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Morocco Week in Review
October 20, 2007
Morocco's new government to create 16,000 jobs, raise investments by 37% in 2008.
Rabat, Oct. 18
The financial bill for 2008 provides for creating 16,000 jobs, a 37% increase of investments, a budgetary deficit contained at 3% and the continuation of the large reforms, announced on Thursday the Economy and Finance Minister, Salaheddine Mezouar. The minister, who presented the broad lines of the finance bill for 2008 before the first weekly cabinet meeting, held on Thursday, noted that the new bill attaches special importance to social sectors by earmarking half of the budget to fight poverty, marginalization and social exclusion, said the Communication Minister and government spokesman, Mr. Khalid Naciri, in a press briefing at the end of the cabinet meeting.
The project also provides for carrying on the reforms and consolidating the achievements to support territorial integrity, preserve the security of the citizens and create the conditions of openness and competitiveness for Morocco's economy, the minister said, adding that the project aims also at promoting rural areas, overhauling education and training sectors and improving health services.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/social/morocco_s_new_govern1055/view
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Morocco allocates USD 4Mn to promote handicraft products in 2006.
Rabat, Oct.9
Morocco allocated USD 4Mn to promote handicraft products in 2006, i.e. a 600% increase compared to 2005, a press release of the national handicraft promotion institution "Maison de l'Artisan" said on Tuesday. These figures were presented on Friday at the board of governors of the Maison de l'Artisan, said the document, noting that this institution has set up a promotional policy in order to give a quality image to Moroccan handicraft, develop its image both inside the country and abroad, and help market its products through various channels.
In this respect, a new institutional communication campaign was launched in July 2007 to incite Moroccan citizens to buy handicraft products as well as a website dedicated to handicraft sector ( www.lartisanatdumaroc.ma). This campaign is in line with the 2015 Vision for handicraft, which aims at making of this sector an economic driving force in terms of job creation and export. This vision, the elaboration of which went back to 2005, aspires to create additional employments (117,500 new jobs by the year 2015) and meet customers' needs as regards handcrafted products and the art of living. The 2015 vision revolves around the construction and the emergence of an important production fabric which is likely to supply the national and international main distribution networks with splendid handcrafted products.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/economy/morocco_allocates_us_1/view
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Morocco reiterates commitment to legal provisions on children's rights.
New York (United Nations), Oct. 19
Deputy Permanent Representative of Morocco to the United Nations, Hamid Chabar, on Thursday, reiterated Morocco's commitment to complying with the legal provisions regarding children's rights. "Morocco, a party to the optional protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflicts, child trafficking and exploitation in prostitution and pornography, reiterates its unfailing will to respect the provisions of these important instruments," said Mr. Chabar before the third Commission of the UN General Assembly, during a debate on "promoting and protecting the child rights."
The Moroccan diplomat added that the Kingdom also seeks to engage in all international efforts aimed at stamping out the terrible human tragedy linked to the involvement of children in armed conflicts. He stressed, in this respect, that "it is in this philosophy that Morocco voiced, during the ministerial meeting, held in New York on October 1, 2007, its adherence to the Paris Principles aimed at putting an end to the recruitment and the unlawful use of children by groups or armed forces."
Mr. Chabar underlined the actions and measures taken by the North African country to promote children’s rights, namely the implementation of a coherent strategy involving the civil society, noting the "National Plan of Action for Children for 2006-2015" adopted in march 2006, to honor the commitments taken on during the extraordinary session of the United Nations in 2002, as well as the Millennium Development Goals.
He also notes that the Moroccan authorities provided financial support to reinforce the associations’ capacities with the aim of fighting the different forms of violence against children and forced marriage of little girls. The promotion of children’s rights, he went on, is also at the heart of the National Initiative for Human Development, launched in 2005 to fight poverty, marginalization and social exclusion. At the level of legislation, the diplomat recalled the overhauling of Family, Labour and Penal Codes.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/box2/morocco_reiterates_c2644/view
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Morocco allocates half of its budget to social sector.
Rabat, Morocco 19/10/2007 Panapress
The Moroccan government is to allocate half of the 2008 budget to the social sector, particularly education, public health and the fight against poverty. It is also to create 16,000 jobs, the new minister of communication, Khalid Naciri, announced on Friday. The 2008 budget is estimated at 19 million euros compared with about 18 million euros. "The government will devote half of its 2008 budget to the social sector, particularly in education, public health and the fight against poverty", noted Naciri, who is also spokesman of the government. Naciri made the comment following the first cabinet meeting held on Thursday in Rabat under the chairmanship of new Prime Minister Abbas El Fassi. According to official figres, about four million out of Morocco's 30 million inh abitants, live below the poverty line.
http://www.afriquenligne.fr/news/daily-news/morocco-allocates-half-of-its-budget-to-social-sector-2007102010905/
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China donates water engineering equipment to Morocco.
China Friday donated engineering equipment valued at a total of 22 million dirhams (about 2.3 million U.S. dollars) to Morocco to help the country enhance its capacity to implement major hydraulic projects. The donation, which was made by Chinese ambassador to Morocco Gong Yuanxing, is part of the promises that were made to Morocco by Chinese President Hu Jintao during an official visit in 2006.
In recent years, cooperation between China and Morocco, particularly in the management of water resources has been intensified, Moroccan state secretary for water and environment Abdelkebir Zahoud said while receiving the equipment. Many Moroccan officials working in the management of water and environment resources continued to receive training in China annually, according to Zahoud, who hailed Sino-Moroccan ties. On his part, the Chinese ambassador said that his country, which is also a developing nation just like Morocco, would continue to help Morocco in both economic and technical terms to enhance its capacities in various important economic and social sectors. Source: Xinhua
http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90883/6287180.html
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Nearly 150K Moroccan people suffer from rheumatoid arthritis.
Casablanca, Oct. 20
Some 150,000 people suffer from rheumatoid arthritis in Morocco, according to figures released by the "Association Marocaine de lutte contre la Polyarthrite Rhumatoïde" (Moroccan Association for rheumatoid arthritis control) (AMP), during a conference on Thursday. The president of the association, Mohamed Salah Bennouna, said rheumatoid arthritis is a critical illness that is hardly known and is underestimated by the population.
The conference themed "what caring for people with rheumatoid arthritis?", which was attended by the "Association Française des Polyarthritiques", was held as part of the celebration of the World Arthritis Day on October 12. It sought to shed light on the various problems of this disease.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints. It may also cause inflammation of the tissue around the joints, as well as other organs in the body. It is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis. Usually, it first appears between the ages of 25 and 50 but it can also affect children. It is estimated that three quarters of people with this disease are women.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/box5/nearly_150k_moroccan/view
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BADEA approves USD 5Mn to fund development operations.
Marrakech (south), Oct. 19
The Board of Directors of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) has approved, during its third meeting of 2007, an amount of USD 4.8Mn to fund development operations. The cash will finance six development operations and eleven technical assistance operations, said a communiqué of the BADEA, released on Friday at the closing ceremony of the three-day board of directors meeting, which also reviewed the current status report on projects financed by the Bank in some countries of the sub-Saharan Africa.
The board of directors approved, during the first meeting of 2007, financing development operations with a global amount of USD 68.4Mn, including some USD 2.5Mn dedicated to finance 13 technical support operations. The Bank also approved, during its second meeting of the year, financing development projects amounting to USD 73Mn, including 10 new development projects and 7 technical support operations.
Over 43 African countries and regional organizations have benefited from BADEA’s financial commitments that contribute to implementing development projects in infrastructure, agriculture, rural development, health, education, energy and mining. BADEA’s total cumulative financial commitments to African countries eligible for its aids since 1975 till the end of June 2007 amounted to USD 3.5Bn, according to the Bank statistics.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/imp_economy/badea_approves_usd_5/view
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Privatization yielded over USD 11.4Bn between 1989 and 2006, official.
