Virtual Magazine of Morocco on the Web
Morocco Week in Review 
November 12 , 2005

Some 2 million adults suffers from diabetes in Morocco.
Solidarity helped fund more than 100 projects in past 22 months.
Morocco grabs UN Prize of 'International Year of Microcredit' national committees.
Over 4 million children die of malnutrition in Islamic world, report.
First factory to recycle plastic waste in Morocco.
Morocco among 23 countries eligible to MCA.
Morocco : Morocco's arts and carpet on display in Rome
Jewish leader: about 1 million Moroccan Jews never cut ties with Morocco.
Moroccan writer Lalami to present 'Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits' novel.
Morocco extends suspension of poultry-related products importation to pet and wild birds.
Morocco's Truth Commission Experience: One More Step toward Truth and Justice.

Some 2 million adults suffers from diabetes in Morocco.
Rabat, Nov. 11

Some two million adults suffers from diabetes in Morocco, most of whom are not insulin dependent, data released by the Health Ministry said.  Diabetes continues to progress in the north African kingdom and is causing serious complications among the patients, affecting kidneys, eyes, heart and other organs, Seddik Laoufir, president of "Association SOS Diabète" told the Moroccan News Agency MAP on the eve of the celebration, on November 14, of the World Diabetes Day.
Type 1 diabetes results from destruction of pancreatic islet beta-cells causing the loss of insulin production. It ranks as the most common chronic childhood disease in developed nations but occurs at all ages.
Type 2 diabetes is characterized by insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency, either of which may be present at the time that diabetes becomes clinically manifest. The specific reasons for the development of these abnormalities are not yet known.
Type 2 diabetes constitutes about 85% to 95% of all diabetes in developed countries, and accounts for an even higher percentage in developing countries.

Some 194 million people worldwide have diabetes. It is now one of the most common non-communicable diseases globally. Diabetes is the fourth or fifth leading cause of death in most developed countries and there is substantial evidence that it is epidemic in many developing and newly industrialized nations. Laoufir said the Diabetes Day held this year under the motto "Put Feet First Prevent Amputations" is the most important awareness campaign on the disease and its causes, symptoms and complications.
To cut down the number of amputations, prevention should be stressed, a document of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) says. President of the Moroccan "Association SOS Diabète" (created in 1999) called on Moroccans to screen for diabetes every six months and on Moroccan officials to cancel chronic diseases drug taxes, including diabetes.

World Diabetes Day was established by IDF and WHO in 1991 with the aim of coordinating diabetes advocacy worldwide. Since then, it has become the primary global awareness campaign of the diabetes community. The diabetes communities from more than 145 countries are united in what is both a targeted campaign to raise awareness of diabetes and its complications. The Diabetes Day 2005 focuses on diabetes and foot care. The campaign is aimed at people with diabetes, and those in a position to influence and improve their healthcare.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/box3/some_2_million_adult/view 
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Solidarity helped fund more than 100 projects in past 22 months.
Marrakech, Nov. 8 

More than 100 projects were launched and close to MAD 535mn, one euro is about 11 MADs, were spent from 2004 in social assistance programs up to the launching on Tuesday of the 8th solidarity campaign dedicated this year by King Mohammed VI in Sidi Abdellah Ghayat, close to the southern town of Marrakech. The November 7-22 campaign was marked by the observance of a minute of silence in solidarity with Abderrahim Bouâlem and Abdelkrim El Mouhafidi, two employees at the Moroccan embassy in Baghdad, abducted lately in Iraq, as well as with their families.

The Sovereign paid tribute to the social actions of the people who exerted distinguished efforts the last year to foster the solidarity campaign and gave financial support amounting to MAD three million to several associations. A movie was shown at the ceremony featuring the 2004-2005 accomplishments of the Mohammed V Solidarity Foundation. The Mohammed V Solidarity Foundation is to proceed to an overture to international relevant milieus and develop its cooperation activities and partnership with foreign NGOs under two conventions signed in Sidi Abdellah Ghayat, on this occasion.

