Virtual Magazine of Morocco on the Web
Morocco Week in Review 
April 5, 2008

Morocco's GDP growth falls to 2.1% in fourth quarter.
31/03/2008

Morocco's GDP growth in the fourth quarter of 2007 fell to 2.1%, from 8.1% in the same period in 2006, the High Commissioner for Planning (HCP) said on Friday (March 28th). Poor weather conditions were largely to blame for a 19.4% year on year decline in crop production. A 6% increase in non-agricultural GDP growth was unable to offset the impact of the agricultural slump. Apart from the mining and energy sector, which fell by 1.8%, industrial output was up 4.7%, driven largely by growth in the construction and public works sectors, which expanded by 8%. http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/newsbriefs/general/2008/03/31/newsbrief-05
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Real GDP growth in Morocco moves from 7.9% in 2006 to 3% in 2007.
Addis Ababa, Apr.3

The real GDP growth in Morocco gone down from 7.9% in 2006 to 3% in 2007, according to the 2008 Economic Report on Africa (ERA). This result is mainly due to unfavorable weather conditions and the decline in agricultural production in the North African country, the report points out. The report also stresses that the growth rate in the region of North Africa experienced a slight decline in 2007 to stand at 5.9% against 6.1% a year ago. As in previous years, growth remained strong in this region thanks to the increase in oil and gas production and rising oil prices, says the same source, adding that other factors spurred the growth, such as increased Foreign Direct Investments (notably towards Sudan) and public investment (Algeria and Libya). In 2007, Sudan registered the strongest growth rate (11%), followed by Egypt (7%) and Tunisia (6%), adds the document.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/economy/real_gdp_growth_in_m/view
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Bad weather hauls down economic growth to 2.1% in Q4 of 2007.
Rabat, Mar. 29

Unfavorable weather conditions have caused Moroccan economy growth to plummet to 2.1% in the last quarter of 2007, down from 8.1% during the same period of 2006, High Commissioner for Planning (HCP) said on Friday. The crop year, which had advanced 23.7% in the fourth quarter of 2006 over the previous year, made a negative progression of 19.4% in volume in quarter four of 2007, HCP said in its prospectus.

A weak 6% evolution of the non agricultural activities in the north African kingdom could not play munch in favor of the overall growth of economic, which rests mainly on agriculture, and depends on rainfalls. Except for mining and energetic activities, which advanced 1.8%, industrial activities progressed 4.7% in the said period, the document said, while the sectors of construction and public works, trade, accommodation and catering went up 10%, 4.8% and 12.8%, respectively. The prospectus also notes a 6.9% progress in the sector of transportation, adding that financial activities moved up 18.6%. The GDP, for its part, has augmented 2.8%, over the fourth quarter of 2006, according to the same source.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/economy/bad_weather_hauls_do/view
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Morocco in top ten destinations considered by foreign investors, Global Edge.
London, Apr. 4

Morocco has become one of the most appealing target to real estate promoters due to the major development projects set up since 2001, British "Global edge" said on Thursday. The company, which offers counseling to international real estate investors, underlined that since 2001, Morocco witnessed a huge leap in the field of tourism.

Since the launch of the Azur plan (designed to build six new sea resorts in the country) and Vision 2010 (aims to attract ten million tourists by 2010), major real estate and infrastructure projects have been launched, mainly airports extensions, implementing the open Sky policy, the same source added, recalling that many low cost airline companies, such as EasyJet and Rayanair have decided to operate in Morocco.

Increasing fight frequencies toward Morocco from many European countries made many Moroccan cities like Casablanca, Fès and Marrakech easier to reach for foreigners. According to a poll made by the company on the most favorable destinations for people looking for secondary residence abroad, Morocco figured among the top ten desired and considered destinations. http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/imp_economy/morocco_in_top_ten_d/view
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Agadir University hosts Maghreb theatre troupes.
04/04/2008

The 13th Agadir University International Theatre Festival opened on Wednesday (April 2nd) with performances by local and international university theatre troupes from Tunisia's Sousse Higher Institute of Fine Arts, Algeria's Sidi Belabes Jilali El-Yabes University, Iraq's Basra University of Fine Arts and a number of institutions in Marrakesh, Tétouan, Salé, Casablanca, and Agadir. Playwright, doctor of philosophy and drama teacher at the University of Rennes Bruno Tackels will moderate a roundtable on drama and philosophy. http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/newsbriefs/general/2008/04/04/newsbrief-05
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As Morocco faces ageing population, pension funds get renewed attention.
By Sarah Touahri  30/03/2008

Facing demographic change in Morocco, the long-term solvency of pension funds is at risk. The ratio of people working to those in retirement is falling. Workers do not want to increase their contributions or the age or retirement, and they hope the government will identify an equitable solution.

The debate over pensions in Morocco is taking centre stage once again. With the main pension funds posting financial deficits and their solvency being called into question, officials and technocrats are accelerating efforts to introduce far-reaching reforms in order to avoid a collapse. Moroccan pension funds are starting to feel the strain of demographic pressures, said Moroccan Interprofessional Pension Fund (CIMR) managing director Khalid Cheddadi. As the population ages and as public services employ fewer workers than in the past, he noted, the number of those paying contributions will continue to decrease year after year. If nothing is done, pension fund finances risk running seriously into the red.

Morocco's ageing population is not the pension funds' only problem. Because of a growing high number of self-employed professionals, agricultural workers and "informal" workers who do not benefit from labour legislation and collective bargaining agreements, Morocco currently relies upon only 30% of the working-age population to pay into the country's pension system. As it stands now, the Moroccan pension fund (CMR) is not expected to survive beyond 2019. The national social security fund (CNSS) can only honour its commitments up to 2016.

According to Minister of Economy and Finance Salaheddine Mezouar, Morocco is considering a general reform, not only to consolidate the funds' long-term balances but also to lay the foundation for a harmonious and coherent system. "Compulsory schemes based on collective solidarity can live alongside complementary optional products which offer a range of choices for individual initiatives," he told Magharebia.

Calls for action by concerned trade unionists have prompted the state to consider several scenarios to rescue the pension funds. These include creating a single national fund for everyone, standardising methods of calculation in private and public retirement funds, raising the retirement age to 65 or using a lifetime work history model (35 or 40 years of work before retirement, regardless of age). So far, nothing has been decided.

Workers hope the government will find an equitable solution without having to raise their contributions or the retirement age.

Public sector worker Moha Bakkali told Magharebia: "I can’t imagine myself retiring at 65 when life expectancy is 70 years. It wouldn’t be fair." "The State must face its responsibilities,” he said.

Morocco's pension system currently includes a number of funds. There is a fund for public workers in civil and military fields (Moroccan pension fund, or CMR); a fund for private sector workers (CNSS) managed by the CIMR (Moroccan interprofessional pension fund); and an organisation for those on State contracts (RCAR). Added to this are the various internal funds owned by certain public enterprises such as ODEP, ONCF, OCP and others. There is no co-ordination between these different schemes.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2008/03/30/feature-01
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Ecuadorian Rainforest Ventures to Morocco
2008-03-31 - Ecuadorian Rainforest, LLC. (ER)

Belleville, NJ, March 31, 2008.,- Ecuadorian Rainforest, LLC. (ER), a supplier of fine raw ingredients sent it’s vice president, Steve Siegel, roaming through the majestic country of Morocco to study spices, fruits and vegetables. From the deserts of the Sahara to the bustling markets of Marrakesh, Steve Siegel navigated his way through a country known for some of the worlds most exotic ingredients. Coriander, cumin, fenugreek, prunes, dates were just some of the ingredients explored.

The purpose of the adventure was to see how Ecuadorian Rainforest could further its catalog and provide clients with a more colorful selection of ingredients from this majestic land. Steve Siegel commented that, “Suppliers often get too comfortable sitting behind their desks blindly supplying ingredients they know nothing about. I chose to fly to country where only the locals can tell you about some of the wonderful ingredients the land has to offer and I could touch, taste and feel the ingredients.” ER hopes to continue negotiations with suppliers in Morocco and add their fine ingredients to the product catalog in the near future.