Marrakech, Oct. 17
A total of seventy one companies were privatized from 1989 to 2006 yielding some USD 11.4Bn, declared here Wednesday, Chairman of Cour des Comptes (= supreme audit institution), Ahmed El Midaoui. Speaking during the opening ceremony of the annual meeting of the International Working Group on the Audit of Privatization, Economic Regulation and Public Private Partnerships, Mr. Midaoui stressed the benefit of privatization on the national economy mainly in improving the key sectors' performance and enhancing Morocco's appeal to foreign direct investments (FDI), which reached USD 8Bn in 2006.
Mr. Midaoui also noted the major challenges standing in the face of higher audit institutions in the field of privatization. "That only motivates the state's ability to create a more flexible relation between the private/public sectors," he added. "It is the state's duty to ensure that national and international capital don’t act solely according to their interests, and that the nation's and citizens' interests are preserves," he stressed.
Through this international two-day conference, Morocco aims to open up to various world experiences in the field of privatization and the public/private partnership, as well as engage in a through reflection on the main issues and economical challenges pertaining to this phenomena. This meeting was organized by the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI), whose Morocco assumes this year’s chairmanship. INSOI operates as an umbrella organization for more than 40 government audit institutions from countries like France, the U.K., Australia, Turkey and Norway, and Saudi Arabia.
Founded in 1953, INTOSAI is an autonomous, independent and non-political organisation with special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/economy/privatization_yielde_1/view
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Japan grants Morocco over USD 600K to supply rural areas with drinking water .
Rabat, Oct.15
The Japanese government has granted a financial assistance amounting to some USD 610,691 to supply several local collectivities and associations with drinking water in the region of Souss-Massa (South of Rabat). The donation (12 water tanks) is part of the Japanese non-reimbursable assistance program granted to local micro-projects contributing to human security, said a press release of the Japanese embassy in Rabat. Japan has recently granted Morocco a USD 6.3Mn donation to fund an anti-flood project, including public works engines, funding the construction of small and medium-size dams and carrying out various projects in order to consolidate Morocco's anti-flood program. http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/social/japan_grants_morocco/view
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Morocco wants 7m: A series of initiatives are underway to boost Morocco’s visitor count to seven million this year.
First results for 2006 indicate that tourism revenues in Morocco totaled $6.24 billion, up by an impressive 17.4 per cent over 2005, according to numbers released at ITB Berlin 2007. UNWTO figures for visitor arrivals in Morocco for the first 11 months of 2006 show a 9.3 per cent increase over the same period in 2005.
Since 2001, Morocco has been implementing its tourism development plan ‘Vision 2010’, launched by Moroccan King Mohammed VI to attract 10 million international visitors to the Kingdom by 2010. Tourism growth has been helped by the implementation of an open-skies policy with Europe, and especially by the development of services from a number of low-cost carriers.
Morocco is opening up new regions to tourism, and is targeting six coastal areas for development. These include the Tan Tan region on the southwest coast where, by 2010, around new 5,000 hotel beds and 2,000 apartments will be available for visitors in a large integrated resort area. Tourism development will also be focused on areas where renovation of historic structures are taking place, such as the UNESCO-listed ancient city of Fez, where the medina has been restored, and where a project to renovate the old Arabic gardens in underway. http://www.ttnworldwide.com/Articles.asp?Article=7011
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Morocco is the only country where past and present are elements of pride, king's advisor.
New York, Oct. 16
While Jews generally have a "tragic memory from which they want to distance themselves," Morocco remains "the only example where the past and the present are elements of pride," asserted Andre Azoulay, a Jewish advisor to king Mohammed VI in an interview with the New York-based The Jewish Daily Forward. Reporting a recent meeting to honor Georges Berdugo, a Moroccan Jewish lawyer, the daily cites the head of the Jewish community in Morocco, Serge Berdugo, who stressed the "deep bond between Morocco and its Jews."
Actually, the daily confirms these bonds with historical facts, which, it wrote, made many of the Jews retain a "strong emotional bond to their homeland. Moroccan authorities, for their part, are eager to show off the community as an example of the kingdom's moderate nature." In fact, Jews in Morocco are represented at all the spheres of the society. They can boast of a royal adviser, an ambassador-at-large, businessmen and entrepreneurs, candidates for parliament and up to "a smattering of far-left militants."
For Joseph Levy, one of five Jewish candidates contesting September parliament elections, the Jewish diaspora has kept a strong attachment not only to the country, but also to the king, whose grandfather Mohamed V protected Jews during World War II. Another Jewish figure is Simon Levy, who runs a Jewish museum in Casablanca. He insists on preserving the Jewish heritage in the north African kingdom, especially the need to renovate the country’s synagogues and to restore old bibles written in Arabic. “We are the heirs of the old Jewish-Muslim coexistence. We need to save this heritage, and the museum is a way to make sure it doesn’t die,” he told the Forward
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/imp_culture/morocco_is_the_only/view
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$697.5 Million Grant to Morocco Announced in U.S. by Millennium Challenge Corporation: Funds to Be Used For Agriculture, Fisheries, Cultural Preservation and Small Business Projects
WASHINGTON, Oct 12, 2007 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX
The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a U.S. government corporation, announced to a U.S. audience the $697.5 million compact, the largest to date, aimed at boosting Morocco's economy across multiple sectors. The compact was presented and discussed at MCC headquarters during a seminar entitled "Morocco Compact -- Business and Procurement Seminar." The seminar was co-hosted by the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the Moroccan American Trade and Investment Center (MATIC) and the National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce. Opportunities for U.S. companies and other procurement and investment opportunities in the country were also discussed.
The compact, which officially began on August 9, will contribute $118 million each year over the next five years to Morocco's GDP and to directly assist more than 600,000 families. The five year $697.5 million compact is designed to encourage economic growth by stimulating productivity and increasing employment levels.
"The Moroccan government is truly excited about this opportunity. Although there are a number of projects underway internally already, the country welcomes the chance to further stimulate economic growth with the help of this grant. It has truly created new and exciting possibilities," said Jean AbiNader, managing director of the Moroccan American Trade and Investment Center (MATIC).
The compact will focus on the following programs:
-- Fruit Tree Productivity Project ($300.90 million)
-- Small-Scale Fisheries Project ($116.17 million)
-- Artisan and Fez Medina Project ($111.87 million)
-- Financial Services Project ($46.20 million)
-- Enterprise Support Project ($33.85 million)
Fruit Tree Productivity Project ($300.90 million)
The Fruit Tree Production Project, which will receive more than $300 million of the grant funds, aims to stimulate growth and stabilize agricultural production. The program will focus on increased efficiency of irrigation for olive and date trees and on diversification for rain-fed olive, almond and fig trees. These changes will increase productivity and reduce poverty in targeted zones. MCC expects this project will positively impact approximately 136,000 farm households in Morocco.
Small-Scale Fisheries Project ($116.17 million)
The Small-Scale Fisheries Project, slotted to receive more than $116 million, is designed to improve the quality of fish moving though domestic channels and to assure the sustainable use of fishing resources. The project will: develop fish landing sites and local port to preserve the quality and value of catches; reduce the cost of business for small-scale fisherman; develop wholesale fish markets; and provide support to vendors to increase the values, volume and marketing ranges of mobile fish vendors. This project is expected to benefit roughly 24,000 small-scale fisheries, boat owners, wholesale fish merchants and mobile fish vendors. It is estimated that mobile fish vendor net incomes will increase approximately 62 percent, enabling the vendors to rise above subsistence-level poverty.
Artisan and Fez Medina Project ($111.87 million)
The Artisan and Fez Medina Project, to receive more than $100 million in grant funds, aims to increase economic growth by linking the craft sector, tourism and the Fez Medina's rich cultural, historic and architectural qualities. This project will focus on production capacity and quality of products, promotion and labeling of products, increasing interaction between artisans and tourists, and redesigning and developing historic sites within Fez Medina. This project is expected to benefit roughly 1,000 faculty members, 120,000 students and give new design and production training to 50,000 master artisans.