The two convention were signed on Tuesday, under the chairmanship of the King, by The Mohammed V Solidarity Foundation and "le Groupe Canada Maroc pour le Soutien de la Fondation Mohammed V pour la Solidarité" and the Italian "Nando Pereti" Foundation. The signing ceremony was held on the fringes of the launching of the campaign. The first convention provides for a multi-facet activity program that includes taking charge, in an initial stage, of the expenses incurred by the Fes girl residence hall and is to carry out several other projects in favour of the disabled and people with special needs. In line with the second instrument, the Italian foundation pledges to fund the construction of a girl home in Oulad Said, close to the central town of Beni Mellal.

The Monarch was briefed on the activities of the associations working in the Haouz (Marrakech region) in education, health, literacy, basic infrastructure and income yielding activity. The Mohammed V Solidarity Foundation was established in 1999 to help with other social actors fight poverty through the distribution of food, clothes, Medicare and shelter, particularly in disaster hit regions. It acquired a public utility status at the outset. The foundation also contributes during summer holidays in the operations aiming at facilitating the travel of hundreds of thousands of Moroccan living abroad both in hosting and transit countries and at home.
The foundation earmarked since its inception up to 2004, 2.17 billion MAD (US$ 24.5 million) to various humanitarian, social, medical and sustainable development actions in addition to supporting associations and extending in-kind donations to social centers and schools in rural areas. "le Groupe Canada Maroc pour le Soutien de la Fondation Mohammed V pour la Solidarité" is contributing to the implementation of a project on rural girls schooling, while the Italian foundation is building in partnership of the Mohammed V solidarity foundation girl homes in the region of Beni Mellal.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/box1/solidarity_helped_fu/view 
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Morocco grabs UN Prize of 'International Year of Microcredit' national committees.
New York, UNO, Nov. 8 

Morocco on Monday won the UN Prize of national committees of "International Year of Microcredit" in tribute to the country's efforts and actions to develop microfinance. The Prize was handed in to minister of Social Development, family and Solidarity, Abderrahim Harouchi and Chairman of National Federation of Microcredit Associations, Rida Lamrini at a ceremony held at the UN headquarters on the fringes of the "Microfinance International Forum".

Morocco, which is the only country from the North Africa and Middle East region to be granted this honour, boasts 12 micro-credit associations that serve almost 600,000 people handling nearly USD 810 million.
Harouchi said that these association aspire to serve some 3 million poor people, underlining that the government has set up "a strategy to reinforce micro-credit in our country especially with the creation of a refinancing Fund of micro-credit associations with a budget of USD 54 million."

The government's commitment will be further shored up through signing a convention with the micro-credit associations to set up a governmental programme within the National Initiative for Human Development, which was launched by king Mohammed VI on May 18 to fight poverty and social exclusion. Morocco will organize, on November 30 in Marrakech, the first micro-finance forum.
In 1998, the UN general Assembly proclaimed 2005 as the International Year of Microcredit to promote the role of micro-credit in fighting poverty.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/box1/morocco_grabs_un_pri/view 
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Over 4 million children die of malnutrition in Islamic world, report.
Rabat, Nov. 8

4.3 million children aged less than 5 years die in member countries of the Organization of Islamic conference (OIC) due to preventable diseases, while 60pc die before reaching 12 years old because of malnutrition. According to a report issued at the opening, Monday in Rabat, of a conference of ministers in charge of childhood, to look into means to promote the situation of children in the Islamic world, only 14 of OIC's 57 member states are capable of reaching the millennium development objectives.

The report, "investing in favor of children in the Islamic world", noted that the schooling rate in elementary schools is below 60pc in 17 member countries and that illiteracy rate among women will reach 70pc. Secretary general of the OIC, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, said it is crucial to take serious action to face these challenges and build a suitable world for children, abiding by Islam precepts and implementing the conventions signed by Islamic countries. Representatives of over 50 Islamic countries are taking part in the conference, held in implementation of the recommendation of the 10th Islamic summit conference on the protection and promotion of childhood in the Arab world.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/box4/over_4_million_child/view 
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First factory to recycle plastic waste in Morocco.