Founded in 1997 by Ecuadorian native, Marlene Siegel, Ecuadorian Rainforest, LLC., is a supplier of quality raw materials from not only South America but all over the world. With over 1000 products to choose from, quick lead time, and a responsible environmental work ethic, Ecuadorian Rainforest is dedicated to meeting your raw material supply needs. For more information on ER’s products and services, please go to www.intotherainforest.com
http://www.npicenter.com/anm/templates/newsATemp.aspx?articleid=20920&zoneid=2
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Morocco seeks to criminalise violence against women. By Sarah Touahri – 01/04/08

Moroccan officials announced last week that work is in progress on a draft bill outlawing domestic violence. The ministries of Social Development, Education and Islamic Affairs will also partner on a campaign aimed at fostering a culture of gender equality.

A newly-launched initiative by the Moroccan government to crack down on violence against women ranges from setting up more battered women's shelters to revising the Penal Code in order to criminalise gender-based violence. Minister of Social Development, Family and Solidarity Nouzha Skalli, who announced the action plan on March 27th, said it includes establishing 16 new centres this year for women who have been the victims of violence, conducting a national survey to determine the prevalence of gender-based violence and setting up a pilot rehabilitation centre aimed at helping men control violent behaviour caused by psychiatric problems.

Preparing a draft bill to outlaw violence against women, however, will be the primary focus, said the Ministry's director for women’s affairs, family and children, Naima Benyahya. Although the Moudawana, or Family Code, was expanded in 2006 to give women more rights in marriage and divorce, it is now time to re-open the debate and expand the Penal Code, she said.

"We need to give a precise definition of violence against women, add new provisions to the Penal Code to combat this problem and repeal others such as that concerning the proof which women must provide in cases where violence has occurred in isolation, with no witnesses," Minister Skalli explained to Magharebia, adding that a woman’s word should be taken as proof, as happens in other countries. She also highlighted the fact that the draft law was inspired by the principles of Islam, the values of Moroccan society and the progress already made by the country in protecting women’s rights.

Officials say a number of gaps in the law are hindering the campaign against violence. In addition, any plan to reform existing law and assure implementation of new legislation is compromised by a lack of specialist judges and staff experienced in social action. Statistics from the last three months are also creating a sense of urgency. According to the Ministry, monitoring services have already recorded some 17,000 cases of violence this year, 78.8% of which were committed by husbands.

Domestic violence stems from a male chauvinist mentality, Skalli argues, which is why her department, in partnership with the ministries of Education and Islamic Affairs, plans to launch awareness-raising campaigns to foster a culture of sexual equality. Siham Badawi, a member of the NGO "Dialogue for Development", told Magharebia that only state intervention can ensure that women are protected. "We’re eagerly awaiting legal reforms imposing tough penalties which will act as a deterrent for the great majority of men," she said. http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2008/04/01/feature-01
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Business outsourcing at the heart of Morocco's interests.
Author: BI-ME staff Source: BI-ME and media reports Published: 30 March 2008

Morocco is increasingly seeing its potential as a magnet for foreign companies. To maximise its appeal to investors and benefit young people who are working for the first time, Morocco will pay the full cost of training thousands of new 'offshoring' employees in 12 work specialities. Morocco is marketing itself as a destination for international operators. Five regions, including Casablanca, Rabat, Tangiers, Fez and Marrakesh, are set to welcome offshoring workers.

Many Western companies have benefitted from cheaper labour costs by outsourcing work to foreign countries in a process known as "offshoring". To develop the offshoring sector and position the country as a premier destination for foreign businesses, Morocco plans a large-scale employee training programme to provide a ready supply of workers.

"This sector is at the heart of our interests, because it is bursting with development potential, due to the high demand for services which will come from European countries over the next ten years," Prime Minister Abbas El Fassi said after the first meeting of the new Offshoring Strategy Committee last week. El Fassi, who chairs the committee comprised of government officials and business managing directors, added, "Morocco is a magnet for many companies who want to relocate."

The offshoring sector looks to play a big part in Morocco's goal of boosting GDP by more than MAD 110 billion and creating 100,000 jobs by 2015. According to Trade and Industry Minister Ahmed Reda Chami, a large number of international operators have already established bases in the country and signed memoranda of understanding with the Moroccan government.

Five regions are set to welcome offshoring workers: Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Fez and Marrakesh. In Casablanca and Rabat alone, some 35 companies have already signed leasing contracts. "We have made huge progress in this field," Chami said, adding that the foreign business influx has enabled the creation of 5,300 jobs.

In order to grow this sector, however, a large-scale training initiative is needed, said a member of the new offshoring committee. Mohammed Lasri, who manages a business park entirely dedicated to offshore investors, told Magharebia, "We must work on the human resources aspect, so that we can have highly-qualified personnel capable of keeping up with the work over the long term."

A national programme for offshoring employees plans to train 22,000 graduates by 2009 in 12 work specialities. The Office for Professional Training and Work Promotion (OFPPT), the National Agency for Promoting Employment and Skills (ANAPEC) and Moroccan universities will partner with the state for the training initiative.

To benefit young people who are working for the first time, the state will pay the full cost of the training assistance programme. It could run as high as MAD 65,000 per person over a period of three years.

Companies set up in the offshore zones will also benefit from a state contribution limiting the income tax burden for employees and total exemption from corporate tax for the first five years. Given the intense competition for offshore investment, these measures should put Morocco in a favourable position, officials say.

Economist Majidi Abderrahim agrees that Morocco will certainly be competitive. He argued, however, that the government should widen application of the incentive proposals. "We must also think about rolling out these positive measures to other areas not set aside for offshoring, so that investment is consistent."
http://www.bi-me.com/main.php?id=18653&t=1&c=33&cg=4
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Morocco seeks to produce over half its sugar needs.
Mon Mar 31, 2008 CASABLANCA, March 31 (Reuters)

Better irrigation, farming techniques and refining technology should allow Morocco to produce over half the sugar it consumes in coming years, the head of local sugar producer Cosumar CSMR.CS said on Monday. The North African kingdom imports between 650,000 and 700,000 tonnes of sugar per year, representing 55 percent of its national requirement, Cosumar Chief Executive Mohammed Fikrat told reporters in Casablanca.

The incentive to become more self-sufficient in sugar has grown after world market prices soared because the Moroccan government subsidises imported sugar to cut retail prices to levels affordable for its population. Cosumar, 55-percent owned by Moroccan conglomerate ONA ONA.CS, has acquired four underperforming state sugar refineries and is investing 1.6 billion dirhams ($219.8 million) over five years to expand domestic cane and beet growing and boost industry competitiveness.

A programme to improve sugar yields aims to take domestic production to as much as 700,000 tonnes from 450,000 per year currently, Fikrat said during a results presentation. Given that local demand is growing at 20,000 tonnes per year, "our rate of coverage should rise to 55-60 percent in the best case scenario, if we manage to develop all the possibilities to improve productivity," he said.

The area being cultivated for sugar this season is 57,678 hectares, he said, a figure up 12 percent from the previous season when agriculture suffered a severe drought. Beet provides three quarters of the sugar grown in Morocco. Imported raw sugar, mostly Brazilian cane sugar, is imported and refined at Cosumar's Casablanca refinery. "Today raw sugar prices are very volatile -- we must pay $400 to $420 dollars per tonne for sugar delivered to our factory in Casablanca," said Fikrat Fikrat said domestic sugar yields varied from 5 to 8 tonnes per hectare, compared to 12 tonnes for some European countries.

"Our ambition is to generalise productivity of over 8 tonnes," he said. The company's sales grew 6.9 percent last year to 5.46 billion dirhams while net income grew to 429.2 million dirhams from 264.5 million in 2006. ($1=7.280 Moroccan Dirham) (Reporting by Tom Pfeiffer; Editing by Christian Wiessner)
http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews/idUSL3119182220080331
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Morocco's GDP growth falls to 2.1% in fourth quarter. Published: 01 April 2008
MOROCCO. Morocco's GDP growth in the fourth quarter of 2007 fell to 2.1%, from 8.1% in the same period in 2006, the High Commissioner for Planning (HCP) said this week.

