Morocco, leading country in blinding trachoma fighting
No Progress Possible if Women' Rights Are Violated, Says King
Moroccan king boosts women's rights in marriage
Morocco to improve women's rights
Morocco to produce 54,000 tons of dates
Moroccan government to support farmers for 2003-2004 agricultural campaign
Morocco launches drive to eradicate shantytowns
Morocco sees to teach humanitarian law concepts in schools
US Peter Gruber Foundation holds justice-prize awarding ceremony in Marrakech
Angry Moroccan teacher throws pupils out of window
Stone honored in Morocco for cinema achievements
Ridley Scott: Morocco offers most developed cinema infrastructure in region
Morocco's Faouzi Bensaidi and Narjiss Nejjar movies prized at Namur Film Festival
Morocco needs 800 additional judges to overcome lawsuits backlog
Children MP ambition to become real lawmakers
Professionals hold textile and apparel fair
Chirac heads for Morocco in supportive mood.
Morocco among countries to benefit from French 'co-development' policy
The fight against terrorism must also include improving the lives of the poor, French president says
Princess Lalla Salma takes center stage at dinner with Chirac.
Morocco's fiscal receipts up by end of July 2003Moroccan highway tolls exceed $ 40 million in 2002
Moroccan highway tolls exceed $ 40 million in 2002
U.S. Military Doctors Medically Aid Morocco

Morocco, leading country in blinding trachoma fighting

Morocco, Health, 10/6/2003

Morocco is a leading country in blinding trachoma fighting, the Moroccan health department's challenge in the field being to totally eliminate the ailment by 2005, a Moroccan health official said. Dr. Abdelkrim Meziane Belfkih told the journalists invited to a field visit in the three southern "endemic zones" of Tata, Zagora and Ouarzazate that among 25 countries fighting the disease, partners view Morocco as a leading country in the field. Trachoma, the world's major cause of preventable blindness, is expected to be eliminated from Morocco by 2005, the International Trachoma Initiative said. Since the organization became active in Morocco in 1999, trachoma prevalence has decreased by about 75% (from 28% to 6.5%). The Moroccan mutli-disciplinary approach involves drinking water, education, public health local associations and the community. Trachoma is easily transmitted from person to person, particularly in families with small children. It occurs first in children, who often transmit the disease to others through frequent contact. Blindness occurs only after multiple infections, usually when individuals are in their 40s or 50s.

Women's close contact with children may be the factor that makes them two to three times more likely than men to be blinded by it. Without adequate treatment, the inner eyelid becomes scarred. After repeated infection and scarring, a condition known as trichiasis arises, which ultimately causes the eyelid to turn inwards, causing the eyelashes to rub against and damage the cornea, which leads to blindness.

An estimated 6,780 Moroccans still have trichiasis and need corrective surgery to prevent blindness. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/031006/2003100626.html

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No Progress Possible if Women' Rights Are Violated, Says King

Rabat, Oct.10 - H.M King Mohammed VI of Morocco has defended the right to equality between Moroccan men and women, and urged for a reform of the family law and the woman status "Mudawana". "How can society achieve progress while women, who represent half the nation, see their rights violated and suffer as a result of injustice, violence and marginalisation, notwithstanding the dignity and justice granted them by our glorious religion?" asked the king who was addressing members of parliament at the opening here Friday of the legislative year.

The monarch who had posed this very question in his speech on August 20, 1999 marking "the Revolution of the King and the People" day said that "in addition to taking significant decisions and initiatives to ensure that women enjoy a better and more equitable status, I did not hesitate to take steps to prevent the Moroccan society from being split over this issue". To this end, he went on, I set up a multi-disciplinary advisory committee to propose an in-depth review of the Family Law.

The Moroccan king took this opportunity to commend the efforts exerted by the chairman and all the members of the committee. "Views on certain issues may have differed at times, but in the case of Ulemas (religious scholars), I consider such differences rather as a blessing", he explained. "These reforms, the most important of which I have mentioned, should not be perceived as an indication of one side's victory over the other, but rather as gains for all Moroccans", he insisted.

H.M King Mohammed VI, in his capacity of "Amir Al-Muminin" (Commander of the Faithful), said: "I cannot make licit what God has forbidden, nor forbid what He has made lawful". "It is necessary to be mindful of the tolerant aims of Islam, which advocate human dignity, equality and harmonious relations, and also to rely on the cohesiveness of the Malikite rite and on ijtihad, thanks to which Islam is a suitable religion for all times and places", the king said, adding that "the aim is to draw up a modern Family Law which is consistent with the spirit of our glorious religion". He also insisted that "the Family Law should not be considered as a legislation devised for women only, but rather as a code for the family: father, mother and children. The proposed legislation is meant to free women from the injustices they endure besides protecting children's rights and safeguarding men's dignity. "Would anyone of you want to see his wife and children thrown out of their home and into the street, or his daughter or sister treated brutally?" asked the sovereign, underlining that "as the King of all Moroccans, I do not make legislation for a given segment of the population or a specific party. Rather, I seek to reflect the general will of the Nation, which I consider to be my extended family".