The first factory for recycling plastic waste has at last seen the light of day in Morocco. Fayçal Alami and Ali Moulay Kettani have signed a partnership agreement with the group Jet International (Julian Environmental Technologies), one of the two inventors of a process related to the recycling of plastic waste. The agreement aims at manufacturing pallets and recycling plastic waste to make finished products such as gutters and duckboards. The ambitious project is worth MAD 20 million, 6.5 of which are from the company's own funds. The other 11.5 were obtained thanks to an Italian loan given as part of MEDA project. The last 2 million will be provided by FODEP, a fund that aims at respecting the environment. For the first year, the factory will have the production capacity of 1,000 tons a year. The investors intend to double this figure in the second year of work.
http://www.moroccotimes.com/news/article.asp?id=10883 
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Morocco among 23 countries eligible to MCA.
Washington, Nov. 10 

Morocco is among the 23 countries selected as eligible to apply for Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) assistance for fiscal year
(FY) 2006, announced, here Wednesday, the Board of Directors of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).

The selected countries from the "low income" category for FY 2006 are: Armenia, Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, East Timor, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Honduras, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mali, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Vanuatu. Of these 20 eligible low income countries, 16 have been selected as MCA-eligible in prior years. Burkina Faso, East Timor, The Gambia, and Tanzania are MCA-eligible for the first time.

In making its selection, the Board considers policy performance of candidate countries in three areas -- "ruling justly," "investing in people," and "encouraging economic freedom." The Board also considers factors such as the opportunity to reduce poverty and generate economic growth and to have a transformational impact in the country. Morocco has already been selected last year to benefit from this account, a move that was welcomed by President Bush and the then former Secretary of State Colin Powell. Both of them had highlighted the political and economic reforms carried out under the leadership of King Mohammed VI.

Congratulating the eligible countries, MCC CEO Ambassador John Danilovich said: "You are among an elite group of countries who have demonstrated a commitment to good governance, economic freedom, and improving the lives of your people." He however made it clear that "While selection is an essential first step towards achieving Compact assistance from the MCC, selection does not guarantee funding."

Since its establishment last year, MCC has signed Compacts totalling more than $900 million with five nations, Madagascar, Honduras, Cape Verde, Nicaragua, and Georgia. MCC is also actively engaging with other MCA-eligible countries in Compact negotiations and currently expects to sign three more within the next few months. Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a U.S. government corporation designed to work with some of the poorest countries in the world, is based on the principle that aid is most effective when it reinforces good governance, economic freedom, and investments in people that promote economic growth and elimination of extreme poverty.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/box4/morocco_among_23_cou/view 
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Morocco : Morocco's arts and carpet on display in Rome 
November 12, 2005 

The star attraction of the Morocco's week in Italy displays Taznakht carpet among several exquisite pieces of Moroccan arts, handicraft and carpets in particular. Titled 'Carpets of dream: Amazigh art of weaving in the big Atlas,' the exhibition is staged in cooperation with Pigorini Museum in Rome. It aims to help visitors learn about the art of weaving and its essential raw materials, while revealing other national art craft products.
http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/textile-news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=8516 

Morocco's week features big atlas carpets.

Morocco's week in Italy is featuring the Moroccan art craft and carpets in particular. Migration problem in Morocco is also debated during the exhibition, which is currently taking place in Rome, reported Map news agency. "Taznakht carpet" is the star product of the exhibition organized in Italy to promote Moroccan hand craft products as well as its rich culture.

The exhibition, entitled "carpets of dream: Amazigh art of weaving in the big Atlas," is organised in collaboration with Pigorini Museum in Roma. The exhibition is intended to enable the public to discover the art of weaving and its principal raw materials, as well as other national art craft products. This special occasion allowed the visitors to discuss on Wednesday the issue of Moroccan migration to Europe. Many researchers and experts in the field participated in the debate.