Financial Services Project ($46.20 million)
The Financial Services Project, which will receive more than $45 million in compact funds, aims to increase supply and decrease costs of financial services available to micro-enterprises. This will be done by increasing access to loans, creating new financial products to increase access to funds, and focusing on operating efficiency and transparency to reduce the cost of financial services for micro-enterprises. This will allow people to borrow and invest in small, high-return investments to significantly increase their incomes. The Financial Services Project is expected to benefit 174,000 clients of micro-credit associations.
Enterprise Support Project ($33.85 million)
The Enterprise Support Project, slotted to receive more than $30 million in grant funds, will address two prime economic concerns: reducing high unemployment among young graduates and encouraging a more entrepreneurial culture. The project will build on two existing government programs: Moukawalati* and the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH)**. During an initial pilot phase, training will be offered to current beneficiaries of these programs. If the pilot is successful it will be expanded in the compact's third year. In the pilot phase of this project, it is estimated that approximately 600 entrepreneurs will receive training. If the pilot succeeds and is expanded, up to 4,000 enterprises created under Moukawalati could receive technical assistance and up to 2,000 INDH groups could receive similar support.
*Moukawalati is a new national program designed to encourage competitiveness in Morocco's business community in the spirit of globalization and to address high unemployment rates amongst Moroccan youth.
**The National Initiative for Human Development (INDH) is a government initiative designed to create opportunities for the poor, vulnerable and socially excluded.
Additional information on the MCC compact on: http://www.mcc.gov/countries/morocco/index.php
This material is distributed by DJE, Inc. on behalf of the Moroccan American Center for Policy and the Moroccan American Trade and Investment Center. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, in Washington, D.C.
SOURCE Moroccan American Trade and Investment Center
http://www.mcc.gov/countries/morocco/index.php
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/696239/
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From Royal Advisers to Far-Left Militants, Moroccan Jews Embody Coexistence.
Marc Perelman | Wed. Oct 10, 2007 Casablanca, Morocco
On a recent mild Sunday evening, a few dozen middle-aged, crisply dressed guests convened at the Jewish community center in this bustling metropolis, where half of the country’s Jews live. They had come to honor Georges Berdugo, an elderly Jewish lawyer who was being given a royal lifetime achievement award. Standing on the dais under a picture of King Mohammed VI, the head of the community and a cousin of the awardee, Serge Berdugo, delivered a speech stressing the deep bond between Morocco and its Jews. He was followed by a representative of the Moroccan bar association, who lauded the career of his Jewish peer. Then came an elderly rabbi, who recited a prayer for the king.
Offering a Jewish blessing to a Muslim ruler, one believed to be a descendant of the prophet Muhammad no less, is unheard of in most parts of the world. But it is almost routine here in this North African country, where Jews are proud not only of their rich cultural heritage but also of embodying a rare example of Jewish-Muslim coexistence.
“Jews generally have a tragic memory from which they want to distance themselves,” Andre Azoulay, a Jewish adviser to the king, told the Forward in his office at the royal palace in the capital city of Rabat. “Morocco is the only example where the past and the present are elements of pride.”
In addition to a vibrant Jewish community with several synagogues and schools, Moroccan Jewry can boast of a royal adviser, an ambassador-at-large, candidates for parliament and even a smattering of far-left militants.
While the vast majority of Morocco’s quarter-million Jews left the country between 1948 and 1967 to immigrate to Israel, France or the United States, for the most part they felt they had not been chased out and as a result many retained a strong emotional bond to their homeland. Moroccan authorities, for their part, are eager to show off the community as an example of the kingdom’s moderate nature, particularly at a time when Muslim countries are often associated in Western minds with terrorism.
While Moroccan Jewry is unquestionably far better off than communities elsewhere in the Arab world, the picture may not be quite as idyllic as is often painted. To begin with, community leaders’ claims that 5,000 Jews live in Morocco are likely inflated. The Jewish Agency for Israel has put the figure at 3,000, and according to most accounts a sizable proportion of them split time between Morocco and elsewhere.
Moreover, while Jews and Muslims may be friendly neighbors they rarely talk about Israel. Moroccans are staunchly pro-Palestinian, and 1 million of them demonstrated in the streets in the spring of 2002 to protest Israeli military operations in the West Bank and Gaza. And Morocco itself has not been immune to terrorism: When a dozen suicide bombers blew themselves up in Casablanca in May 2003, three of the targets were Jewish or Jewish-owned.
Shortly after the 2003 attacks, Berdugo, who in addition to leading the community serves as the king’s ambassador at large, blasted the Jewish Agency for encouraging Moroccan Jews to leave the country. He now claims Jews are no more at risk from a “foreign-inspired” lethal ideology than ordinary Moroccans. And he is keen to recount that when he told parents of Muslim children attending a Jewish school they could switch schools, they all demurred.
In recent years, both Israel and American Jewish officials have expressed concern over the safety of Moroccan Jews. But a variety of Jews interviewed here brush off such worries, expressing confidence in the Moroccan security services’ ability to thwart attacks.
Joseph Levy, a furniture maker who was among five Jewish candidates running in last month’s parliamentary elections, said he feels perfectly at ease as a Jew in Morocco. He noted that the Moroccan Jewish diaspora has kept a strong attachment not only to the country, but also to the king, whose grandfather Mohamed V protected Jews during World War II.
For much of the last half-century there have been at least a handful of Jews working closely with the palace. These days it’s Berdugo, who previously served as tourism minister, and Azoulay, a former banker who became a financial adviser to the late King Hassan II in 1991 and continues to serve his son. The two men are often at odds with each other, but both recoil at the suggestion that they serve as Morocco’s “court Jews.”
“I don’t consider myself a ‘Court Jew,’ and I believe I was appointed because I had some personal qualities,” Azoulay said. “It’s a caricature that reflects a deep ignorance about the realities of this country.”
In addition to well-heeled businessmen and entrepreneurs who split time between Casablanca and Paris, Morocco is also home to a rather different sort of Jew: far-left and often anti-Zionist activists who spent years in jail or in exile for fighting the monarchy.
The most famous among them is Abraham Serfaty, the head of an erstwhile Marxist-Leninist group called “Forward.” Serfaty was jailed for 17 years and exiled for eight years under the iron rule of Hassan II. After the king’s death in 2000 and the accession of his son Mohammed VI, Serfaty was allowed to return to Morocco as a symbolic gesture of the country’s turn toward a more democratic rule.
Another member of this circle is Sion Assidon, who spent 12-and-a-half years in jail for his far-leftist anti-regime advocacy as a student. Now an entrepreneur, he founded the local branch of Transparency, an anti-corruption organization. Assidon, who was born a week before Israel gained independence and is married to an American of Palestinian descent, is a staunch proponent of a one-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Assidon shares such views with his friend Simon Levy, a veteran Communist party leader who founded and runs a polished Jewish museum in a leafy neighborhood of Casablanca called Oasis. Levy, who refuses to give his age, is eager to denounce the absurdity of Zionism — “bringing Jews to a Muslim region and sowing hatred for a 1,000 years!”, he told the Forward, before musing about the Jewish state’s dim future: “Barricading the country behind a wall in the era of nuclear weapons is not what I call smart.”
Levy bemoans what he called the Jewish Agency’s draining Morocco of its Jews after reaching a financial agreement with the kingdom in the 1960s. But the old socialist noticeably mellows when he gives personal tours of his Jewish museum’s pictures, artifacts and books, pausing to convey the need to renovate the country’s crumbling synagogues and to restore old bibles written in Arabic.
“Our community has shrunk dramatically but it is still here,” Levy said. “We are the heirs of the old Jewish-Muslim coexistence. We need to save this heritage, and the museum is a way to make sure it doesn’t die.”
http://www.forward.com/articles/11792/
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Morocco launches new project for settling domestic disputes.
18/10/2007 By Naoufel Cherkaoui
The Moroccan branch of the organisation Search for Common Ground launched a new project last week to provide mediation services to families embroiled in domestic disputes. The organisation's Country Director Abou El Mahassine Fassi-Fihri speaks to Magharebia about the project's vision.
The Moroccan branch of the NGO Search for Common Ground (SFCG) began an eight-month mediation project last week in co-operation with the Moroccan Association for Combating Violence against Women (AMVF). The groups seek to create a mechanism for mediating family disputes through a call centre operated by the Casablanca-based AMVF. If the trial is successful, the programme will later be extended to related civil associations' call centres.
