FOM Newsletter February 2003
Morocco Week in Review 
February 15 2003

Madrid Local Government Allocates 600,000 Euros/Year for Cooperation with Morocco
WORLD BANK BACKS MOROCCO'S RETURN TO INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL
Morocco's irrigation dams filled at 59%
Morocco renews need for increased cooperation to fulfill social development objectives
H.M. King Mohammed VI Approves Use of "Tifinagh" Alphabet for Amazigh Writing
H.M. King Mohammed VI Chairs Meeting on Tourism Development Strategy
Fashionfact: Fashion designers' promotion center set up in Morocco
Morocco and China agree to cooperate in railway infrastructure
Tourism, an act of Cross-Cultural Interaction, Openness, Says H.M. King Mohammed VI
Over Two million Tourists in Morocco in 2002
H.M. King Mohammed VI Calls for Promotion of Domestic Tourism
H.M. King Mohammed VI Spells out Strategy to Attain Ten Million Tourist/Year by 2010

Madrid Local Government Allocates 600,000 Euros/Year for Cooperation with Morocco

MADRID, Feb.10- The local government of Madrid is allocating an annual 600,000 Euros for its 2001-2004 cooperation program with Morocco, reports "Europa Press" news agency quoting official sources. According to the head of the cooperation for development department at the autonomous government of Madrid, Teresa Lobo, the Madrid local authorities have also drafted a strategic cooperation program with Morocco, extending between 2003 and 2006.  The official who has undertaken a visit to northern Morocco, heading a technical mission, said the 15-month long diplomatic crisis between Morocco and Spain -that ended with the resumption of full diplomatic relations in the beginning of this month- did not have any incidence on cooperation programs.  She explained that cooperation programs were proceeding and that she led a technical mission to Morocco between last Jan.30 and Feb.5.

According to Al-Hayat newspaper (February 5, 2003), the World Bank announced that it supports Morocco's return to the international financial markets. Morocco plans to borrow $500 million from these markets. This plan was previously postponed because of poor global economic circumstances. The bank added that Morocco is not likely to face difficulties in receiving the funds, particularly since the country's risk rating has recently decreased. The World Bank also announced that it does not intend to grant loans for Morocco in the near future.  Publication: InfoProd Distributed by Financial Times Information Limited - Asia Africa Intelligence Wire

Water reserves in Morocco's irrigation dams reached 7.7 billion cubic meters, i.e. 59% of their capacity, by January 31, 2003, the ministry of agriculture and rural development said in a release. These dams were 45% full at the same period last year. The increase is due to a national rain volume that reached 275 mm by January 31, in comparison with a normal year rainfall of 198 mm, the release goes.

Morocco renews need for increased cooperation to fulfill social development objectives

Morocco, speaking on behalf of the G77 group, renewed on Monday the need for increased cooperation to fulfill the social development goals as developing countries are increasingly facing shortcomings of globalization.  Morocco's assistant permanent delegate to the UNO, Mohamed Loulichki, told a meeting of the UN social development commission increased international cooperation is needed to fulfill the development goals set by the 1995 Copenhagen world summit. He further argues that international solidarity consolidation depends on unconditional, considerable and increased assistance from the international community to developing countries in order to achieve social development goals and eliminate poverty. International cooperation also requires improving developing countries' capacities and the creation of structures allowing them to participate in an effective and fair manner in globalization, the Moroccan diplomat insisted. For Morocco, he went on, the success of social development policies is intrinsically linked to a transparent definition and implementation of these policies, equal access to jobs for men and women and the respect of human rights and civil liberties.  

Furthermore, he urged for increased financial and technical backing to developing countries, calling the United Nations Organization to enhance its data-collecting and analysis task. It is also the responsibility of non-governmental organizations and the private sector to establish creative partnership, said Loulichki who urged for financially supporting the civil society and private sector efforts to fulfill development objectives. He cited the NEPAD program (New Plan for African development) which is a strategy conceived by Africans for Africans and said the initiative ought to be supported and encouraged by the international community. Morocco further called the private sectors, particularly multinationals, to play a role in settling social problems linked to unemployment, social welfare, training and most vulnerable social categories. After he recalled that the heads of state and government present at the Copenhagen summit committed to focus their governments' strategies and policies on job-creation and promotion of appropriately-remunerated jobs, he said it is now the international community's duty to honor its commitments and set forth the decisions adopted to achieve social development and secure the well-being of the present and future generations.