The intervening attendants recalled that the Moroccan community is one of the most important and old communities living in Italy. They tackle the most important problems that the community is suffering from, including unemployment and integration into the Italian society. The attendants also underlined that many Moroccans contributed with their projects to the economic development of the country. As the Moroccan community has often been prejudiced against by the Italian media, some participants underlined that the differences separating the Moroccan and Italian societies remain few. During this event, the Immigration Archives (L'Archivio dell'Immigrazione) presented a special edition of the magazine "Caffé" dedicated to Moroccan intellectuals in Italy. The magazine includes articles written by Moroccan authors, namely Abdelkader Daghmoumi, Hind Zaïdouh, Mohamed Aklaï, Fouad Chaki, Mohamed Assli and Aziz Bouzidi.
http://www.moroccotimes.com/paper/article.asp?idr=49&id=10903 
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Jewish leader: about 1 million Moroccan Jews never cut ties with Morocco.
Paris, Nov. 8 

About one million Moroccan Jews never cut ties with their community and country of origin, Morocco, be they in Israel, Europe or the Americas, said on Monday Serge Berdugo, secretary general of the Moroccan Israelite community Council. They are driven to their country of origin, which they visit regularly, by a strong affective and identity tropism, said Berdugo during a colloq held in the French capital at the national assembly, titled "Morocco and France, fifty years later and a long-lasting friendship".

The representative of the Jewish community in Morocco also highlighted the high solicitude of Moroccan kings toward Jews, saying, likewise, the latter's attachment to their Moroccan identity has never withered, be they in Morocco or any other country.
He said Jews in Morocco were given full citizenship immediately after the return of late King Mohammed V from exile in 1956.
Since independence, Moroccan Jews have been playing a major role, he said, noting that they have deliberately chosen the Moroccan citizenship and have been actively involved in public life. The head of the Israelite communities council in Morocco has often expressed belief that the Moroccan experience in religion coexistence is an example that denies any supposed irremediable hostility between Arabs and Jews.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/social/jewish_leader__about/view 

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Moroccan writer Lalami to present 'Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits' novel.
Washington, Nov.7

Moroccan writer Laïla Lalami will present on Monday her new novel "Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits" in Barnes & Nobles library in New York. Published by Algonquin Books in October 2005, "Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits" is about four Moroccans who cross the Gibraltar Straits on a lifeboat in a bid to live the Spanish dream. Why are they jeopardizing their lives? are the rewards worth it? The answers unfold in a series of narratives, dealing with key events in the characters' past and how their lives are forever changed, for better or for worse, by their decision. The book has been warmly welcomed by American literary milieus, who see in Lalami "a new persuasive voice in favor of immigrants", underlining her "sensibility and courageous writing".

"The author moves harmoniously from the specific to the global to tell a story burst of lessons," writes the New York daily "Newsday" after a meeting with the Moroccan writer, stressing that "erecting a wall is not a solution to the immigration phenomenon that must be curbed at the outset." Cleveland.com website notes that the topic of hope is recurrent in this writing. The hope is in the same time sought and feared. Laila Lalami was born in Rabat and pursued her studies in Morocco, Britain and the United States.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/culture/moroccan_writer_lala/view 
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Morocco extends suspension of poultry-related products importation to pet and wild birds.
Rabat, Nov. 11 

Morocco has extended the ban on importing poultry and poultry-related products to other kinds of pet and wild birds (exotic birds, cassowaries, etc.). A communiqué of the Ministry of Agriculture called, Friday, on importers and citizens to respect this decision, as "every bird belonging to these species, presented at the Moroccan borders, will be repatriated or destroyed in situ in conformity with the law regulations in force". The document ensures that there is no indication as to the possible existence of the virus in Morocco and that Moroccan poultry is healthy, underlining that close health vigilance continues, and any new fact will be reported to the public.