SFCG's Moroccan Director, Abou El Mahassine Fassi-Fihri, told Magharebia, "The project seeks to boost the institutional capabilities of call centres which aim to help solve family problems. The project also seeks to raise awareness about the availability of such services, and to institute mediators and provide their training in order to ensure continuity for the project." Fassi-Fihri added that one aim of mediation is to buy time and to avoid the cost of legal action. "In the event of a family dispute, the mediator can help find solutions without resorting to the courts, which requires money and time, during which the family problems can become more complicated."
"The idea was put in place two years ago," Fassi-Fihri continued, "under the partnership between our organisation and the Ministry of Justice, which dates back to 2004. The partnership was intended to found a legal and institutional framework for the practice of mediation in general, including commercial mediation." He said the family mediation programme is not confined to violence against women, but will extend to all family problems and disputes and attempt to solve them quickly and amicably.
The first group of mediators, including call centre staff and practicing lawyers and psychologists, are set to begin training in November with a six-day programme offering theoretical and practical instruction. During the process, trainees will receive interactive training that includes role-playing exercises with professional mediators. Fassi-Fihri said he believes other organisations will be encouraged to take part once they see the AMVF benefitting from the new mediators.
"The general aim of the project is to enhance the capabilities of call centres that are engaged in the field of violence against women," said Saadia Ouadah, AMVF member and co-ordinator of the SFCG project. "This will happen by boosting the application of the legal framework, represented in the Family Code." Ouadah added that the mediation mechanism conforms to the general philosophy of the Family Code, which emphasises the creation of balanced families. She said also that family mediation is only one of many ways to realise healthy domestic lives.
"The project will run over eight months, during which the Search for Common Ground organisation will be responsible for selecting the mediators and providing their training. At the end we will hold a press conference to launch a "mediator handbook", Ouadah said. Ouadah said successful mediators "must be good at communication techniques. He or she must be able and efficient in bridging differences, and must also be impartial." http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2007/10/18/feature-02
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Seven Moroccan women appointed to head strategic ministries.
By Sarah Touahri 17/10/2007
Some see the appointments of seven female ministers as a form of compensation for the overall decrease in women's representation in parliament following the September 7th elections. Prime Minister Abbas El Fassi's newly-announced government includes a record number of female ministers. A total of seven will lead ministries ranging from energy to culture, compared with only two in the previous government.
The seven women who have been appointed will lead key departments. Yasmina Baddou will lead the State Secretariat for Families, Children and the Disabled at the Ministry of Health. Amina Benkhadra has been appointed head of the Ministry of Energy, Mines, Water and the Environment, which she ran for a short time in 1997. The biggest comeback is by Olympic champion Nawal Moutawakil, who has been appointed to a sector she knows well – youth and sports. Well-known for her many years for activism in support of women's issues, pharmacist Nouzha Skelli has been offered the Ministry of Social Development. Actress and director Thourya Jabrane has been appointed head of the culture ministry. Best known for tackling social issues in her work, she is a graduate of the National Conservatory and started her career in 1972 in the Maamora theatre company. Public education will also be led by a woman, Latifa Labida, who began her teaching career in 1973 and previously served as Secretary of State to the Minister of National Education. The seventh post was given to Director of National Radio and former Director of the Higher Institute for Information and Communications Latifa Akherbach. Akherbach will head up the State Secretariat to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Co-operation.
None of the twenty-eight previous governments included so many women. The greatest number was recorded by the re-structured administration of Prime Minister Abdellatif Filali in 1997, when four women were named as ministers. Ultimately they remained in office for only a few months, until March 1998. On this date, two women were appointed to the government: Aïcha Belarbi as Secretary of State and Moroccan Ambassador to the Council of the European Union and the European Community, and Nezha Chekrouni as Secretary of State with responsibility for the disabled. In September 2000, she was the only one to remain in the government.
Three women belonged to the November 7th, 2002 government. Yasmina Baddou led the State Secretariat for Families, Solidarity and Social Action. Nezha Chekrouni had retained her post as minister with responsibility for Moroccans living abroad. Secretary of State for Literacy and Informal Education Najima Rhozali lost her post in June 2004.
"Moroccan women are playing their part in the economic, political and social development of the country," women's rights activist Samira Mrabet told Magharebia. "They deserve to be recognised. In fact, thanks to the desire of various institutions to build a modern and democratic society, [women] have already passed important milestones politically and socially speaking." Political science professor Mohamed Jamoumi said the decision to boost the number of women in the government shows the desire at the highest levels to recognise women’s skills and the place they should occupy in Moroccan society. "This decision is historic and makes up for poor representation at the parliamentary level, which is reduced since the previous elections."
The Moroccan public has welcomed the increase, although some commented on the profiles of the women appointed. "It is a good move to appoint so many women to the government, but they should have chosen someone with a different profile for the culture ministry," said Ahmed Hassimi, a bank worker. Selma Farhani agreed. "I hope these women will work to create a good image of themselves in the public eye, even if some of them could have been replaced by others. For example, I see Latifa Akharbache running the communications ministry rather than foreign affairs," she told Magharebia.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2007/10/17/feature-01
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Out / Modern Moroccan.
By Daniel Rogov 
With beige walls, black drapes, attractive dark tables and a comfortable bar where one can drink or dine, Rishon Letzion's Oro is a haven for the eye in a somewhat run-down industrial zone. In a move no less pleasing for some, this is one of the few restaurants in the country where the smoking section is really and truly separated from the non-smoking section. Most importantly, under the eye of chef Guy Peretz, the Moroccan food served here has just enough of a modern Mediterranean touch to make it truly appealing.
As we were perusing the menu, we were presented with a loaf of simple but good home-baked bread, served hot from the oven. It came alongside a dish of roasted garlic cloves in a sweet date sauce, a slightly hot but good, smooth tomato-based salsa, and a plate with a small heap of dark garnet harissa sauce on top of two hot green peppers. The harissa, a traditional blend of dried red chili peppers, garlic, salt, coriander, cumin, caraway seeds and olive oil, was pleasantly hot. The two green peppers were so searingly hot that one can understand why some Moroccans believe there are fire-breathing dragons in the North African desert.
We chose to open our meal with two portions of "cigars." Almost four centimeters thick, these were much larger than the traditional North African dough-filled pastries, and they were conveniently halved so that they could be eaten with the fingers. The first, of deep-fried filo dough stuffed with sauteed veal sweetbreads tossed with spices and chopped date bits, was delicious; the sweetbreads were just tender enough, the dates added a nice touch of sweetness and the dough was light and crisp. Served with a sauce of date syrup and Cabernet Sauvignon wine, the dish was a treat. Almost as tempting was another plate of cigars. This one was filled with small chunks of veal, chopped roasted almonds and a Ras al-Hanut spice mixture. Ras al-Hanut can contain more than 100 different spices, all depending on the whims of the chef. Until the early 1990s, the mixture not infrequently contained Spanish fly, which is still considered by many to be an aphrodisiac. However, Spanish fly can have fatal effects and is now illegal throughout Morocco, so aphrodisiac powers the mixture did not seem to have. It did, however, contain cardamom, mace, nutmeg, cinnamon and chili peppers, all toasted and ground together.
We continued by sharing a serving of Mugdur sardines. The large sardines were split open, filled with a blend of fish eggs, chopped cilantro and green peppers, coated with seasoned breadcrumbs and fried. These also were best eaten with the fingers, as is done in Morocco. The dish was bursting with flavor and, to add to its pleasure, it was served with a just chunky enough cream of pickled lemons that added an appealing touch of sourness.
Because the portions here are quite large, we decided to share a single main course. In keeping with tradition, we had a tagine. This stew was made from mutton, tossed with carrots, turnips, celery root and parsley root, blended generously with aromatic herbs and seasonings. The dish was cooked slowly, and the just fatty enough meat was soft enough to cut without a knife. The flavors of the meat, vegetables and herbs came together beautifully. With our strong closing espressos, we sampled a pleasant but not special kada'if, with chalvah parfait enclosed in pastry and topped with a coconut sorbet.