Poor weather conditions were largely to blame for a 19.4% year-on-year decline in crop production. A 6.0% increase in non-agricultural GDP growth was unable to offset the impact of the agricultural slump. Apart from the mining and energy sector, which fell by 1.8%, industrial output was up 4.7%, driven largely by growth in the construction and public works sectors, which expanded by 8.0%.

http://www.bi-me.com/main.php?id=18767&t=1&c=33&cg=4
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Morocco Imports Five Times More Wheat in First Two Months.
By Tarek Halim April 2 (Bloomberg)

Morocco, Africa's third-largest wheat importer, bought five times more grain in the first two months than a year earlier, the government's Office des Changes said. Imports rose to 894,100 metric tons from 175,800 tons, 80 percent of which was soft wheat, the Rabat-based bureau said March 31 in a monthly balance of trade report. That cost 2.92 billion dirhams ($397.3 million). Wheat accounted for as much as 6.6 percent of the 44.2 billion dirhams of goods imported in the period. France sold Morocco 228,100 tons, making it the biggest supplier ahead of Argentina and Canada with 184,600 tons and 180,600 tons, respectively. Soft wheat and durum wheat inventories were 844,200 tons and 243,400 tons as of March 15, according to government figures. Morocco reaped 77 percent fewer cereal crops in the 12 months through May 2007, with the harvest declining to a seven- year low of 2.54 million tons because of drought. The government in September suspended grain import tariffs through June. Egypt and Algeria are Africa's biggest wheat importers.
To contact the reporter on this story: Tarek Halim in Casablanca at thalim3@bloomberg.net.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601116&sid=aLE6h.Dbf2x8&refer=africa

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5,000 houbara bustards released in Morocco.
By a staff reporter  2 April 2008 ABU DHABI

In line with the UAE's strategic efforts to increase the number of houbara bustards in the wild, General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, has participated in the release of more than 5,000 North African houbaras (chlamydotis undulata) in an area of about 300 kilometres inside the eastern desert of Morocco.

The released houbaras were bred in captivity at the Emirates Centre for Wildlife Propagation (ECWP) in Missour, Morocco, according to a Press release yesterday. This release is considered to be the largest reintroduction of endangered species into the wild so far.
Houbara bustard, the specie that has been reintroduced, has been seriously threatened by a combination of detrimental factors besides the habitat loss.

The Abu Dhabi government has put in a great deal of effort at conserving the houbaras by building a sound scientific knowledge base about the bird and also by initiating sound management and conservation measures. Shaikh Mohammed said, "This release of the houbaras in North Africa was necessary to stem the continuous decline of houbara numbers due to the destruction of their wintering and breeding habitat, over-trapping and over-hunting in addition to illegal trade, all of which require persistent steps to restore a healthy houbara population in the wild."
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2008/April/theuae_April57.xml&section=theuae&col=
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The city of Fez celebrates 1200 years of existence in grand style.
By Sarah Touahri for 03/04/2008

Twelve centuries after Morocco's "cultural capital" was founded, the whole country is celebrating Fez. A musical extravaganza this weekend and activities throughout the kingdom are aimed at helping young people become proud of their country's history. A grandiose musical celebration will be held April 5th in Fez to mark the 1200th anniversary of the imperial city's foundation. The sound and light spectacular comes as part of a series of cultural, educational and artistic events planned throughout the kingdom in 2008, particularly in Fez and the other imperial cities of Marrakech, Meknès and Rabat, to commemorate twelve centuries of Morocco’s history. Saad Kettani, the high commissioner of the association responsible for planning the Fez anniversary gala, said the event will focus its attention on young people to make them proud of belonging to an ancient nation deeply rooted in history.

The city of Fez, known as the "cultural capital of Morocco", was founded in 808 by Idriss II. Fez represents "the start of the happy marriage between our Amazigh roots and Arabic-Muslim influences which, throughout the later history of Morocco, have been the very bedrock of 'Moroccanness'," Kettani noted. By drawing on collective memories and history and through sharing a vision of the city's cultural diversity and creative richness, organisers see the national celebration of Morocco's past as a means to launch it on the road to the future. The historical content will focus on sending out messages promoting knowledge and citizenship and will highlight the fundamental values of tolerance, openness, creativity and modernity. "This commemoration is the fruit of several months of work put in by a multi-disciplinary team which has dreamt up a rich and varied range of activities," Kettani said.

The festivities will revolve around several themes: "1st Regional Capital of Morocco", "The Islam of Spirituality and Tolerance", "Al-Qaraouiyine and the Religious Sciences", "The Feminine Perspective on History", "An Ethnic Convergence" and "A Crossroads for Academic Learning and Popular Know-How". The activities will be aimed at all Moroccans, men and women alike, but above all at the younger generations. In the towns and in the country, at school and at university, at leisure venues and through national and international media, organisers are encouraging everyone to become involved. They want to whip up as much enthusiasm as possible for the country's long history, in a spirit of fun and celebration, openness and community.

Those living in the city could not be happier at the celebration of such an event. Student Faouzia Koumiri said it is time to return the spiritual capital to its rightful place, rekindling the memories of a city which has produced so many historical riches. "Young people must be proud of their history. It’s an opportunity to learn how the city has developed through the centuries," she said. The musical concert, which begins the "1200th Anniversary of the Rising of the Moroccan Kingdom and the Foundation of Fez City" celebration, will be held in the Place Bab Boujloud on Saturday before an invited audience from home and abroad. http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2008/04/03/feature-02
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Morocco presents first biometric passports.
03/04/2008

Morocco's' National Police Service (DGSN) presented the first biometric passports on Tuesday (April 1st) in Rabat. The new passports are thought to be more secure and will replace four personal documents: birth certificate, proof of residency, nationality card, and life certificate. The new IDs will gradually replace the old documents by 2012. The DGSN plans to open 110 centres throughout the country to process applications for the new passports. Those living in remote areas will be able to file their applications at the nearest police station.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/newsbriefs/general/2008/04/03/newsbrief-03
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Consumers Unprotected, Activists Disarmed.
By Abderrahim El Ouali
CASABLANCA, Apr 3 (IPS) - NGOs are stepping in to support consumers in the absence of a law to protect them.

Twenty-five associations now work in the field of consumers' protection, according to the Tanmia (Development) independent group. Six months ago the Consumer Protection Association in Oujda (CPAO), a city 635 km east of Casablanca, with a population of nearly a million, opened a centre Le Guichet du Consommateur to deal with complaints from consumers.

The office has so far handled 180 cases, according to Moroccan daily al-Ahdath al-Maghribia. The centre also provides consumers with necessary information and advice. "But associations could do more if there were a modern law to protect consumers," Mohamed Abou Lifida, president of the Consumer Protection Association in Berrechid (CPAB), 32 km east of Casablanca told IPS.

A consumer protection bill has been pending since 1998 "and even revised several times in a way that would not allow enough protection for consumers," he said. "In the absence of law, other means to protect consumers remain inefficient," Mohamed Yasser Gmira, member of the Moroccan Human Rights Association (AMDH) told IPS. This is believed to limit the action that consumer protection associations can take, "and explains why most of them focus on communication with consumers rather than effective measures to protect them," Gmira says.

As the law stands, associations cannot complain against practices. That is for consumers to do – and they are not given the rights to. "There is a political push to stop the bill because it is against the interests of economic lobbies," Gmira said. In the absence of law, some leaders are calling on people to do more. Protecting consumers is "everyone's responsibility", Mostafa Lamodene, a writer and AMDH member campaigning against fraud over quality, told IPS. Lamodene, who campaigns through the web and local newspapers, says "law alone cannot be enough" and that "more engagement from the entire society is needed."

Morocco also lacks the technological tools to protect consumers. An example, Lamodene said, are some imported toys that contain toxic materials. "Some of these toys are not authorised for sale in the U.S. and Italy," Lamodene said, "because they have the necessary technological tools to discover what they really contain."

In Morocco, he said, "the matter has been raised on many websites, and by a daily local newspaper, and later by the state-controlled TV channel '2 M'. Specialists confirmed on TV that the toys contain toxic materials, but we did not hear about any measures on the part of authorities."

In the 1980s, the Moroccan government built makeshift schools using asbestos. "That kind of building has a limited useful life after which it becomes dangerous for health," Lamodene said. "We now expect related health problems with pregnant women and new-born children especially."

The lack of a consumer protection law hits citizens' health, and also their pockets. Samir Jaafari, president of the Moroccan Confederation of Consumers Associations (MCCA), says the absence of law has a direct impact on the quality and price of bank services. "These are similar in form and content and do not allow the consumer to put pressure on banks on a competitive basis," Jaafari told journalists.

