosphates plays major role in Moroccan economy, minister. Economics,
Qatar to invest US$ 170 million in tourism project in Morocco.
Around 470,000 persons took literacy classes in 2004-2005, Minister.
Moroccan women access to decision-making positions still below aspirations, Minister.
Marrakech to Host Montreux Jazz Festival in 2006.
American Music Duo BilliTones to Perform in Morocco.
George Benson to Perform in Casablanca.
U.S. denies Morocco is dangerous country.
Women: Behind the glass ceiling. 

North African Students Participate in Leadership Programme in United States.
10/07/2005

Montana State University (MSU) is one of three US schools to host "Study of the U.S. Institute for Middle Eastern and North African Student Leaders." The 47-day programme, conducted by the MSU Office of International Programmes in co-operation with the university's English Department. will begin and end in Washington, DC. The 22 students -- a group including Moroccans, Tunisians and Algerians -- will spend four weeks on the MSU campus before two weeks touring Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico. They will learn about the cultural and environmental diversity of the Rocky Mountain region, as well as US relations with Mexico and US immigration policy. Norm Peterson, MSU's vice provost for international education, said participating students were selected after a highly competitive application process in their home countries. The initiative is sponsored by the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Middle East Partnership Initiative of the US Department of State. (MSU News Services) http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/homepage/ 
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Morocco's Islamic Party Commends New Fatwa Body.
By Mariam AL-Tigy, IOL Correspondent RABAT , July 10, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) 

Morocco 's Islamic party has welcomed a decision by King Mohamed VI to set up a new body tasked with issuing fatwas (religious edicts) in the kingdom. "The Justice and Development Party commends this positive step and presses for creating more bodies to service religious affairs in Morocco," Abdullah Baha, the head of the party's parliamentary bloc, told IslamOnline.net on Sunday, July 10.

The monarch issued a royal decree on Friday, July 8, to create the new body as part of the supreme religious council, which is responsible for religious affairs in Morocco , to be responsible for fatwa issuance. King Mohamed said the goal of the new body is to issue fatwas based on a collective opinion of scholars. He also urged the fledging body to promote awareness among the Moroccan people on the principles of the Maliki religious school, the recognized religious school in the kingdom. Under the Moroccan constitution, the king has the authority to issue fatwas.

Active Role
Baha said "the nascent body should play an active role in meeting the needs of the Moroccan people and live up to the challenges of the modern age". He dismissed claims that the King's decision to set up the new body was an effort to undermine the influence of Islamists in the country. "Such claims are groundless," he said, citing his party's support for religious reform efforts.
Some political parties have argued that the Justice and Development Party only wins the votes of Moroccans because its "monopolizes" religious affairs in the kingdom.

Controversy
Morocco has been a scene of rising controversy over the religious powers granted to the king by the Constitution. The controversy was triggered by remarks made by Ahmed Al-Raysoni, the ex-head of the Tawhid and Islah movement, in which he pressed for differentiating between the king's political role and his authority to issue fatwas. He also called for establishing a higher council for fatwa, maintaining that the monarch was "not qualified for such a religious mission". The remarks sparked furor in the kingdom, with some parties accusing him of insulting the monarch. Since, the Casablanca bombings, in which at least 41 people were killed and scores more wounded, efforts have been in full swing to modernize the religious discourse in the kingdom. King Mohamed also called for developing the Islamic studies curricula to shield young Moroccans against extremism.
http://www.islam-online.net/English/News/2005-07/10/article04.shtml 
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Phosphates plays major role in Moroccan economy, minister. Economics,
7/9/2005

Qatar to invest US$ 170 million in tourism project in Morocco.
Tangiers, July 08 

King Mohammed VI and the Emir of Qatar Cheikh Hamad Ben Khalifa Al Thani chaired on Thursday at the Royal Marchane palace here, a framework agreement, under which a Qatari group will inject US$ 170 million in a major tourism project in the northern region of Tangiers-Tetuan. The project to be carried out on a 230-hectare area is part of a larger investment program that Qatari company "Diar Real Estate Investment Company" intends to conduct in Morocco. The convention was signed as the Emir of Qatar started on Thursday a two-day official visit to Morocco at the invitation of the Moroccan sovereign. It was signed by Cheikh Hamad Ben Jassem Ben Jabr Al Thani, first-deputy chairman of the ministers council of Qatar, foreign minister and chairman of the governing board of the company, and by interior minister, Al Mustapha Sahel, finance and privatization minister, Fathallah Oualalou, equipment and transport minister, Karim Ghellab, industry, trade and economy upgrading, Salaheddine Mezouar, delegate-minister for housing and urbanism, Toufiq Hjira, and tourism, handicraft and social economy minister, Adil Douiri.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/imp_economy/qatar_to_invest_us/view 
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Around 470,000 persons took literacy classes in 2004-2005, Minister.
Rabat, July 09 

Moroccan Secretary of state in charge of literacy and informal education, Anis Birou, revealed that 469,206 persons took literacy classes during the 2004-2005 school year. Females account for 80.2% of this total while males represent 19.8%. Out of this total 55% were in rural areas. The official also explained that his department has developed in collaboration with the UNESCO a software that keeps tracks of all the partners working in literacy, programs and recipients. The new software allows to have a good command of statistics in order to guarantee the follow-up and continuous and permanent assessment of all the actions. 