Throughout our meal the service was responsive and friendly. The wine list is somewhat basic but we opted for a bottle of the not-at-all complex but quite pleasant Cabernet Sauvignon from the Golan Heights Winery's Golan Series, and because it was a hot day, we added two ice cubes to our wine as we sipped it. Based on the dishes we had, the food bill for two will come to a very reasonable NIS 270, to which a bottle of the wine we selected will add NIS 85. Fixed-price lunches cost about one-third less than that. The place is definitely worth visiting.
Oro: 16 Moshe Becker Street, Old Industrial Area, Rishon Letzion. Open Sun-Thurs noon-1 A.M., Friday until 1 hour before Shabbat; Saturday night until midnight. Tel. (03) 950-7085. Kosher.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/911657.htmlDining
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Mixing It Up in Morocco: Filmmaker Mohamed Ismail’s latest could mark the beginning of a beautiful Casablanca protest.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007 By FilmStew Staff
The 9th Annual National Festival of Moroccan Cinema in Casablanca is gearing up for what is expected to be a raucous premiere on October 18th. That’s because the film in question, Mohamed Ismail’s Goodbye Mothers, dares to depict the peaceful co-existence in 1960s Casablanca of two families – one Muslim and one Jewish – at a time historically when many Jews were faced with the dilemma of whether or not to emigrate to Israel.
Two years ago in Morocco, writer-director Laila Marrakchi’s romance Marock, about a Jewish man’s love affair with a Muslim woman of aristocratic background, caused a great deal of controversy among critics and the public, even though Marrakchi insisted that her underlying theme was one of conciliation. Maya Film, producers of Goodbye Mothers, expect the same kind of reaction to their film, which, following its festival premiere, is slated to hit movie theaters in Tangiers and other parts of the country by the end of the year.
Ismail is perhaps best known for his 2002 film Et Apres?, which featured Victoria Abril and depicted life in Morocco through the eyes of a young male chauvinist, happy to avail himself of European female company but weary of his sister venturing out of the house. Ironically, given the setting of his latest feature film, the cinema industry in Morocco only really began in the 1960s, with 1968’s Vaincre pour Vivre considered the country’s first legitimate feature-length film production.
The film festivals launched in Casablanca in 1998, as well as those of Tangiers (1995) and Marrakesh (2001), has played a critical role in buttressing indigenous cinema to the next level. And with artistic expression and expansion comes the inevitable spot fires of controversy.
http://www.filmstew.com/showArticle.aspx?ContentID=16498
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'Remarkable' Morocco praised by IMF on its economic progress.
11 October 2007
Morocco has recently being referred to as ‘remarkable’ by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in recognition of its economic progress over the last year. Rob Shaw, Marketing and Operations Manager for Morocco Properties says, “The level of success that Morocco has achieved over the last year has been phenomenal and I am not all surprised by these latest rewarding comments from the IMF. Morocco’s diversification from traditional industries has been the key, but also its determination to combat inflation and to encourage overseas investment, have resulted in this ‘remarkable’ turn around. Morocco until recent years was off the radar for most people looking to invest into the overseas property market. However new government backed initiatives have transformed the country and Morocco is now a contender for one of the most successful emerging markets to date.”
Rob continues, “Proof of the extraordinary success of Morocco can also be seen by the success of Atlas Blue Airline a subsidiary of Royal Air Maroc, which is expected to announce an increase in passengers to the tune of 80% compared to last year. Morocco is developing at a tremendous rate and with its close proximity to Europe, investors are aplenty.”
Morocco Properties Ltd is now marketing Villas Du Soleil, a new Le Jardin De Fleur resort within the magnificent Government backed project, Mediterrania Saïdia. This unique gated development will provide 76 spacious, modern villas, with private swimming pools, set in large landscape plots. Built to a traditional design, inspired by a luxury Bedouin theme, they will provide premier accommodation, with an al fresco dining area, en suite bathrooms, fully fitted kitchens, luxury furniture, marble floors, satellite TV and air conditioning.
At walking distance from the beach and front line to one of three championship golf courses, there will be outstanding views on offer. The resort will also boast a lagoon style swimming pool, tennis courts, gymnasium, children’s area and a clubhouse incorporating a restaurant, bar, 24 hour reception and security. Each owner will also receive a ‘club card’ which will enable them to access all of the other facilities within Le Jardin De Fleur’s 11 resorts. Prices start from just £223,000 at this off plan stage, with expected high capital appreciation by completion in 2010 and owners have the opportunity of a superb rental income by the in house management team.
For more information, visit moroccoproperties.net.
http://www.easier.com/view/International_Property_News/Morocco/article-143801.html
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Has the Almerian pepper crisis affected the pepper sector in Morocco?
10/11/2007
"The Almerian crisis has been dramatic for the entire profession”. The pepper crisis that occurred last December in Almería barely affected the pepper sector in Morocco. One key factor was an increase in selling prices, but the export volume remained stable for all varieties of pepper.
A total of 35,200 tonnes was exported in the 2006 campaign, whereas in 2007 the total tonnage was 34,400 in the period from October to May, according to the Moroccan Association of Fruit and Vegetable Producers and Exporters (APEFEL).
“The Almerian crisis has been dramatic for the entire profession, and the consequences have been an increase in pesticide control and an intransigent application of the regulations”, APEFEL’s spokesman said. There was a slight rise in the number of contracts that Moroccan companies received from Europe: “This year we have observed an increase in the number of European purchase groups and retailers, but the growth of the area is quite gradual, since the main companies are Spanish”, the APEFEL spokesman observed.
Moroccan companies also face logistical problems: “Morocco has its own logistical problems. The cost of transporting 14 tonnes of product from Agadir, in Morocco, to Perpignan, in southern France, is nearly EUR 4,000. Our production costs must be reduced in order to improve profitability.”
Morocco is ready to provide properly certified peppers to the European market, while the retailers are intransigent on control levels. Over 70% of the pepper harvest from Moroccan companies has been grown under biological control in this campaign. In the case of the Fusetto and sweet blocky varieties, several companies have applied IPM techniques to 100% of the harvest.
APEFEL added that the development of the crop benefits from Morocco’s climate, which is similar to that of Almería: “There are few countries apart from Israel that could consider growing in the winter period. The cost of the pepper shipments in the winter season has to come down, if a regular supply chain between Morocco, the Netherlands and the UK is to be established”, the association said.
Source: S&G Peppers Today, www.pepperstoday.com
http://www.freshplaza.com/news_detail.asp?id=9243
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King of Morocco Attends Lecture By Duke Professor Ebrahim Moosa.
Friday, October 12, 2007 Durham, NC -
Professors routinely travel to other locales to deliver speeches, but Ebrahim Moosa’s recent trip to Morocco was far from the ordinary. This week, Moosa delivered a lecture, “Ethical Challenges in Contemporary Islamic Thought,” that was hosted by His Majesty King Muhammad VI of Morocco and was held in the renovated Qarawiyin Mosque in the historic city of Fez. Attending the lecture, which came during the holy month of Ramadan, were the king, a royal entourage, scores of diplomats, Moroccan government representatives, ministers and senior representatives of the armed forces, among others.
“It was a real honor to be invited to speak to such a distinguished audience,” said Moosa, an associate professor of Islamic Studies and associate director of research at the Duke Islamic Studies Center. “The event reached a whole new level of significance when it was held in the Qarawiyin mosque, the oldest mosque-university where advanced Islamic education continues to this day,” he added. “I was humbled by the fact that I was surrounded by such an extraordinary historical aura, where great scholars of Islam in the past occupied the professorial chair.”
The event held other historical significance. Moosa was the first South African scholar of Islam to be invited to deliver one of the eight lectures spread over the month of Ramadan and one of only a few U.S.-based scholars to receive this honor. The lecture, delivered in Arabic, was nationally broadcast in Morocco and beamed to other parts of the Arabic-speaking world and Western Europe.