A bill to protect bank services consumers was introduced to the general secretary of the government Nov. 29 last year. The bill is intended to protect consumers from illegal practices by bankers. It will especially "allow consumers to benefit from a general protection and to get information from banks in full transparency," Jaafari said. There have been many complaints over lack of transparency in banks over accounts management fees and deductions on money transfers, Jaafari said. But nobody knows how long this bill will go into limbo. Bills introduced by the government and the parliament must first be approved by the general secretary of the government. (END/2008)
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=41842
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Casablanca women's forum targets Islamist extremism
04/04/2008 By Imrane Binoual for Magharebia in Casablanca – 04/04/08

As part of an emergency programme to fight terrorism, women’s NGOs organised a symposium in Casablanca to help differentiate between benign religious movements and Islamist terror groups

Imrane Binoual] Democratic League for Women’s Rights president Fouzia Aâssouli told a counter-terrorism symposium that preachers hostile to equality, tolerance and freedom embody "the main ideological breeding ground" for terrorism.       
The Democratic League for Women’s Rights (LDDF) and the Moroccan Women’s Information and Observation Centre held a national symposium in Casablanca last week under the theme, "The Islamist Movement’s Strategies: From Preaching to Terrorism". The goal of the March 28th-29th forum, organisers said, was to assess the threat of terrorism and extremism on Morocco's economic, social and political life.

Morocco is "in the middle of a deliberate blurring of religion and politics, facing opposition to the values of equality, citizenship and democracy", LDDF chair Fouzia Aâsouli asserted, adding that preaching based on "extremist interpretations [which are] hostile to humanitarian values of... tolerance and freedom" provides the "main ideological breeding ground" for terrorism.

Mohamed Darif, a specialist on Islamist movements in Morocco, agreed that the fight against extremism and terrorism is everyone’s responsibility, but told forum attendees that a distinction must be made between the three main religious currents. Not all are comprised of terrorists, he emphasised.

First, there is the Sufi movement, which is gaining ground in Morocco, he said, because it is encouraged by the authorities. The second movement – what he calls "Political Islam" – includes Islamists who act within political institutions, such as the Movement for Unity and Reform (MUR), ''elitist" Islamist movements (Al Badil Al Hadari and Al Haraka Min Ajli Al Oumma), and "confrontational" Islamists, such as those in the unrecognised association Al Adl Wal Ihssan (Justice and Spirituality). According to Darif, it is the third current – that of the Salafist Jihadis – where extremists and terrorists proliferate.

Another specialist on Islamist movements, Abdellah Rami, told participants that the Moroccan Salafist movement moved on from its allegiance to the Wahhabi movement of Saudi Arabia, to its impregnation with the Jihadism of the Algerian GIA. He also added that the leaders of Salafism cannot control the young Jihadis.

"What pushed the members of these currents to their unreasonable state were the events of September 11th, 2001. After these events, the idea of individual Jihad developed. So each individual imbued with the ideas of Jihadist Salafism could move on from theory to execution," Rami argued.

To convey the danger of terrorism to Moroccans attending the symposium, the organisers invited a victim of terrorism in Algeria to offer her personal testimony. Algerian Chrifa Khada, whose mother and brother were assassinated by Islamist terrorists, spoke of Algerians’ tremendous suffering due to terrorism at several levels.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2008/04/04/feature-02
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Growth in Morocco creates investment potential.

Morocco's continuing expansion could make it a good option for foreign property investors to consider, a media outlet has stated. Forbes said the north African country has enjoyed steady economic growth and low inflation during the past few years. This has resulted in greater wealth for people in areas such as Rabat and Casablanca, which has in turn boosted demand for high-quality housing. As a result, the market offers favourable conditions for overseas investors who want to enter an expanding foreign market. Forbes commented: "Although the worldwide real estate market is softening as credit reservoirs dry, some spots are poised for growth." The news provider added that property values in Casablanca and Rabat have gone up by 8% in the last 12 months. Morocco was recently recommended to foreign investors by the Home Move website, which said it also offers good weather, exotic surroundings and a strong rental market.
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Morocco: A taste of the Arabic world.
By JUDE TOWNEND For The Associated Press 03/31/2008 MARRAKECH, Morocco

Morocco is probably best-known to American travelers for cities like Fez, Casablanca and Marrakech. But this country in the northwest corner of Africa is actually a place of dramatic variety. On a two-week or even one-week visit, it's feasible to fit in a trip to a major city or two, in addition to exploring rural areas. You might explore undulating desert dunes, the magnificent Atlas Mountains, or a tranquil beach like those found near Agadir. Or visit the Volubilis Roman ruins near Meknes, the dinosaur footprints near Azilal, or eerily quiet Berber villages around Imlil, at the base of Mount Toubkal.

The ancient city of Fez is known for its architecture, alluring medina (the old part of the city) and Karaouine Mosque and University, dating from 859. In Marrakech, by day you can explore the Saadian tombs and the luscious Marjorelle Garden, and by night the famous Djemaa El Fna square, with its food stalls, entertainers and peddlers.

In Casablanca, the modern, giant Hassan II mosque looks like it's melting into the sea at sunset. And for fans of the famous 1942 Humphrey Bogart movie, head to Rick's Cafe, opened by American Kathy Kriger in 2004, a marvelous evocation of the film.

But Americans living in Morocco advise that there's no such thing as a "must-see" list. "There are many places beyond Marrakech that people should consider putting on their agenda," said Vanessa Noel Brown, from Washington D.C, who has been studying in Rabat, the capital city, on a postgraduate scholarship since September 2007.

The U.S Department of State warns that the "potential for terrorist violence" in Morocco is high. But the number of American visitors to Morocco is slowly increasing, according to statistics from the tourist board and the U.S. Embassy here. In 2007, 131,000 Americans visited, 13 percent more than in 2006, when 115,000 Americans arrived.

"Americans like Morocco - they get a taste of the Arabic world, without having to go to the Middle East," said Yassine Naciri, who works at a mid-range hotel in the old part of Marrakech, the tourism hub of the country. His hotel, Marhbabikoum, like many, is the of the traditional "riad" style: quaintly decorated rooms built around a tiled courtyard, gently lit by candlelight in the evening.

The very best riads are complete with an in-house "hammam," an opulent version of traditional Moroccan communal bathhouses.

It is also possible to stay in a restored kasbah. There are hundreds of them around the country; they once served as fortresses for the most important families. Some stand empty now, while others have been turned into luxury hotels. But budget travelers can also find cheap hostels and guesthouses all over the country, for as little as $10 a night.

Foreigners can expect to attract attention, especially in the more touristy areas, where touts - people who offer unsolicited services for tips - are desperate for business.

Those worried about language difficulties should be reassured that English is more and more widely spoken, according to Hamid Khairi, founder of the Morocco section of CouchSurfers, the popular U.S-based accommodation swap web site, which is an option for those traveling on a shoestring. "But basic French is useful," he said.

The main language, the Moroccan Arabic dialect known as "derija," is quite different from modern standard Arabic, even posing problems for native Arabic speakers. To confuse things further, many Moroccans also speak one of the Berber languages, Tachelhit, Central Atlas Tamazight or Tarifit.

Morocco's culinary splendor needs little translation however; the superb fusion of French and Middle-Eastern fare speaks for itself. The day starts with a spectacular array of patisserie (as little as 25 cents) at the street stalls), accompanied by "qehwa bil halib" (coffee with milk) and the startlingly good "aseir limun" (orange juice). Lunch is couscous, or tagine - which is the name of both a rich stew and the dome-shaped terra-cotta pot in which it is cooked. To fill the gap between meals, "le gouter" of coffee or tea and cake might be taken at 7 p.m.
Moroccan dinner, normally eaten around 10 p.m., might be "harira" (soup with tomato and lentils), or perhaps an omelette and bread.

The renowned sugary mint tea is drunk throughout the day, and at greater frequency the farther south you go. With the exception of hot drinks where the water has been boiled, drinking bottled water is advisable.

Islam is central to Moroccan life and on the main religious day of Friday, shops and businesses frequently shut for a good proportion of the afternoon, also allowing time for families to eat couscous together. While it is not necessary to cover hair, or put on the "djellaba" - the long traditional gown - women may want to dress modestly in respect to local customs.

Adriana Valencia, a postgraduate scholar from the University of Berkeley, who lived in Rabat in 2006 and often comes back, urges visitors to explore a little. "Just ride a bicycle from Rabat to Essaouira, and stop in basically every small town and city in between," she said.

If a bike sounds a bit strenuous for a vacation, hiring a car and driver is always an option. For travelers saving their dirhams (the local currency, currently about seven to the dollar), sharing a "grand-taxi" which seats two in the front, and four in the back, is the most convenient way to get between towns and villages. The smaller "petit-taxis," a different color in each town, are limited to three people but Moroccan law does not allow them to leave their designated city. Buses are to be found in the town "gare routiere," and the mainly efficient trains run between major cities. Those on a bigger budget can take a four-wheel drive vehicle, known locally as a "quatre-quatre," on a tailor-made tour.