H.M. King Mohammed VI Approves Use of "Tifinagh" Alphabet for Amazigh Writing

MARRAKESH, Feb.11 - H.M. King Mohammed VI approved the use of "Tifinagh" alphabet for Amazigh (Berber) writing, as recommended by the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture (IRCAM), announced on Monday a communiqué of the Royal Cabinet. ,The sovereign made his decision after extensive consultations with eminent national personalities, including the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the House of Representatives (Lower Chamber), the Speaker of the House of Advisers (Upper Chamber), and the leaders of political parties represented in the parliament, says the communiqué.  H.M. the King acceded to the IRCAM's recommendation insofar as it meets the requirements upholding the integrity of the Amazigh in its historical and cultural aspects and as it is part of the Moroccan identity specificity, adds the communiqué. The institute's creation was announced by the sovereign in October 2001 and the royal dahir setting up and governing the institute was sealed by king Mohammed VI in October 2001.

MAP 2003 http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/eng.htm 

H.M. King Mohammed VI Chairs Meeting on Tourism Development Strategy

MARRAKESH, Feb.10 - H.M. King Mohammed VI on Monday chaired a meeting on progress made in implementing the national ten-year tourism development strategy outlined by the sovereign in January 2001 at the national conference on tourism.  A communiqué by the Royal Office says minister of tourism, Adil Douiri, made a presentation on the progress made in the field and the objectives pursued, underscoring achievements made in tourism investment, accommodation capacities enhancement and human resources training. Transport and the fostering of tourism promotion methods were also evoked as important levers of the sector's development. "H.M. King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, praised the efforts made by the government, the tourism entrepreneurs and all the groups involved in achieving the aims set out in the sector," the communiqué goes. The sovereign called for long-term commitment of the state for the development of the sector, urging the government to double its efforts and act in coordination with the private sector and local councils to achieve such objectives. The sovereign recalled the challenges that will have to be taken up, stressing the need to set up an air transport strategy, consolidate Morocco's tourism image and grant home tourism the importance it deserves. H.M. the king said an exhaustive royal message will be read out at the 3rd tourism conference to be held in Agadir on February 14. The meeting was held in the presence of premier Driss Jettou, minister of the interior, Mostapha Sahel, Advisers to H.M. the King, André Azoulay and Mohammed Kabbaj, minister of finance and privatization, Fathallah Oulaalou, minister of equipment and transport, Karim Ghallab, minister of tourism, Adil Douiri, delegate minister of the interior, Fouad Ali Himma, and head of the Moroccan tourism office (ONMT), Fathia Bennis.

A promotion center for young fashion designers will be opened next May in Marrakech in the presence of the three finalists in the 2003 Miss French-speaking Belgium contest, said in Marrakesh last week editor in chief of "fashionfact" magazine, Marc Weidmann. "Fashionfact wants to provide a concrete help to young Moroccan designers and give them promotion means," said Weidmann in a joint conference in Marrakech with head of the committee of Miss French-speaking Belgium, Marie Noelle Lacasse. "A fund-raising party will be thrown on March 7th to draw the attention of socio-economic to the situation of the young designers' situation in Morocco. The collected funds will serve to the creation of the center." According to fashionfact's editor in chief, the center will also create an annual scholarship for young designers to train abroad or participate in a major fashion event. It will also organize conferences and trainings supervised by professionals. "The 20 finalists in Miss French-speaking Belgium will support this initiative by donning the creations of young Moroccan designers," said Lacasse. The models will also parade with old caftans and wedding dresses from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Mauritania. They will also showcase contemporary clothes designed by young Moroccans and Belgian designers.  

http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/030211/2003021123.html

Morocco and China signed on Tuesday a cooperation agreement to build a railway tunnel in Meknes, a very important facility for completing the doubling of the Sidi Kacem-Meknes railway. The 400 meter-long two-lane tunnel is scheduled to cost 100,000 DH (US$ 10,000). The project will be carried in 15 months and will help increase the Casablanca-Fes rail traffic capacity and enhance the safety of train traffic.