“At a time of turmoil, for an American to be invited to deliver this lecture during Ramadan at the foremost and oldest Islamic university is very overwhelming,” said Ahmed Tijani Ben Omar, secretary general for the African International Mission for World Peace who attended the lecture. “There were important Muslim scholars from all over the world. It proved to be a useful forum in which America can start rebuilding its image in the Arab-Muslim world.
“America should be proud that we have prominent Muslim scholars such as Professor Moosa who are recognized around the world. He was a wonderful ambassador, not only for Duke University but also for the United States.”
During his presentation, Moosa addressed a wide range of issues related to how inherited Muslim traditions and practices are applied in times when social experiences and human imagination are very different to the times in which such practices originated. Past Muslim scholars discovered legitimate and relevant ways to express Islamic values and such practices differed from one epoch to another while also being consistent in some fundamental practices such as rituals, he noted.
Moosa called for a greater interaction and engagement of the humanities and social sciences with traditional Muslim disciplines such as the science of the interpretation of the Qur’an, theology and law. Such meaningful engagements can result in productive and innovative outcomes for a dynamic interpretation of Islamic thought that can respond to the needs of the hour and the challenges of the time, he said.
Moosa also pointed out that while there was a great deal of hostility toward Islam, a good deal of this criticism was the direct result of Muslims themselves violating the values and teachings of Islam. Islamic teachings are often criticized for its treatment of women, Moosa noted, but Muslims themselves do not live up to the standards dictated by the faith in terms of the treatment of women. Why is it a fact that in many parts of the Muslim world women are still being subjected to degrading family law practices? , he asked. “Why do people continue to turn a blind eye to honor killings?”
Values such as compassion, purity, tolerance, courage and, humility, he argued, should become the main features of Muslim society. In addition, he urged that Muslim societies, especially Muslim civil societies, establish a global moral consensus around at least two fundamental values: first, pluralism and tolerance, and second, the need to adopt non-violent means to settle internal differences. Violence had become endemic in Muslim societies, among others. He especially condemned suicide bombings and denounced those groups who wanted to turn the whole world into a theater of war and any person as a legitimate target of revengeful violence.
While nations and communities have a right to defend themselves against occupation and the violation of their rights, Moosa cautioned against those who justify the use of any means to achieve such goals. Only just means can be used to reach just ends, he said. Violence destroys Muslim talents, abilities and infrastructure that takes decades to build and such acts only furthers the cycle of helplessness and despair that lead to more violence. A moral consensus on a set of values, if adopted and implemented widely, can only serve to advance Muslim societies to levels of greater prosperity, cultural flowering and roles of leadership in world affairs, Moosa said.
He urged moral leaders to speak out in favor of Islam’s universal values. The Prophet of Islam had warned that if Muslims failed to speak out and through their silence stifled Islam’s moral message, then their faith would be rendered a strange phenomenon in the world. In the words of the Prophet Muhammad, Islam would become an exiled stranger if there were moral complacency and such a condition is unacceptable to people of faith, he stated in his address.
Bruce Lawrence, the Nancy and Jeffrey Marcus Humanities Professor of Religion at Duke and director of the Duke Islamic Studies Center, said the U.S. “has few better allies in the Arab/Muslim world than the Kingdom of Morocco. The king is not only a devout Muslim but once a year he convenes a group of all his top advisors, and major religious leaders, to reflect on their collective hope for a better Muslim future, beginning with Morocco.
“Dr. Moosa delivered a 40-minute speech in flawless Arabic, a feat covered by national television in Morocco and reported soon after as the headline story of the major daily, Le Matin. Its message: Ethical strategies from Muslim sources to counter religiously inspired violence and promote pluralism. There could hardly be a more timely message or a more talented messenger, and Duke produced both.”
The lecture series is named after the late King Hasan, the father of the current king of Morocco who initiated the tradition of honoring Muslim scholars of religion from around the world. The lectures also follow a long Islamic tradition where scholars lecture to political leaders and the public at large on relevant and topical issues of the day in the form of academic teaching and moral counseling.
http://www.dukenews.duke.edu/2007/10/moosa.html
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Where worlds collide: Kingdom's first capital a mosaic of cultures
By JIM WILSON, SUN MEDIA October 15, 2007 FES, Morocco
We are rounding the bend, the satellite-tipped rooftops of Fes coming into view in the valley below, when Marrakchi Benjaafar forgets his role as an official with the Moroccan tourist office and briefly turns into ... Stevie Wonder? "Isn't She Lovely ...," he suddenly sings, a smile creasing his 60-year-old face as if he were a child. Marrakchi was born and raised in Fes and recently bought a fixer-upper in the old section, next to his cousin's. The impromptu outburst is from the heart. He is coming home and the happiness, he would say later, "stops time."
Now, settlers from Europe, and from different tribes within Morocco itself, have made Fes a mosaic as colourful as the carpets it is famous for. It is a city that, as Marrakchi says, "belongs to all Moroccans" -- even if they are Jewish (although the old Jewish sector has pretty much disolved into the core).
The imam may still call for prayer five times a day from numerous minarets but in Fes, race, religion and gender are uniters, not dividers. Still, this is Morocco and modernism only goes so far, particular in Fez el Bali ("the old" sector). Venture through the gates into the steeply walled city and prepare to be lost in a world gone by. Here a 25 sq. km labrynth of lanes and passages, stairs and cul de sacs, some no more than a metre wide, have been said to leave even long-time residents longing for a GPS.
Tourists? Well, you probably won't get hassled but you might get coaxed into buying something when you stop to ask directions. It is a warren of traditional souks and craftsmen, food carts, potters and tanners and dyers, spice shops and a communal wood oven. Prayer halls and ancient mosques hide behind mammoth doors almost as old as the medina itself. And just dip into one of the many riads -- or old guesthomes -- and be prepared to be left breathless by the soaring cedar ceilings and intricately tiled walls.
In one section, gleeful school girls teem out of a Koranic school and mob a foreigner holding a camera. In another, a man purchases a live chicken and has it butchered at once to his liking. But if Fes is a year-long festival, it only takes you minutes to reach the serenity of olive groves and a few more minutes to reach nirvana. And we're not talking about the unlikely, if magnificent, Fez Golf Course.
No, this comes with a more proper name: Sothermy, the oldest -- dating back to Roman times -- and largest hot springs in the country. Legends abound about its healing properites but the approximately one million people a year -- mostly Moroccans -- who transform the tiny village of Moulay Yacoub into Spa City -- certainly buy into it. You can skip the pedicure, manicure and massage and just immerse yourself for a day in a sulphur sauna and steaming mineral baths for about $10.
Nestled in the heart of the Middle Atlas mountains, Fes is about three-hour drive inland of Casablanca, which, despite the romanticism -- thank you, Humphrey Bogart -- acts, looks and smells like any European city. It is also the main transport hub but fortunately the real Morocco lies not far away. One hour along the coast to be precise, is Rabat, the kingdom's current capital, both geographically and culturally.
This is a city dominated by 12th-century ramparts of the Oudaia Kasbah, a fortress once built to protect the city from foreign crusaders but now embracing them like a long-lost relative. Here, young people mingle along the sea wall with displays of affection practically unheard of in other Muslim countries, where ochre walls, a trademark of life in the kingdom, has given way to a stunning azure, in deference to Moorish settlers. http://travel.canoe.ca/Travel/Africa/2007/05/13/4185016-sun.html
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USA receive only 4% of Moroccan exports, study .
Casablanca, Oct.8
The United States Of America receive only 4% of Morocco's exports, against a 25% share for Jordan and 21% for China, says American expert in management Suzanne Moyer, in a recent study, entitled "How to conquer the American market". Underlining that Moroccan companies should be in conformity with some adaptations (buyer-seller relations, language, product packaging...) to capture the US market that represents 26% of world production, the expert notes that more than two thirds of successful managers in the American market have underlined the importance of external assistance (IESC, NBO, AMCHAM) to do business in this country. According to Ms Moyer, Over 80% of these managers speak English fluently and more than half of them consider that their studies abroad were a key element in their success.
