FOM Newsletter June 2001
Morocco Week in Review
 June 2,  2001

The budget earmarked to supply drinking water to rural areas increased by 250% in three years, from 100 million DH ($ 9 mln) to 250 Millions ($22,7 mln), said equipment minister, Bouamour Taghouane. The official told the question-time session at the house of representatives, the government has developed a strategy of water resources efficient management to make for drought which has become a structural problem in Morocco and has, therefore, succeeded in alleviating drought effect despite a shortage in water and the weakness of ground water sheets. Morocco also had recourse to foreign funds to carry out a water prospecting scheme that helped prospect an annual 100,000 meters and build three dams a year. As a result, the number of people getting water rose from 13 million to 16 million and the rate stands at 85% in cities and 43% in the countryside. Of the program designed by the department by 2004, Taghouane said 500 million DH will be earmarked to drill water points and build nine big dams and 8 small ones. Water supply in rural areas will go from 43% to 62% with a contribution from the Drinking Water Board (ONEP) standing at 11 billion DH (one billion dollar).

The number of HIV positive persons in Morocco is steadily increasing and probably exceeds 15,000, said head of infectious diseases department at the Casablanca Ibn Rochd university hospital, Pr. Hakima Himmich. Pr. Himmich told Bayane Al-Yaoum daily that the number of AIDS patients stands, according to the health ministry, at 834. She added that the health ministry encounters several difficulties in garnering accurate figures on AIDS affected people as several physicians do not report AIDS cases they diagnose while a large number of doctors do not have a thorough knowledge of the disease and the laboratories depicting the virus are located only in Rabat and Casablanca. To remedy the situation, the health department has embarked on a project to set up medical analysis laboratories in all Moroccan cities, Pr. Himmich said. After she surveyed efforts made to contain the disease, she said the health department contributes 50% of the AIDS treatment costs which stand in some cases at 6,000 DH per month (about $ 521). The French government is also extending Morocco material assistance, she added. Pr Himmich stated further that health department budget (3% of the state overall budget) is very low compared to the needs. She compared this budget to that of Tunisia where it stands at 13 percent, a percentage, she said, higher than the rate set by the World Health Organization (12 Percent).

Some 1.5 million Moroccans, accounting for 6.6% of people aged over 20, are suffering from diabetes, said health minister, Thami El Khyari on Thursday. The minister disclosed the figures during the opening of the 7th congress of the panafrican diabetes research group held in Casablanca. The rate of diabetes prevalence among people aged above 50 years exceeds 10%, it was also announced. A budget of 823.2 million DH (around $ 74 million) will be earmarked in the four coming years for medical research. The panafrican congress, to close this Saturday, is attended by specialists and researchers from Africa and Europe. It deals with diabetes in Africa in its epidemiological, clinical, socio-economic and therapeutic aspects.

Morocco's King Mohammed VI chaired Tuesday at the royal palace in the southernAtlantic city of Agadir over the signing ceremony of a partnership accord between the Mohammed V solidarity foundation and the Alaouite organization for the protection of the blind. Under the accord, the Mohammed V foundationÑwhich is chaired by the king-- will build three education and social institutions in Fez, Marrakesh and Taroudant, to the benefit of the Alaouite organization for the protection of the blind. The foundation will also finance extension works to increase accommodation capacity at the Abbas sebti institution in Marrakesh and to endow it with sporting and social facilities. The foundation will extend these institutions an annual assistance as a contribution to their operating expenses. Princess Lamia Assolh, chairwoman of the Alaouite organization for the protection of the blind, initialed the partnership accord on the part of the organization. Member of the administrative board of the foundation and advisor to the king, Ms Zoulikha Nasri told reporters after the signing ceremony that the foundation will inject 20 million DH ($1.73 million) in the construction of the three centers. She said efforts will be made to promote projects likely to enable blind persons have a steady income thanks to the skills they will acquire in the course of their education and training.

Morocco's human rights minister, Mohamed Aujjar, announced on Tuesday that compulsory human rights courses will start as of next academic year. The minister explained during the question time at the Chamber of Advisors (upper house) that teachers and education inspectors received a special training and school syllabi were developed to teach young generations the human rights culture. He added that the government's policy, which makes of human rights one of its priorities, means to enforce the new authority concept announced by King Mohammed VI. He also announced that the government has prepared a draft on the creation of the Ombudsman institution that will be ruling on breaches and abuses in the administrative authorities' relations with citizens.

A rate of 13.8% of Moroccans aged above 20 are smoking addicts and 70% of teens aged between 13 and 15 have already tried smoking, including 30% who are addicted. The findings of a national survey conducted by the health ministry were released during an information day on tobacco addiction held on Wednesday as the world marks the anti-tobacco day. Participants in the event also said tobacco sales soared by 67% between 1980 and 1990 and the treatment of tobacco-caused diseases cost the state more than profits generated by the tobacco industry, standing at 7 billion DH ( about $ 636 million). Health department officials announced that starting this Thursday, 600 hectares of spaces at Morocco's hospitals will be proclaimed non-smoking areas. An urgent appeal was launched for mobilization of authorities and non-governmental organizations to reduce tobacco-addiction, which is increasingly prevailing among Moroccan youth and women. Morocco adopted ten years ago a law banning smoking in all public spaces but its observance is still limited.

A delegation of outstanding British figures will be visiting next June 8 Fez, in a fund-raising operation to support excavations and preservation works in the Volubilis archeological site, some 200 km northeast of Rabat. The five-year project, conducted jointly by the "University College London" and the Moroccan Institute of Archeology and Patrimony Sciences (INSAP), requires 350,000 pounds. It covers research, excavations and restoration of the site dating back to the Roman presence in Morocco. British participants will pay 2,000 pounds for the trip which will give them the opportunity to attend the closing concert of the annual Fez sacred music festival. Funds will go to finance the Volubilis excavation and preservation works. Mrs. Rita Bennis, who heads the fund-raising committee, is planning other promotion activities to raise funds. Last February, British secretary of culture and sports, Christ Smith, launched the "Volubilis Project," and invited intellectuals, artists and businessmen to contribute to this unique cultural and historical project. The Volubilis ruins were declared in 1997 as part of the UNESCO's world heritage. After archeological studies were conducted up to last September, a second stage started in spring 2001, promising to reveal more secrets of the Roman life.

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