He went on that according to 2004 estimates, 40% of people aged over 10 years are illiterate. In mosques, the number of literacy classes recipients reached 48,119 persons, including 20,506 men and 27,613 women, says the ministry of Habous (Islamic endowments) and Islamic affairs. The ministry intends to increase gradually the number of beneficiaries to reach 500,000 in 2010. By 2010 the mosques literacy classes will benefit 400,000 persons aged between 15 and 45 and 100,000 over 45 years.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/imp_social/around_470000_perso/view 
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Moroccan women access to decision-making positions still below aspirations, Minister.
Khemissat, July 11 

Despite reforms ushered in Morocco, women's access to decision-making positions is still below aspirations, stated Minister in charge of Moroccan expatriates, Nouzha Chekrouni. The consolidation of women contribution in the political field and the decisionmaking process should be among the priorities of political parties, the government and the parliament, she said on Saturday at the opening of a meeting on "women and decision-making". The Minister noted that women account for 17,000 of employees in the civil service that are estimated at 68,000, i.e 29.46 pc of overall executives in the country.

The number of women in executive posts in different Moroccan administrations does not exceed 10pc, she said, underlining the need to activate the role of women and enact laws that guarantee equal opportunities, notably in access to decision-making positions.
For his part, Secretary of State in charge of rural development, Mohamed Mohattane, said women represent 40pc of active workers in rural areas, notably in agriculture.

He said Moroccan rural women face several problems, notably illiteracy and lack of representation in the management of local affairs.
He said his department has carried out in 2004 over 77 small projects that profited 2,600 women. Morocco has taken several steps to promote the situation of women, particularly through the adoption of the family Code that grants equal rights to men and women.
Morocco is considered among the leading Arab countries concerning women's participation in the political scene. The Moroccan parliament includes 35 women.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/social/moroccan_women_acces/view 
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Marrakech to Host Montreux Jazz Festival in 2006.
12/07/2005 

In November 2006, Marrakech is scheduled to host the 40th Montreux Jazz Festival, an international event held each summer in Switzerland. Next year's festival will be a worldwide event. The festival is famous for a musical experience of styles ranging from jazz to blues, rock and pop. A 20-member delegation of journalists, tourism and municipality officials from Marrakech is currently visiting Mountreux during the 2005 festival running 1-16 July to sign the partnership agreement. Other cities participating in the Montreux Jazz Worldwide programme include Shanghai, Singapore and Dubai 
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/homepage/ 
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American Music Duo BilliTones to Perform in Morocco.
12/07/2005 

American rock and roll duo Billy and Toni Stevens, known as the BilliTones, will give a series of concerts in Morocco organized by the US Embassy in Rabat. Accompanied by guitarist Al Dawson, they will perform in Rabat on 23 and 24 July, in El Jadida on 25 July, and in Khouribga on 27 July. Called "American cultural ambassadors," the BilliTones have performed in over 25 countries. The duo plays a varied mix of rock and roll, Motown, world beat, and blues music -- recreating the sound of a classic rock band using synthesizers, harmonicas, percussion, and tight vocal harmonies.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/homepage/ 
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George Benson to Perform in Casablanca.
12/07/2005 

George Benson, one of the biggest guitarists in the history of jazz and a soul and pop singer, will give a concert at the Megarama of Casablanca on 17 July. His latest album "Anthology" covers around 30 years of his remarkable career. It includes "Give Me the Night" and "Love All the Hurt Away," as well as new versions of "White Rabbit" and "This Masquerade." Songs from the album will be performed at the concert.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/homepage/ 
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U.S. denies Morocco is dangerous country.
Rabat, July 12

The United States has denied Moroccan newspapers' reports that the American government has pointed at Morocco as a dangerous destination and that it has warned American citizens from traveling to the country. The US embassy in Rabat said in a release that the American government has not recently made a public announcement or a warning concerning Morocco, noting that consular information on the north African country has not changed since December 15th, 2004. The embassy explained that the Department of State publishes a program of consular information that informs American citizens on security conditions in foreign countries to help them make decisions regarding their travels abroad.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/box1/u.s._denies_morocco/view 
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Women: Behind the glass ceiling. 
7/14/2005 

Despite reforms ushered in Morocco, women's access to decision-making positions is still below aspirations, declared the Minister Delegate in charge of Moroccan Residents abroad, Nouzha Chekrouni Saturday in Khemisset. Reinforcing women's contribution in the political field and the decision-making process should be among the priorities of political parties, the government and the Parliament, she said at the opening of a meeting on "Women and Decision-Making."

The Minister noted that 17,000 civil servants out of 68,000 are women, i.e. 29.46% of overall administrators in the country. Less than 10% of Moroccan executive posts in administration are women, she said, underlining the need to activate the role of women and enact laws that guarantee equal opportunities, notably in access to decision-making positions.

For his part, Secretary of State in Charge of Rural Development Mohamed Mohattane, said women represent 40% of active workers in rural areas, notably in agriculture. He said rural women face several problems, notably illiteracy and lack of representation in the management of local affairs. He said his department set up in 2004 over 77 small projects that benefited to 2,600 women in 2004.

Morocco has taken several steps to promote the situation of women, particularly through the adoption of the new family code that grants equal rights to men and women. Morocco is considered as one of the leading Arab countries concerning women's participation in the political scene. The Moroccan Parliament includes 35 women.
http://www.moroccotimes.com/paper/article.asp?idr=11&id=8098 
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