To capture the American market, the study also insists on field promotion, citing the cases of some countries such as Turkey, India and Malaysia, which have established promotion agencies in the USA to attract the American investors. Concerning the difficulties to operate in the USA, the study notes that 80% of the interviewed managers say they content to do business with Europe to the detriment of the American market, though 90% of successful businessmen in the American market have already succeeded in Europe.
75% of managers mention geographical distance as an obstacle hindering development of trade with the USA, the study points out, adding that several Moroccan managers believe that the Americans do not see Moroccan businessmen as potential trade partners because of distance, which was mentioned the most often among the logistics problems (time and cost of delivery). As opposition, Ms Moyer mentions the examples of China and Jordan, which despite distance, have developed trade exchange with the USA. This proves that "distance is not a real obstacle," she concludes.
Thanks to the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), enforced on January 1st, 2006, Moroccan-US trade exchanges flared up 44%, totalling 1.396Bn in 2006, according to official estimates. This agreement provides for total customs duties exemption for flower exports and an 80% reduction for products like vegetables and fruits. Moroccan exports to the United States netted USD 521.2Mn, i.e. a 17% increase, while American exports to Morocco reached USD 875.5Mn (+67%). In 2006, Morocco exported to the United States electric machinery (USD 122Mn, +15%), clothing (USD 100Mn, +75,5 %), canned food (USD 31Mn, +41 %) as well as fruits and walnuts (USD 10Mn,+78 %) while it imported planes (USD 250Mn, +51%), grain (USD 163Mn, +98%) and plastic (USD 46Mn, +1112%).
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/economy/usa_receive_only_4/view
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New USD75Mn tourist village in Marrakech.
Marrakech, Oct. 3
Marrakech will host a USD 75Mn holidays village to promote tourism in this city upon an agreement signed, here Tuesday, between Morocco's private banking group "Banque Marocaine du Commerce Exterieur" (BMCE) and French tourism operators. Built on 18ha, Al Baraka village will include two 4-star hotels of 250 rooms, a 3-star hotel club of 300 rooms, polyvalent hall of 300 places, a SPA and a sports center. The project benefits from the expertise of Groupe Alliance in building and development, Actif Invest in the management of real estate funds, and Nouvelles Frontières in the project marketing and exploitation.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/economy/new_usd75mn_tourist/view
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Morocco counts no less than 300,000 schizophrenics.
Rabat, Oct. 11
Morocco would count no less than schizophrenic people, according to figures released by the AMALI Association working in close relation with people suffering psychiatric disorders, during a meeting held Wednesday on the occasion of the World Mental Health Day. The professionals taking part in the meeting stressed the necessity of a joint action by the people concerned, the practitioners, the associations and the families, underlining the importance of early screening since the appearance of the first signs of the disorder.
Actually, those signs are first detected during adolescence, hence the need to diagnose the illness at this age. The problem is that teenagers don't realize their disease, which complicates the job of providing them with efficient care, according to the psychologists and psychotherapists partaking in the meeting. In this case, it is the parents who are called to report any anomaly in the behavior of their children, said Dr. Selwa Kjiri psychologist and psychotherapists at the Razi Hospital in Salé, Rabat twin city.
Schizophrenia, she said, can affect youths aged 15 to 25, a period marked by a number of physical and psychological mutations. The illness can be revealed in two forms: either through positive symptoms embodied in hallucinations, or negatives symptoms mainly appearing as a withdrawal. On the causes of schizophrenia, Dr. Kjiri cited the neuro-developmental theory, which suggests that this disorder is an organic illness having genetic roots that associates other factors such as stress.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/social/morocco_counts_no_le/view
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Argan Oil: A Healthy Oil With a Conscience.
By Lisa Sim , Epoch Times Milwaukee Staff / Oct 12, 2007
What is really yummy with warm goat cheese and French bread and helps more than 10,000 people in a remote village in Morocco? Give up? Argan oil! Never heard of it? Well, it is a hand-pressed, delicious new oil that has helped take ethical business practices to new heights! This superior golden oil is also winning the affection of top chefs from around the world. Superb in quality and taste, it is quickly becoming popular with olive oil aficionados.
Argan oil comes from the nuts of the Argan trees. The indigenous Berber people of Morocco prize the oil for a variety of reasons and have used it for several centuries. With its high vitamin E content of tocopherols, twice as many as olive oil, Argan oil is loaded with antioxidants. The omega-9 and omega-6 content is over 80 percent. A rare combination of sterols (schottenol, 45 percent; spinasterol, 37 percent) help prevent cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, according to university studies.
But what really makes this oil so special is that the company Argand'or, which believes in Fair Trade, produces some of the finest Argan —organic and handcrafted by the indigenous Berber women. Moroccan native Mohamed El Karz, founder of the company, said he became involved with producing Argan oil by accident. "While drilling water during an infrastructure project, I discovered the endangered Argan forests and the indigenous Berber women. The women used the nuts in cooking, to make medicine and skin treatments. I thought these kind people could sustain themselves from this very special oil if they only had a market."
It was at that time he formed a partnership with Rudolph Bresink to help the Berber women get their oil into international markets. "At first the attempts to get the women's cooperatives together did not go well because of resistance from the Berber men," Mohamed explains. "Finally, after much discussion with the head men of the tribe, we formed our first co-op after 10 years of hard work. The women back then were very shy and could not even leave the house without the approval from the men." Mohamed and Rudolph persisted. "With the help of the German company I was working for, we gave the women of the co-op a chance to learn how to read and write. This was a special breakthrough for us and them," said Mohamed.
These were not the only obstacles involved with getting Argand'or off the ground. The partnership had to gain the trust of the women in the co-ops. The women insisted on processing the oil by hand, the way it's been done for thousands of years. This ensured them that the oil stayed in the villages, the craft would survive, and they would always have work. Mohamed agreed. He explained that quality was a top priority, and the women could gather the best nuts right from the trees and take those nuts to the production wheel to make the finest, freshest oil. It takes 20 pounds of nuts and 8 hours of work to make one 12 ounce bottle of oil.
Argan oil has been mechanically engineered in Morocco for many years. Those companies were not happy about the women's co-ops that Mohamed and Rudolph were forming. "I received many verbal threats," said Mohamed. "Because we supported the women and their interests, we were attacked often back then." Soon the tediously hand-pressed fresh oil started winning top awards. In 2005, it was awarded product of the year at the prestigious organic Bio-Fach convention in Germany. Organic magazines like ODE took notice and selected Argand'or as one of the most inspiring and sustainable products in the world. Star chefs across Europe use the oil regularly, and even the King of Morocco has personally honored the women's co-ops.
Since then, there are now over a thousand women involved in making the hand-pressed Argan oil for Argand'or, and more are in line waiting to get involved. The oil supports over 10,000 families. "Our strategies were based on innovation and being socially responsible. Many other companies can learn from us," said Mohamed. Mohamed is optimistic about the company's future: "With our new partner Stephan Hauke, from the United States, we hope to bring this fine product forward to the American people."
Argan oil is delightfully nutty and enhances goat cheeses and Brie wonderfully.
Argan Oil Honey Spread Start your morning with this nutritious breakfast spread.
Mix Honey and Argan oil in mixing bowl. Spread on bagels, toast, or French baguette. Makes ¼ cup (4 servings)
Amlou A Berber breakfast classic. Combines roasted almonds with Argan oil and honey.
Grind almonds in a food processor to paste. Put almond paste in mixing bowl. Stir in Argan oil. Stir in honey. Serve on bagels, toast, or crepes. Makes 1 cup (8 servings)
Asparagus Salad
Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add asparagus spears, butter, and salt. Cook asparagus for about 6 –10 minutes.
Hard boil an egg. Prepare vinaigrette by mixing Argan oil, Aceto Balsamico, mustard, salt, and ground pepper in a bowl.
Stir in two tablespoons of water used to boil the asparagus. Peel hard-boiled egg and cut in small cubes.
Arrange whole spears on plates. Pour vinaigrette over asparagus. Finish by sprinkling egg dices and basil over asparagus. Serve lukewarm. Serves 2
Tip: For a more European version, try to get hard-to-find white asparagus. Thoroughly peel spears before cooking. Use white balsamic vinegar and replace basil wit.