Choosing the best season to visit really depends on where travel is planned. The High Atlas Mountains are best walked in spring and autumn. Farther south, nearer the desert, summers can get unbearably hot. It's a bit chilly year-round on the Atlantic Ocean, but beaches are at their warmest in July and August. In addition to Fez, Casablanca, Rabat and Marrakech, it is worth considering visits to Essaouira, for a glimpse of a coastal town with a rich architectural history, and Agadir, where you can start a trip along the coast, eat sumptuous seafood, and perhaps head out to the Anti-Atlas Mountains.

A few other places worth seeing in the countryside include:
-Chefchaouen, a pretty, quaint town, where the houses are painted blue, and which you can use as a departure point for exploring the rural north.

-Zagora, a small town next to the desert that can serve as a starting point to visit the villages of Tamegroute and Amezrou, and Mounts Zagora and Azlag.

-Merzouga, a small village reached via the town of Rissani, which provides accommodation within walking distance of Erg Chebbi, Morocco's largest sand dune.

-Ouarzazate, where you'll want to visit the kasbah, then head to the impressive Todra and Dades gorges.
And if you get homesick, you can even find a slice of stateside life in Morocco. Just hunt out the restaurant offering "Pizza à l'Americaine" near the Hassan Tower in Rabat.

"I was walking past one day and just caught this whiff of New York pizza, it was unmistakable," said Valencia. The pizzeria's owner, Moroccan Max Labdi, was a New York cab driver for four years before coming home to set up the business. "The American pizza is the best in the world. It just needed to come to Morocco," he said.
http://www.twincities.com/travel/ci_8759587?nclick_check=1
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The straight stuff: Hip-hop in Morocco.
March 31st, 2008 By LAYAL ABDO

Morocco has been experiencing a veritable hip-hop explosion over the past few years. MENASSAT spoke with Caprice of Casa Crew, one of the country's leading rap groups, about the reasons behind hip-hop's appeal to Morocco's youth.

CASABLANCA, March 31, 2008 (MENASSAT) – Ten years ago, the rap phenomenon was little known with the general Moroccan public. Although people were listening to the better-known American rappers back then, Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre, the Notorious BIG, it was not generally a phenomenon among Morocco's youth. They had not yet embraced hip-hop culture.

Official definitions of rap are sketchy. From a technical viewpoint, it involves vocal rendition of improvised or written lyrics – a sort of spoken poetry usually over some kind of musical accompaniment. But, at its core, rap is a sub-division of the larger culture of hip-hop, a mode of life of which music is only the tip of the iceberg.

Some hip-hop historians trace the direct roots of rap to the 1960s and the appearance of "The Last Poets," a group of young black militants who put their rage into rhymes and percussions in order to transmit their revolutionary messages. Others refer to the block parties that popped up in New York City in the 1970's, in which DJ's spoke over the music that they were spinning, evolving over time to encompass what we now call rap today. Eventually, as has been the case throughout the world, young Moroccans began to take on the culture of hip hop, rapping about their concerns through their lyrics, using music from the Moroccan sound systems to localize what has become an undeniable musical force.

Nowadays in Morocco, no TV station, no radio station can resist rap. And through rap, Moroccan youth have found at least one artistic medium to exorcise their demons, exploring themes like unemployment, injustice, corruption, fraud, politics and many other subjects that have until now been considered taboo.

'Vulgar'

For some, awareness is the priority; often using a style without metaphors or allegories, these rappers instead replace them with "common Moroccan" or street language. Others are more expressive, using simple language, often racy, sometimes coarse, pointing to what the society and the "system" is lacking. Rapper Lbigg is the most famous for his earthy use of lyrics from which he got his pseudonym "lkhasser" or "the vulgar".

As for the "Moroccan Ttouch" in rap, this has arrived in the form of the direct use of dialect; rappers introduced the "darija" or "the common" tongue in addition to French, English and "Amazigh," the Berber language. Caprice, a member of the Casa Crew, one of the more recognized Moroccan hip-hop groups, says that using the common language allows a greater freedom of expression. "Some things can't be expressed other than in the street language. We say them and sing them as we feel them," he told MENASSAT.

Considering the diversity of styles that are gaining an increasing audience share in Morocco, it's not hard to predict the widespread popularity of rap in the years to come. And, for now, Moroccan rap can be produced and bought freely as government censors have not yet put their watchful eyes on this form of musical expression. But given the taboo themes treated by this young generation of griots, the question is how long will this last?

Freedom in lyrics

Over the last four years, the hip-hop group, Casa Crew, has become the standard-bearer for Moroccan rap. Started in 2003 in Casablanca, this crew of four has been expanding its fan base significantly in neighboring countries like Spain and Algeria, in part because of their classic rap delivery and partly because of the risqué themes explored in their lyrics. In short, Casa Crew is truly an Arabic rap phenomenon.

MENASSAT spoke with Amine Ganghal, aka Caprice, composer and member of the Casa Crew, and he explains the secret of rap's growing popularity in Morocco.

MENASSAT: What do you think is the secret of this boom of rap music in Morocco these last few years?

CAPRICE: "First of all, to designate rap simply as mere 'music' deprives it of its real impact. Rap is a life style, and mainly a culture of convictions. The fact that rap is spreading in countries like Morocco is an excellent sign. On the one hand, it's proof that the youth are starting to react, to think they have the right to express themselves in any way they see fit, without anyone judging them or denying them of that right. On the other hand, the development of rap means that the space for artistic freedom is growing particularly when considering that a majority of Arab rappers are dealing with subjects that we were forbidden to speak about a few years ago."

MENASSAT: Some people object to your use of street language which is often considered vulgar?

CAPRICE: "Street language is the most direct means of transmitting a message. Our audience does not have to be "educated" to understand our lyrics; everyone can listen to us and understand what we're saying. Plus, certain things can only be expressed in this language: anger, disgust and rage, for example, are better expressed when the language is free, when it is not limited by the restrictions of formal language where you have to respect grammar and vocabulary rules.
MENASSAT: How do you choose the subjects you treat in your songs?

CAPRICE: "We address the problems facing the Moroccan youth, such as unemployment, injustice, friendship, corruption, freedom… Our songs. 'L'kdoub F'les Infos' (Lies in the News) or 'Hay Chaabi' (Popular Street) or even 'Rana ka3i' (I'm Angry, Casa Crew's most popular track) are very expressive and reflect what we deal with."

MENASSAT: Have your lyrics been subjected to censorship?

CAPRICE: "Not yet. And we hope this never happens."
http://www.menassat.com/?q=en/news-articles/3372-straight-stuff-hip-hop-morocco
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Morocco – Top 10 research resources.

Our series of articles on the best online research resources for emerging property markets this week throws the spotlight on Morocco. Since 2001, when King Mohammed VI announced his “Vision 2010 Plan Azur”, the country has experienced significant tourism growth, offering potential opportunities for agents and investors alike.

Since the plan was announced there has been major infrastructure and property development including the expansion of the country’s airports and an open skies policy. EasyJet and RyanAir are among the new low-cost airlines with routes into Morocco. The increasing number of services on offer, not just from the UK and Ireland but from Spain and Germany among others, has made many of Morocco’s cities, like Casablanca, Fes and Marrakech, more accessible to foreigners. The diverse range of nationalities attracted to the country, suggesting that the British are by no means the only audience of potential buyers.

We’ve looked at hundreds of sites relating to Morocco and narrowed down our selection to what we think are the ten best. If you feel we might have missed any useful sites off our list, please feel free to post your comments at the bottom of the page:

UK Trade and Investment Morocco Guide. The British government’s site collates useful basic information about setting up and doing business in Morocco, with information on banking, employee relations,etc. In addition, there are downloadable lists of essential contact numbers for lawyers, accountants, credit agencies and trade associations, all free-to-access.

Middle East & Africa Monitor. Produced by Business Monitor International, this regional news source provides in-depth economic, political and business articles and commercial intelligence. The up-to-date analysis and forecasting, and news items presented on a country-by-country basis, are available in print or online. The subscription of $765 (£380) gives you 15 monthly print newsletters plus full access to the site’s news archive. You can trial the site for free for a limited time too.

