FOM Newsletter January 2004
Morocco Week in Review 
January  3 2004

Four agreements signed to promote low-cost housing Economics
Moroccan Jews Celebrate Annual Pilgrimage
China extends four-million-euro loan to Morocco
New Family Code Is Probed in Accordance with Quran, Says Minister
Morocco-EU Accord on Agriculture, "Crucial Step" to Implement Association Accord

Four agreements signed to promote low-cost housing Economics
12/29/2003

Four conventions were signed Friday on the use of public real estate and the set up of a guarantee fund for loans to promote low-cost housing, during a ceremony chaired by premier Driss Jettou. The accords aim to make housing affordable for the largest number possible of people with low income, part of the kingdom's global vision "10,000 dwellings annually until 2010." Under two of the documents, some 34,000 ha of State-owned real-estate will be put at the disposal of operators, which will make the final cost of houses lower. The two other conventions deal with the creation of two guarantee funds for bank loans granted for housing purposes. The first fund, called "FOGALOGE Public," will be dedicated to civil servants and the second, "FOGARIM," will specialize in populations with low and/or irregular income. FOGARIM will be backed by Moroccan Housing Solidarity Fund (FSH) contributions for three years. Morocco's low-cost housing projects "Essaouira Al Jadida" and the "A'nbar" project, implemented in the old town of Marrakech, won Wednesday the US$15,000 Best Arab Housing Project Award and the Merit Award, extended by the Arab Housing Ministers Council. The Moroccan projects were chosen among the most successful ones in the Arab states. Moroccan housing and urbanism minister, Toufiq Hjira, said at the prizing ceremony the awards evidence that Morocco's experience in low-cost housing is a pilot one in the Arab states. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/031229/2003122923.html 
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Moroccan Jews Celebrate Annual Pilgrimage
Tinzert (Southern Morocco) Dec. 29

Some 1,300 members of the Moroccan Jewish community are celebrating their ten-day annual pilgrimage in Tinzert, province of Taroudant, South of Morocco. Jews living in Morocco as well as others from the United States, Canada, France and Spain have gathered to celebrate this religious event taking place every year at the sanctuary of Rabin David Ben Baroukh. On Sunday, the pilgrims said prayers for the soul of the late king H.M. Mohammed V, considered as father of the nation, and for his son, the late king H.M. Hassan II. They also said prayers for the current king H.M Mohammed VI for the care he has always shown, like his father and grandfather, to the Jewish community whether in Morocco or abroad. The pilgrims also voiced their attachment to their country and to their leader, H.M king Mohammed VI. "We are Moroccans, we will remain so forever.. we thank His Majesty the King, the government and the local authorities for the huge efforts to organize this religious event in the best conditions", said a leader of this community. © MAP 2003 http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/eng.htm
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China extends four-million-euro loan to Morocco
31 December 2003

China has given Morocco a loan of 40 million yuan (3.8 million euros, 4.8 million dollars) to help finance public works projects, officials in Rabat said on Wednesday. China also gave the north African country a grant of 500,000 euros to finance several small-scale projects and the purchase of Chinese equipment, the officials said. Trade between China and Morocco reached 4.5 billion dirhams (400 million euros, 500 million dollars) in 2002, a 14.5-percent increase on 2001, according to the Moroccan chamber of commerce. Morocco exports phosphate, cobalt, natural and chemical fertilizer to China, while it imports Chinese tea, machinery, electronic goods and ceramics. Morocco currently chairs the G77 group of nations, which was founded to promote South-South cooperation and has acquired dozens of new members. The group remains the world's main coordinating forum for developing countries on trade and economic issues. Text and Picture Copyright © 2003 AFP. All other copyright © 2003 EUbusiness Ltd. All rights reserved. This material is intended solely for personal use. Any other reproduction, publication or redistribution of this material without the written agreement of the copyright owner is strictly forbidden and any breach of copyright will be considered actionable. http://www.eubusiness.com/afp/031231161601.opxzw7ib
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New Family Code Is Probed in Accordance with Quran, Says Minister
RABAT, Dec. 31

The "Chariaa" (Islamic Law) constitutes the referential of the draft Family Code, insisted, here Tuesday, the Moroccan Justice Minister, adding that each provision of this new code must be probed in accordance with the Quran and the Sunna (the Prophet's tradition). Mohamed Bouzoubaa was commenting the new Family Code, announced last October 10 by H.M. King Mohammed VI at the opening of the Parliament's fall session. This new Code which gives more rights to women is under scrutiny by the Justice Committee of the House of Representatives (Parliament's lower house). The Moroccan minister told MAP that discussions under way within this Committee are "inspired" by the speech delivered by the Monarch at the parliament. In a previous statement, Bouzoubaa, said that "Moroccan justice is well qualified for a better implementation of the family code." Addressing a periodical meeting with H.M. the kingdom's magistrates to survey ongoing reforms in this sector, the minister announced that a commission has been set up to prepare quickly a practical guide for (the interpretation) of the code. Besides, sections in charge of family justice will be operational in all courts by the end of March 2004, said the official, adding that 30 family justice specialized magistrates will be trained and special training sessions will be organized for magistrates working in this field. The new Family Code guarantees equality between men and women. Its implementation has been a source of concern for some women activists who fear the current justice system may not be well adapted to these reforms. Termed as "revolutionary" the new Family Code include raising the age of marriage age for girls to 18, places the family under the joint responsibility of spouses and imposes stringent conditions that make polygamy almost impossible. MAP 2003 http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/eng.htm
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Morocco-EU Accord on Agriculture, "Crucial Step" to Implement Association Accord
(Press) RABAT, Jan. 02

The entering into force on January 1 of the Moroccan-EU accord, on the progressive and mutual liberalization of agricultural exchanges, is a "crucial step" toward the implementation of the association accord with the European Union (EU), the Moroccan press deemed Friday. The Morocco-EU association accord provides for the gradual establishment by year 2010 of a free trade area in accordance with the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO). It also programs a progressive suppression of customs duties and other measures and restrictions imposed on industrial products. Over one year and a half of "stiff negotiations were necessary to reach a compromise between the two parties," writes the "L'Economiste" daily which pointed out that tomatoes export is among the most important aspects of the accord. The Moroccan-EU agreement on agriculture plans a progressive rise of Moroccan exports to the EU in exchange of the import of tender wheat from the Union under a system that takes into account the volume of the Moroccan national production of this product. "Le Matin du Sahara" explains that almost all Moroccan exports will benefit from a "preferential access" to the European market. Fruits and vegetables represent 80 percent of the overall trade exchanges with the EU, notes the paper. On its part, "L'Opinion" raised another aspect of the Moroccan economy, namely the textile sector which is facing a strong Chinese competition. The Moroccan textile sector, main source of currency, is "fragile" and "scanty," deplores the paper which deems that the main source of concern to Moroccan exporters is the "pressure of prices exerted by Asian competitors," mainly China. Morocco contributes only by 1 percent to the international textile trade which drew benefits valued at US $159 billion in 2002, the paper goes on. © MAP 2003 http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/eng.htm 

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