Recipe used with permission from futuregreen.net . http://en.epochtimes.com/news/7-10-12/60633.html
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Cinematographic museum opens doors south.
Ouarzazate, Oct.10
A new cinematographic museum has opened doors in the southern city of Ouarzazate (528 kms south of Rabat). Spanning over 2ha, this facility is entitled to become a hot spot for visitors thanks to its location in the heart of the city and in front of the famous Kasbah (Islamic fortress) of Taourirt. The museum was erected in a former Italian movie studio, which was established in the first half of the 90s. It includes a projection room, a theater and an IT room. The city of Ouarzazate, the gate to the Grand South of Morocco, opens to large horizons of the desert sand and the snowy slopes of the High Atlas. Thanks to its gorgeous landscapes, the city received the most important movie productions such as "Jesus in the shadow of the lord", "Paul of Tarsus", "Judas and Jesus", "Lawrence of Arabia", "Babel", "Kingdom of heaven", "Nativity" and "Gladiator".
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/imp_culture/cinematographic_muse/view
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Oregonian a bit adrift in Morocco.
By James Mattiace Monday, October 15, 2007 RABAT, Morocco
Most of the beautiful things about Oregon are not readily apparent until one leaves the state. I’ve heard this from others who left, but never really knew what they were talking about until we experienced the same thing. In February, I accepted a job in Morocco teaching at the Rabat American School. My wife, Amanda, and I landed here in August and have been getting accustomed to all the ins and outs of Moroccan life, including waiting two months for Internet access and for our shipment personal belongings.
Ramadan, a sacred month of Muslim fasting, is just ending, and 99 percent of Morocco is Sunni Muslim. The normal slow pace has been reduced even further. As a native New Yorker who had to slow down when I arrived in Oregon 10 years ago, life crawls by now.
This is a beautiful country with a young and vibrant population — 60 percent of Moroccans are younger than age of 24. Moroccans are generous to a fault, gregarious, and very friendly. My rapidly improving French and slowly developing Arabic have allowed us to make friends with a host of people we already admire.
However, there are three things I miss greatly about Oregon.
The first involves politics. Morocco is about the size of California. We live in Rabat, the relaxed, laid-back coastal capital of 1.2 million people. King Mohammed VI’s palace is a stone’s throw from the school where I teach geography, history and political science. The student body is made up of the children of cabinet ministers, embassy folks, wealthy Moroccans, and other politically inclined parents.
One would think the air crackles with political energy. In fact, it’s nearly opposite.
Parliamentary elections were about four weeks ago, mostly ignored by Western media and Moroccans alike. Turnout was a paltry 37 percent of eligible voters. There are many reasons for this, of course.
The low rate of participation is quite a shock to my system, coming from such a politically involved place as Oregon. We have our absentee ballots and we will enthusiastically vote yes on measures 49 and 50. I miss the verbal dialogue, the regular discussions about politics that color all conversations, and the spirit of initiative that pervades Oregon.
The sense that an involved and committed citizenry can effect change, that elected leaders are a grocery store conversation away, that vast public forums exist for dialogue, and that groups such as the Bus Project and the City Club of Eugene exist to foster dialogue are all missing here. And I miss them.
The second thing I miss about Oregon is the environmental ethos. Since we arrived I have been hoarding every piece of recyclable refuse in the vain hope that I might one day find a place for it. All around us — on the beautiful beach we live near, in the streets we bike on to work and the all over the parks and green spaces — plastic litter abounds. Much of it is burned, and the smell of burning hydrocarbon is definitely present.
Along the same vein, simple land use planning is a foreign concept here, and as a result cities like Rabat are sprawling, with uncontrolled growth on its fringes. Once beautiful riparian areas are becoming littered with the castoffs of civilization. The empty spaces between are being filled in, and traffic is becoming horrendous.
Finally, and this seems pedantic, but I miss Northwest beer. Alcohol is sold here, although technically not legally to Muslims — but nothing made on Earth surpasses Oregon’s microbrews. We make do with the local brews, but I find myself wishing I could run down and grab a six pack of Bridgeport, Full Sail or Rogue.
Truly, the things I thought I’d miss and do (friends, comfort level with the familiar, and convenience) are particles of the larger picture that makes Oregon a wonderful place; a politically involved, committed citizenry with one eye on Oregon’s natural beauty, and another on the tap. I hear my friends at the Bus are going to be combining all three Oct. 30.
It sure would be nice to be there.
James Mattiace (jamesmattiace@yahoo.com) is the former chairman of the Lane Bus Project. He is on a two-year leave from Springfield Public Schools to teach at the Rabat American School in Morocco.
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?mid=5995
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Debate Over Policies to Assist Beggars.
Inter Press Service (Johannesburg) 15 October 2007. Nouri Zyad/ Marrakesh.
Morocco's social development minister, Abderrahim Harrouchi, says efforts are underway to address the plight of thousands of beggars in the North African country. "We have put in place a strategy based on three approaches: the first deals with the social aspect, the second with the legal aspect, and the third concerns communication," he told IPS during a telephone interview. "We are working with the aim of integrating the beggars in their families, where they have them; if not, we place them in social centres, in the charge of government." Small, income-generating projects are also offered to the beggars. "But the difficulty is that the beggars earn more by begging," said Harrouchi.
An elderly female beggar who recently featured on one of Morocco's national television stations was reported to own two houses and be on the point of buying a third in Casablanca, the economic capital. She also possessed the tidy sum of about 14,000 dollars, according to the television.
The minister's comments follow the release late last month of a report about a governmental study that put the number of beggars in Morocco at 200,000. Some 62 percent of beggars were found to be "professionals" who often exploited the handicaps of other beggars, or of children whom they sometimes hired to beg during the day. The children were then given a share of the day's takings.
In the capital, Rabat, and Casablanca, 80 percent of the beggars surveyed during the last six months were integrated in families, said Harrouchi -- while 18 percent were lodged in social centres. Legal action was taken against certain repeat offenders. However, civil society and political representatives believe government's strategy is inadequate in the face of this growing problem, and that the figure of 200,000 is questionable. "Government statistics still fall short of reality," observes Mohamed El Ghafri, a member of the National Co-ordination to Fight Against Price Increases in Rabat.
Mohamed Nasreddine, assistant secretary general of the National Union of Retired Civil Servants, claims the number of beggars in Morocco is about a million, referring to other studies he did not elaborate on. El Ghafri notes that the conservative economic policies Morocco's government has pursued are problematic when it comes to dealing with beggars, adding that the state should "distance itself from the directives of international financial institutions and re-assume its social responsibilities" in a bid to help the destitute. The report says that time and concerted effort will be required to reduce the number of beggars on Moroccan streets, as well as strategies that take into account the multifaceted nature of the problem.
It further indicates that most of those who beg are women, some divorced and with children to support -- some with husbands who are unable to work, laid off, or temporarily unemployed. Fatima, in her fifties, is one such woman. She can be found each day before one of the main mosques in Marrakesh, Morocco's second largest city. "I have appealed to the generosity of people for some years already, after the sudden departure of my husband, to meet the daily expenses of my household, the school fees of my four children and the rent for our modest home," she told IPS.
Asked whether she would accept a job as a servant, Fatima replied, without hesitating: "No! How do you think that the amount of 1,000 dirhams (about 120 dollars), in the best of cases, would enable me to pay all my expenses?" But she added that if the schooling of her children was taken care of, she would "willingly accept the job of a domestic."
The study, which surveyed 2,400 beggars from eight prefectures and provinces, further noted that 1.4 percent of respondents were retired civil servants. "The officials who are pensioned off live in a terrible situation because of a miserable (retirement) system and obvious governmental disregard," says Nasreddine, who is calling -- in part -- for this system to be thoroughly overhauled and pensions made tax free. He also highlights the need to "provide the widows (of officials) with at least two-thirds" of the minimum wage. They currently receive 50 percent of the salary of their deceased husbands.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200710160003.html
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