Euromonitor International “Travel and Tourism in Morocco” report. This recent report (published in January 2008) might seem expensive at £950+VAT, but it’s certainly the latest and most thorough examination of Morocco’s tourism industry, including residential tourism and the property investment market. It publishes the most up-to-date historical information as well as trends to 2011. There’s a summary of its content on the website and the full report is available as a download or in print.

Property Showrooms Moroccan Property Forum. With input from consumers and professionals, this portal’s numerous country-specific forums provide a lively arena for news and debate, and the Moroccan site is no exception. Subjects ranging from development updates to potential rental yields have been discussed recently, making it a useful gauge of the hot topics of the day in Moroccan real estate.

Expat Focus. Though the Moroccan strand of this expats’ guide currently lacks sections on buying and renting property (in fact, they’re actively seeking knowledgeable correspondents to write those sections), it’s a good source of everyday information about the country from “on the ground” writers.

Escapes2 Buying Guide. The most comprehensive guide to the property purchase process in Morocco that we’ve found. The focus is predominantly on fees and taxation, with very thorough explanations of property-related and inheritance taxes in the country.

Morocco.com. Though the site overall is a little overwhelmed with Google ads, the regional guides are some of the best we’ve come across for Morocco, and should give anyone new to the country a flavour of its diverse destinations.

EIN News. A subscription news service from IPD Group, with in-depth business and economic news. Though you can only access the information through paid membership (from $59.95 or £30 per month), there is a free trial available to evaluate the service for a few days before committing yourself. Members can also benefit from customized media monitoring, news feeds and press release distribution services.

Nubricks. The overseas property blog has a dedicated Morocco strand and contains general information about the country and its property market as well as updates on some of the latest development releases.

Vision 2010 Plan Azur. The official Moroccan tourism site provides a brief overview of the Plan Azur and the resort projects already underway as well as some general information on tourism and investment opportunities relating to it.
http://www.globaledge.co.uk/news/details/morocco-%E2%80%93-top-10-research-resources/19343
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Morocco inflation to stay low to 2012, official says.
By Ola Galal. Thu 3 Apr 2008, SANAA (Reuters)

Inflation in Morocco is expected to remain steady at 2 percent until at least 2012, helped by the government's subsidies programme, a senior official of the ministry of economy and finance said on Thursday. "Due to the government's monetary and fiscal policy, mainly subsidising basic commodities, inflation this year will be steady at 2 percent and we plan to keep it that way until at least 2012," the ministry's Secretary-General Abdeltif Loudyi told Reuters on the sidelines of a conference in Sanaa. Year-on-year inflation in Morocco hit 2.4 percent in February, up from 1.7 percent in January, due to higher food prices, according to the country's High Planning Commission.

Morocco's dirham is based on a basket of currencies, including the Euro and the dollar, determined on basis of the country's international trade transactions. More than 65 percent of Morocco's external trade is Euro-denominated and about 30 percent in U.S. dollars, Loudyi said. Morocco is not concerned about the slowdown in the U.S. economy as the kingdom, a former French colony, has stronger trade ties to the European Union than to the United States, he said. GDP at fixed prices is expected to reach 6 percent this year, up from 2.2 percent in 2007, driven by an improved grains output, Loudyi said.

The North African country's gross domestic product growth shrank to 2.1 percent in the fourth quarter last year from 8.1 percent in the same period of 2006 as the key farming sector contracted sharply, the High Planning Commission said this week. The agriculture industry declined 19.4 percent in the fourth quarter compared with 23.7 percent growth in the same period in 2006, it added. The farming industry accounts for up to one-fifth of Morocco's gross domestic product and provides almost half the jobs for the country's 11 million-strong workforce, according to official figures. A severe drought slashed Morocco's cereals harvest to 2.0 million tonnes in 2007 from 8.3 million tonnes in the previous year when overall economic growth was 8.1 percent. The government expects a harvest of 6 million tonnes this summer. Foreign direct investment is expected to reach at least $5 billion in 2008, up from $4 billion the previous year, Loudyi said.
http://africa.reuters.com/business/news/usnBAN346507.html
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Morocco sees its key tourism growth quickening. 
Thursday April 3 2008 By Tom Pfeiffer FES, Morocco, April 3 (Reuters)

Moroco's key tourism industry will grow faster this year after record tourist arrivals in 2007, a government minister said on Thursday, dispelling fears that al Qaeda would hurt the industry. "Tourism in Morocco is very healthy. There is no slowdown," Tourism minister Mohamed Boussaid told reporters on the sidelines of an Euro-Mediterranean conference in Fes, the country's cultural centre. Last year Morocco attracted a record 7.4 million foreign tourists as rising numbers of French, Spanish, British and Italians flocked to the country's seaside resorts and old cities, according to government figures.

The government, which sees tourism as a growth engine, expects the number of foreign visitors to reach 10 million in 2010. Tourism accounts for eight percent of the country's gross domestic product and is its largest foreign currency earner. The number of foreign holidaymakers visiting the North African country rose 13 percent last year from the year before, according to government figures.

Tourism revenue stood at 59 billion dirhams ($7.69 billion), 12 percent more than in 2006. But analysts and people in the tourism industry say they fear a slowdown in tourism growth because of al Qaeda's violence in the region. Few foreign tourists are thought to revisit the country after a first holiday.

"Tourism's January growth was 12 percent and February's growth was of 15 percent. So we are seeing an acceleration in tourism growth," added Boussaid, in reference to tourist arrivals. North Africa has been on alert since al Qaeda's affiliate in the region threatened last year to escalate its war against "corrupt" regional rulers and their Western allies. Last year, seven suicide bombers detonated devices in the coastal city of Casablanca, two of them outside U.S. diplomatic buildings, killing all the bombers and one policeman.

"New capacity of hotels is coming on line with our plan," Boussaid said, referring to an eight-year plan to develop the industry until 2010. European Investment Bank's Vice President Philippe De Fontaine Vive, who attended the conference alongside other officials from the Euro-Mediterranean region, sounded optimistic about the industry's outlook in the southern Mediterranean. "Southern Mediterranean countries could increase their share of the world tourism market to 8.8 percent in 2010 from 6.8 percent currently if they develop their potential resources," he said. (Editing by Andrew Hurst)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/feedarticle?id=7434639
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Morocco: south to the Sahara.
Saturday, 5 April 2008

To escape the maelstrom of Marrakech, Linda Cookson goes on an off-road trip to the desert – and revels in its stony silence.

There's not a speck of sand in sight in the southern Moroccan town of Ouarzazate – no dunes, no tents, no wandering nomads. Yet the trail to the Sahara desert starts here.

The town's name, approximately pronounced "Waz-a-zat", sounds rather more exotic than the reality, which is a fairly unremarkable colonial settlement built as a garrison by the French in the 1920s. It has palm-lned streets, municipal gardens and fountains, and a seemingly endless selection of car-rental outlets. But the name's meaning in Berber dialect – "without noise" – hints enticingly at the otherworldly stillness of vast skies and shifting sands that lies just beyond the town known as The Gateway to the Sahara.

The 290km journey south from Ouarzazate passes through an eerie, biblical landscape of cool oases and sun-baked kasbahs, right down to where the desert sands begin. It feels like a ride in a time machine – a journey into the very heart of silence. Ouarzazate's history as a staging post for travellers long predates the current French fortress. Lying where three rivers converge, it's a natural crossroads linking east with west and north with south. Until coastal shipping came to Morocco in the late-19th century, it was a busy stopping-off point for the caravans that plied the trans-Saharan trade route. Thousands of camels and their owners made the arduous two-month journey across the Sahara to Timbuktu, bearing cargoes of salt, dates, barley and goatskins and returning with the gold, slaves and ivory that would make North Africa wealthy.

The idea of following a trade route into the deep south struck us as wonderfully exotic. With that in mind, we opted not to start our romantic journey into the desert in Ouarzazate itself, but to begin 210km to the north in Marrakech. Unsurprisingly, we chickened out of attempting a 500km camel-ride. Ali Leghlid, our cheerful driver-cum-guide, was more than happy for his trusty four-wheel drive to take the strain for most of the trip.

The Tizi n'Tichka road out of Marrakech, a magnificent feat of engineering built by the Foreign Legion in 1936, leads directly to the deep south. It cuts through the High Atlas mountains by way of a spectacular pass – 2,260m at its highest point – that snakes and twists like a length of grey ribbon that has been wrapped round the red earth of the mountainside. We set off from Marrakech at dawn. Even early in the morning, we discovered, manic Marrakech doesn't do stillness or silence. The muezzin's recorded wail was crackling through loudspeakers outside a mosque. Blacksmiths had lit their fires and were already hammering away. And the narrow streets of the kasbah were crammed with the usual early-morning traffic.