Morocco has lately prolonged the ban on importing poultry and poultry-related products from avian flu hit countries. Morocco has taken several measures to prevent the virus entry, as the National Committee for Vigilance against avian flu, created in 2004, was re-energized to monitor and assess the developments of the situation on the international scene to better shield the country, and a veterinary commission has set up an action plan to fight the disease that includes the clinical and serological epidemio-vigilance of pet and wild birds and the laboratory diagnosis of bird flu.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/box5/morocco_extends_susp/view 
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Morocco's Truth Commission Experience: One More Step toward Truth and Justice.
ICTJ (New York) November 10, 2005

At the end of this month, the Moroccan Equity and Reconciliation Commission (Instance Équité et Réconciliation or IER) will be handing its final report to King Mohammed VI and formally ending its mandate. The Commission's final report and the processes it recommends provide Morocco with a tremendous opportunity to advance victims' rights, prevent future abuses, and strengthen the rule of law.

In its 33-page report, "Transitional Justice in Morocco: A Progress Report" 
http://allafrica.com/sustainable/resources/00010735.html  the ICTJ traces the historical process, dating back to the early 1990's, that led to the formation of the IER in early 2004, and places its work within that larger context. The report also relates how the truth-telling process has unfolded since the IER began its work-including through unprecedented televised public hearings-and presents it as the most comprehensive investigation to date of the 1956-1999 era of violations in Morocco.

"The first truth commission to be established and the first to hold public hearings in the Middle East, the IER has made great strides and has the potential to have enduring impact, both locally and regionally," said Mark Freeman, Senior Project Manager in charge of the ICTJ's Morocco program and a co-author of the report. "At the same time, Morocco still has a long way to go in the areas of justice and reform. Whether it can advance in these areas will depend in large part on the extent to which civil society, the government, and the international community are willing to continue to take concrete steps to address the past."

The 17-member Commission was established by the King in April 2004 and has since then compiled a massive archive of information on victims, violations, and perpetrators, potentially supplying not only a rich historical account of past abuses, but substantial evidence for future accountability and institutional reform efforts. It may also have broadened the thinking behind possible remedies for victims.

While not a comprehensive assessment of the IER's work, which must include the final report and its release, the ICTJ's report highlights some of the key fears and criticisms of this process-such as the continuing impunity enjoyed by perpetrators and limited consultations and outreach conducted by the Commission-that have been expressed by a number of victims and Moroccan civil society actors.

The occasion of the handover of the final report is an opportune time to undertake an overall assessment of the progress made toward achieving truth and justice in Morocco, both by the Commission and by preceding efforts, and to develop a coordinated and comprehensive approach to transitional justice. In this report, the ICTJ makes several recommendations meant to bolster and augment Morocco's truth-seeking experience in the coming months and years. These include recommendations on truth-seeking, accountability, vetting, institutional reforms, reparations, memorials, archives, and apologies.

IER Final Report
Like the final reports from most other truth commissions, the IER's report should outline the Commission's main findings on human rights violations, specifically enforced disappearances and arbitrary detentions committed from the date of independence in 1956 until the establishment of an Independent Commission on Arbitration in 1999. The IER's primary objectives are establishing the nature and scale of the gross abuses committed; determining the responsibilities of state organs or other parties for the abuses; and compensating victims or their families for material and moral damage.

The ICTJ in Morocco
Since December 2003, the ICTJ has worked closely with the Moroccan Equity and Reconciliation Commission, encouraging a transparent and participatory process for establishing the IER's mandate and selecting the commissioners.
Over 18 months, the Center facilitated visits by truth commission experts and practitioners from countries including Ghana, Guatemala, Peru, Sierra Leone, and South Africa, who shared their truth-seeking experiences and provided constructive criticisms and technical assistance to the Commission.

The Center has also provided the Commission with ongoing assistance in areas such as the conduct of public hearings, providing comparative analyses on reparations, and advising on communications and outreach strategies. The ICTJ has also worked closely with Moroccan human rights organizations, media and victims' groups stressing their role in monitoring the IER and assisting victims.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200511100695.html 
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