Tourism, an act of Cross-Cultural Interaction, Openness, Says H.M. King Mohammed VI

AGADIR, Feb.14 - H.M. King Mohammed VI said here on Thursday tourism is a bridge for cross-cultural interaction, openness and a means to keep up with Modernity. The sovereign stressed in a message read out on his behalf by prime minister, Driss Jettou, at the opening of the national conference on tourism "we consider that tourism should not be regarded merely as a source of foreign currency, however important that may be, but rather as a bridge for cross-cultural interaction, and as a means to get to know other peoples and civilizations, and simply as a way to keep up with the times." The sovereign stressed that this is "the shared responsibility of the whole nation", and of "every Moroccan citizen". "There is no way we can achieve the take-off which is hoped for in tourism, unless each one is convinced of the civilizational dimension in the concept of tourism", the royal message underscores. Of tourism promotion endeavors, H.M. the king called professionals to "instill in the tourist's mind the true image of Morocco as an open democratic nation which boasts an age-old civilization and a rich cultural heritage", adding that professionals should also "highlight the specific features and the rich, natural and cultural assets of each region, in order to make it a distinct international tourist destination in its own right." The sovereign further stressed that the "objective is to ensure that Morocco continues to be trusted internationally as a genuine, peaceful and attractive tourist destination, both in the short term and in the long run when we have carried through our ambitious projects which are bound to stimulate the real take-off of the tourism industry."

RABAT, Feb.13 - A total number of 2.2 million foreign tourists visited Morocco in 2002, says the tourism ministry. Europeans take the largest share with 1.7 million tourists, followed by Americans (119,229), Maghrebans (67,279), nationals of the Middle East countries (74,273), Africans (36,152), Asians (35,616) Australians (12,164). In the same period, travel receipts reached 23.72 billion DH (US$ 2.3 billion), marking a 18.8% increased compared to 29.19 billion DH posted in 2001. The average of travel receipts recorded between 1997 and 2001 stands at 20.1 billion DH. Tourism is an important source of hard currency in Morocco that set in place a strategy to reach 10 million tourists by 2010.

AGADIR, Feb.14 - H.M. King Mohammed VI called this Thursday at the opening of the national encounter on tourism in Agadir for the promotion of domestic tourism, stressing "this activity deserves as much attention as that of attracting foreign visitors". In a message read out this Friday by prime minister, Driss Jettou, the sovereign stressed that it is impossible to develop tourism fully without the participation of Moroccan nationals in domestic tourism. "The kind of tourism we have set our sights on, cannot be developed fully without the citizens engaging massively in domestic tourism." H.M. the king further underscored that domestic tourism "gives Moroccans an opportunity to discover and be proud of their country with its beautiful sites and a diverse history and culture". "Moreover, domestic tourism stimulates trade and cultural interaction between local populations, and contributes to economic growth", the royal message went on.

H.M. King Mohammed VI Spells out Strategy to Attain Ten Million Tourist/Year by 2010

AGADIR, Feb.14 - H.M. King Mohammed VI spelled out Morocco's strategy to attain ten million tourists per annum by 2010, calling on operators from both the public and the private sectors to combine their efforts to this end.  The sovereign, who addressed a message to the 3rd national conference on tourism that opened this Friday in Agadir, hoped that the rate of accommodation capacity increase -10,000 new beds in the year 2003, compared to an average of 1,500 new beds per annum in the second half of the 1990's- "will double in the medium term, with the opening of the Aguedal-Marrakesh and Taghazout-Agadir zones, as well as the seaside resorts to be built in El-Jadida, Essaouira, Saïdia and Costa-Blanca." Tenders, said H.M. the king in the message read out by prime minister, Driss Jettou, have already been invited for these projects, and major international companies have expressed interest, evincing Morocco's "record of credibility" with major foreign investors, in spite of the difficult international juncture. 

The sovereign further cited measures taken by the Government to settle legal issues related to land ownership in many tourist resorts, adding that contracts for the development of these projects have been awarded to private companies to ensure speed and efficiency. At the same time, the royal message went on, efforts are being made to provide special training in tourism-related trades and services, recalling that during this decade, more than seventy thousand skilled workers are expected to be trained in the tourism sector which is an inexhaustible source of employment for young people. "These achievements, important though they are, should not conceal the magnitude of the challenges that we must overcome if we want tourism to become the mainstay in the project to build a modern, competitive and open national economy," said the royal message. 

H.M. King Mohammed VI also stressed the importance of transport, particularly air transport, in the effort to enhance the competitiveness of Morocco's tourism. He emphasized, in this regard, the necessity to extend the existing network by running direct flights to tourist destinations, noting that the air transport industry must be upgraded with a view to liberalizing it and boosting its competitiveness. "Morocco has already accomplished a lot in this field, mainly by securing a substantial increase in tourism investments, and by bringing accommodation capacity up to 10,000 new beds in the year 2003, compared to an average of 1,500 new beds per annum in the second half of the 1990's," said the royal message.

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