Soon, the cacaphony was behind us. Ahead, the mountains of the High Atlas beckoned, their shapes a rosy glow on the horizon. As we grew closer, they separated into smoky layers of soft greys and pinks. The sun rose in the sky like a silver coin, and we passed through what felt like half-a-dozen different countries in the space of a couple of hours. Agricultural flatlands began to give way to arid mountains, as we climbed high above olive groves, fruit orchards and bamboo fields in to a Martian wilderness of blood-red rocks and tall shadows. The snow that we'd seen on distant peaks started to appear around us. The landscape became increasingly barren.

Pine trees were soon replaced by acacia trees and tamarinds. Colours shifted constantly across a spectrum that ranged from charcoal to crimson. By the time we emerged from the vertiginous spirals of the high-altitude pass to begin the descent towards Ouarzazate, the mountains were devoid of vegetation. The pale stone settlements that clung to their sides were coated in dust.

By now, it felt as though we were already in the midst of the desert. But there were further surprises in store. The journey south from Ouarzazate, reckoned to be one of the most beautiful in Morocco, led back in to bewildering lushness – 125km of thick, green, palm groves in the valley of the River Draa – before we made our final approach to the sands of the desert.

The Draa is technically the longest river in Morocco, rising in the mountains just outside of Ouarzazate and notionally flowing some 1,100km along the edge of the Sahara to reach the Atlantic Ocean near Tan Tan. In 1989, after a freak flood, it ran its full course for the first time in living memory. For centuries, it has been dry for the final three-quarters of its journey. After carving a rocky channel between the Anti Atlas mountains to the west and the volcanic peaks of the Jbel Sarhro to the east, it flows through tracts of fertile valley that seem endless. But then, abruptly, its waters peter out, and the bed becomes an empty strip of dry rocks. At the oasis town of M'hamid it simply vanishes into the sands.

The Draa valley is known as the Valley of the Thousand Kasbahs, and the route from the start of the valley, in the small town of Agdz (70km south of Ouarzazate), to the fringes of the desert itself is packed with these evocative fortified settlements, which are built up from the earth around oases. Often, they're barely visible from the road, hidden as they are among the palm groves. Fashioned from clay pressed together with pebbles and straw – a technique known as pisé – and with roofs made of reed matting inserted into wooden frames, they rise as though from the land itself.

Newer buildings are red in colour, their thick walls clearly defined. But what's especially fascinating is how, as the buildings age, they simply collapse back in to the land.

Ali, our guide, was born in southern Morocco and proved an invaluable source of information. There are heart-breaking pockets of poverty in the region, we discovered. The upper reaches of the Draa valley are provided for by the El Mansour Eddahbi dam, built near Ourzazate in 1971 in order to distribute water more evenly among the 50 or so settlements in that area. Fruit trees, vegetables and crops all flourish, alongside the date palms for which the area is celebrated. But the impact of the dam has been devastating to residents in the lower reaches of the valley, who are now deprived of running water and their livelihoods as farmers.

Ali drove us off-piste at several points so that we could see the contrast for ourselves. First, we visited Tamnougalt, a prosperous settlement 6km south of Agdz. The air smelt of honey. Almond blossom drifted like snowflakes, as women tended the bean-fields by the river bed. A crowd of young boys were busily packing orange cardboard boxes of dates in to crates, for selling at the roadside. At the other end of our journey, nearer the Sahara, it was a different story. In the Berber settlement of Ait Atta and the Jewish settlement of Beni Sbih, withered date palms stood like totems in the stony ground. A date palm can yield an income of 150 dirhams (£10) a year, Ali explained. Deprived of that income and in no position to raise the 10,000 dirhams (£650) needed to buy a camel, villagers scratch an existence as best they can, keeping chickens and goats among the rubble and sieving the earth for saleable fossils or brightly coloured stones.

As every schoolchild probably knows (although I didn't), the Sahara is mostly made out of stone. Less than 30 per cent of its total area is covered in sand. But the pot of gold – or bucket of sand – at our journey's end was to be the romance of a dromedary ride across the dunes at sunset. And the great moment had finally arrived.

Hassan, our chamelier, was waiting for us at the palmery-village of Oualad Driss, where a thrilling drift of sand across the surface of the road marked the end of the stony sub-Saharan wastelands known as hammada and the start of the desert itself. And off we set, into the silence. It was a journey like no other we'd ever made. For two magical hours there wasn't another soul in sight, just rolling folds of fine beige sand dotted with occasional tamarisk trees. Theirs were the only shadows cast, apart from our own. The only sound was the gentle, rhythmic plodding of the camels' hooves. All above and around us – the sky feels like a dome in the desert – the day sky that began as a haze of brilliant blue slipped in to the colours of night. Sands rose into crescent-shaped dunes as the light began to fail. And finally, ahead on the horizon, we saw the light of a fire marking the camp where we would spend our night under the stars.

TRAVELLER'S GUIDE
Getting there: Fly from Gatwick to Marrakech on easyJet (0905 821 0905; www.easyJet.com ) and Atlas Blue (020-7307 5803; www.atlas-blue.com ), or from Heathrow on Royal Air Maroc (020-7307 5800; www.royalairmaroc.com ).

Linda Cookson travelled with Inntravel (01653 617906; www.inntravel.co.uk ) which offers a one-week City & Sahara Experience starting at £875 per person in March and April. It includes hotels and a night in a camp with breakfast, some meals, as well as the services of a driver, and the camel ride. International flights not included. You can buy an "offset" through Abta's Reduce my Footprint initiative (020-7637 2444; www.reducemyfootprint.travel ).

More information: Moroccan National Tourist Office: 020-7437 0073; or got to www.visitmorocco.com
http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/africa/morocco-south-to-the-sahara-804785.html
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In Morocco, marriage of spicy, sweet flavors produces a distinctive cuisine
By Teresa Taylor (Contact) The Post and Courier Wednesday, March 19, 2008

"Peasant food with worldly influences" is the way chef Bryan Lindsay describes Moroccan cuisine, the result of the many cultures that literally have stirred the pot in this North African country. If Morocco seems exotic, it is. The native Berbers endured foreign rule for centuries, which layered the country with a diversity of people and their palates. Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, Spanish Muslims and the French all left an imprint, along with Turkish and Jewish settlers and African slaves.

Chicken with olives, onions and preserved lemons, such as this dish prepared by chef Bryan Lindsay of Le Club Fez restaurant, is one of Morocco's best-known dishes. All the outside influences made Moroccan food "kind of one and its own," says Lindsay of Le Club Fez restaurant on James Island. The marriage of spicy and sweet flavors is like no other. Today, the wider culinary world is taking notice. Author Paula Wolfert has called Moroccan cooking one of the last great undiscovered cuisines. That might be changing; the arrival of Le Club Fez locally is one signal.

The restaurant, with Lindsay at the kitchen's helm, opened last fall in the Terrace Shopping Center. Its menu, both French and Moroccan, offers an exploration in new tastes and techniques. On the Moroccan side, unfamiliar words only hint at the complexity of the dishes: harira, a velvety, flavorful chickpea and lentil soup; b'stilla, savory chicken and almonds enclosed in phyllo pastry; and tagine, a meat stew slow-cooked in a clay vessel of the same name.

Moroccan cookery is most unique in its use of spices and aromatics, Lindsay says. Large containers of colorful spices are a mainstay in city markets. Most prevalent are cumin, paprika, dried ginger, saffron, turmeric, cinnamon, anise seeds, sesame seeds and mint.
"It definitely has broadened my horizon on the use of spices," says Lindsay. "Learning how to use them individually and together is a challenge."

The genius of Moroccan cuisine is in the subtleties, Lindsay says, such as the way stews are made. Lamb tagine, Fez's most popular dish, "is so different than the normal lamb dish you would get."

Moroccans show their hospitality with an array of salads at the start of a meal. Two of those at Le Club Fez are Carrot Salad (left) and Grapefruit With Fennel.

Tagines, along with couscous, are the national dishes of Morocco. Tagines are cooked in shallow clay pots with cone-shaped lids. The lids have a hole at the top that causes a steaming effect, Lindsay says. "The heat rises to the top, and the juices run back down the sides into the dish. ... It's basically their form of a Dutch oven." The long, slow cooking yields meat that is fall-off-the-bone tender in a fragrant stew of reduced juices. Lamb, chicken, beef and goat all are cooked in tagines.

But couscous is the staple of Moroccan meals, he says. "I would consider it their rice. Like Asian cuisine, couscous is eaten breakfast, lunch and dinner." Sometimes mistaken for a grain, couscous is a tiny pasta, a granular form of semolina (ground durum wheat). It's also cooked by steaming. "They mound couscous in a bowl, (making) a giant pyramid with an indention in the top, and you would put the meat in there like you would a pile of mashed potatoes here," Lindsay says.

However, vegetables are as important, if not more so, than meat in Moroccan cooking. The scarcity of meat also led to a greater use of spices in all dishes to maximize flavor. For celebratory times and holidays, for example, Moroccans will prepare a seven- or nine-vegetable couscous, Lindsay says. Vegetables vary according to the season or what is available, but can include sweet potatoes, chickpeas, lentils, carrots, tomatoes or onions. Vegetables, as well as fresh and dried fruits, are prominent in a number of other dishes. Moroccans, known for their hospitality, will serve an array of hot and cold salads to start the meal, like a first course. Lindsay says that's true in a restaurant or household. A classic one is a carrot and cumin salad with lemon, which is on the menu at Fez.

Fez also prepares a roasted eggplant salad with honey and harissa, which is a Moroccan condiment similar to chile paste; and a grapefruit, fennel and oil-cured olive salad.

Other hallmarks of Moroccan cuisine include:
-- Preserved lemons. Preserved lemons are whole lemons packed in salt until they are pickled, which takes at least 30 days. Normally, the peel is used and the pulp discarded. They have a distinct, salty-sour taste.

-- Moroccan olives. Olives appear in many salads and entrees. Their black oil-cured olives are similar to Gaeta or Nicoise olives, says Lindsay.

One of the country's best-known dishes is chicken tagine with preserved lemons and olives.
-- Rustic breads. A common type is a round disk, similar to an Italian focaccia, which may be sprinkled with cumin seeds and salt, Lindsay says.

Few dishes are eaten without bread, because it's both food and functional: "They use bread to spoon up their food. They don't use utensils."

-- Mint tea. The country's signature drink of hospitality is a strong, sweet mint tea. It's poured from teapots with long, curving spouts. "They pour it really high so it makes a froth" in the glass, Lindsay says.

Fresh fruit juices, almond milk and water infused with orange blossoms also are served.
-- Nuts. Almonds and, to a lesser extent, walnuts are found in many applications from salads to b'stilla and desserts.
Lindsay describes a Moroccan pastry, m'hencha, meaning "snake." Made with ground almonds, orange blossom water, cinnamon and sugar, it resembles a nut strudel but is rolled like a cigar and twisted into a coil.

-- Argan oil. The exotic nut grows only in Morocco. The oil is still pressed and bottled in homes the same way it was 200 to 300 years ago. "It's similar to a walnut oil, a little more pungent. It tastes like itself," says Lindsay, who buys it for Fez by special order. Argan oil is not very stable and is not used for cooking, but is drizzled over the top of foods, like an extra-virgin olive oil.

Moroccan recipes
Lindsay shares recipes for chicken tagine and salads he developed for Fez:
Chicken With Olives, Onions and Preserved Lemon
Serves 4
2 free-range chickens, quartered
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 white onions, julienned
2 bulbs fennel, julienned
8 garlic cloves, sliced paper thin
6 cups chicken stock
3 whole cinnamon sticks
3 tablespoons whole cumin seeds
1/2 cup green olives, pitted and cut in half
2 preserved lemons, pith removed and rind julienned
1 bunch of cilantro, coarsely chopped
Lemon oil for garnish
Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven or other large-sided pan, sear the chicken in the olive oil until golden on all sides. Remove the chicken.

Add the onions, fennel and garlic to the pan and sweat the vegetables until translucent. Add the chicken, the chicken stock, cinnamon and cumin and simmer slowly for 45 minutes until the chicken is just cooked. Season the liquid with salt and pepper to taste. Then add the olives and lemon and cook for 10 minutes more. Serve over couscous and garnish with cilantro and lemon oil.

Moroccan Carrot Salad
Serves 4
1 pound carrots, peeled and shredded
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Mix all ingredients together and let stand for 1 hour to let the flavors come together. Serve at room temperature.
Fennel and Grapefruit Salad
2 fennel bulbs, julienned
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fennel fronds
1 cup oil-cured olives, chopped (see cook's note)
2 tablespoons grapefruit juice
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 grapefruits, separated into segments
Cook's note: Moroccan oil-cured olives are preferred, but another type of oil-cured olive may be substituted.
In a saute pan, sweat the julienned fennel in the olive oil until tender. Cool.
Transfer the fennel to a bowl. Add the chopped fennel fronds and olives and mix well. Add the juice and olive oil to taste and season with salt and pepper. Top with the grapefruit segments and serve.

Teresa Taylor is the food editor. Reach her at food@postandcourier.com or 937-4886.
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Bake breads from Turkey, Morocco .
By Tanya Bricking Leach/ Associated Press
These Turkish flatbreads, also called yufka, are thin like a tortilla. Anissa Helou, author of "Savory Baking from the Mediterranean," suggests using them as wraps with a feta cheese salad of crumbled cheese and diced vegetables. They also are great with hummus and baba ghanoush.

MINI TURKISH FLATBREADS
1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading and shaping
1/3 cup bread flour
3 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and make a well in the center.
Gradually add 1/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons warm water and knead until you have a rough ball of dough.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Knead for 3 minutes. Invert the bowl over the dough and let the dough rest for 15 minutes. Knead for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces. Shape each into a small ball, rolling the dough in between your palms.
Sprinkle a tray, or part of the work surface, with flour and place the balls of dough on the floured surface. Cover with a wet but not dripping kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

Roll out each ball of dough, sprinkling with more flour every now and then, to a circle 7 or 8 inches in diameter. Place the circles of dough between dry kitchen towels.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium. When the pan is very hot, cook the breads, one at a time, for about 1 minute on each side, or until they are lightly golden and small lightly burned spots have bubbled up.

As the breads cook, stack them between clean kitchen towels. Use immediately or let harden and stack in a dry place, where they will keep for weeks.

To refresh the breads, sprinkle each sheet with a little water, fold in half, and wrap in a clean kitchen towel. Let rest for 30 minutes, or until the bread becomes soft and pliable.

Makes 10 breads.
Per bread: 50 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 100 mg sodium, 11 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 0 g sugar, 2 g protein

Recipe from Anissa Helou's "Savory Baking from the Mediterranean," William Morrow, 2007, $29.95
This fragrant, yeasted flatbread from Morocco is studded with anise seeds and sesame seeds. Anissa Helou, author of "Savory Baking from the Mediterranean," says it traditionally is used to mop up the sauce of tagines, but would be equally good with any stew.

MOROCCAN BREAD
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups semolina flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
1/2 tablespoon anise seed (optional)
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds (optional)
All-purpose flour, for kneading and shaping
In a small bowl or cup, dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup warm water and stir until creamy.
In a large bowl, combine the semolina and salt and, if using, the anise and sesame seeds. Make a well in the center.
Add the yeast to the well. Gradually add cup warm water, mixing in the flour as you go. Knead to make a rough ball of dough.

Remove the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Knead for 3 minutes, then invert the bowl over the dough and let it rest for 15 minutes.

Knead the dough for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a ball, cover with a damp kitchen towel and let it rest for 15 minutes.

Flatten the dough by hand into a circle about 3/4 inch thick. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone pastry mat. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 hour, or until the dough has about doubled in volume.

About 20 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 400 F.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden all over. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Makes 1 medium loaf, about 4 servings.
Per serving: 400 calories, 1 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 450 mg sodium, 80 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 15 g protein

Recipe from Anissa Helou's "Savory Baking from the Mediterranean," William Morrow, 2007, $29.95
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2008/Mar/19/il/hawaii803190367.html
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"Celtic Legends" on tour in Morocco.
Casablanca, Mar.31

Irish Folkloric Dance group "Celtic Legends" is expected in Morocco by the end of April to perform in three Moroccan cities. The troupe, including 14 dancers and 5 musicians, will offer four performances in the cities of Rabat (April 26), Marrakech (April 27) and Casablanca (April 29-30). Featuring a large set of musicians, dancers and singers, the 90-minute show, will present traditional Celtic dances to the sound of bagpipes and flutes.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/culture/celtic_legends_on/view
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