H.M King Mohammed VI also voiced resolve to "preserve the rights of my faithful subjects of Jewish faith", saying "I have seen to it that the new Family Law contains a provision which reaffirms that they shall continue to be governed by the Hebraic Moroccan Family Law". He noted that although the 1957 Family Law was drawn up before the Parliament was established, and was subsequently amended by Dahirs (Royal Decrees) in 1993, during a constitutional transition period, "I have made a decision for the proposed Family Law to be submitted to Parliament, for the first time, in view of its implications with respect to civil law.

As for the provisions of religious nature, they fall within the competence of Amir Al-Muminin (Commander of the Faithful)", said the monarch who expects from the members of parliament "to rise to this historic occasion and be worthy of the responsibilities assigned to you, not only by respecting the sacred nature of the proposed texts, which were prepared with due account being taken of the aims of our tolerant religion, but also when you adopt new legislation". "These provisions, he said, should not be regarded as flawless, nor should they be perceived from a fanatic angle. Instead, you should address them with realism and clear-sightedness, keeping in mind that this is an Ijtihad (jurisprudence) effort which is suitable for Morocco at this point in time in its endeavors to achieve the development objective it is pursuing in a wise, gradual and determined manner." H.M King Mohammed VI finally called for "a large-scale media campaign to sensitize all segments of the population to the importance of this reform. Islamic law experts, intellectuals and political representatives should be involved", he concluded. © MAP 2003

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

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Moroccan king boosts women's rights in marriage

RABAT, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Moroccan women are to win greater rights concerning marriage and divorce under reforms unveiled on Friday by King Mohammed. The minimum age for women to marry is to be raised from 15 to 18 to equal that of men, and women will get property rights in the marriage. Women will now be able to divorce their husbands, rather than just the other way round, and unlike now divorce will need a judge's approval. Muslim men will still be able to marry up to four wives, but for the first time polygamy will also need a judge's authorisation, in addition to the prior consent of the man's existing wives and wife-to-be. "Make husband and wife jointly responsible for the family in keeping with the words of my ancestor the Prophet (Mohammed), 'Only an honourable man will honour them (women) and only an ignoble man will humble them'," the king told parliament at the opening of its autumn session.

The new texts, which parliament is expected to approve, also guarantee for the first time the principle of sharing between husband and wife of property acquired during marriage. After succeeding his father King Hassan in 1999, the now 40-year-old king said he was willing to reform the Moudawana, or family law. Symbolically he allowed pictures of his fiancee to be published for the first time in Moroccan history. He also initiated a quota system in last year's general elections guaranteeing 30 seats for women in the 325-member lower house of parliament. The king is the highest religious authority in conservative Morocco. ((Reporting by Souhail Karam; edited by Richard Meares; Reuters Messaging: souhail.karam.reuters.com@reuters.net; +212-37 720065))

http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm?id=1065819725nL10615458&section=Countries&page=Morocco&channel=All%20Morocco%20News&objectid=22403786-8F1A-11D4-67000D0B74A0D7C

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Morocco to improve women's rights

From correspondents in Rabat

October 11, 2003

IN a historic effort to unify and modernise Moroccan society, King Mohammed VI announced today a landmark reform to grant vast new rights to women on matters such as divorce, marriage and rights within the family. Acting in his role as Commander of Beliefs, the 40-year-old monarch said the move was designed to help heal a divide in society forming between women's groups and a powerful Islamic movement. "We have not hesitated to intervene to spare our society from the risks of splitting apart over this question," the king said in an address to parliament. The king has ultimate authority in Morocco and parliament is expected to approve the plan.

In the high-toned speech, Mohammed VI said the proposal was designed to "lift the iniquity weighing on women, protect children's rights and preserve the dignity of mankind". "These reforms must not be seen as a victory of one camp over another but rather as advances for the benefit of all Moroccans," he said. Among its stipulations, the reform would "place families under the joint responsibility of both spouses" - not just men, the king said. Often referring to the Koran, Mohammed VI also said the plan would establish "draconian criteria" on polygamy to make it nearly impossible. The practice is rare in cities, but exists in some rural areas. The changes were also designed to "bring a modern code of the family in perfect keeping with the spirit of our tolerant religion", he said. Among other changes, the proposal is to raise the minimum marriage to 18 years old, from 15, and simplify divorce procedures for the benefit of women.

The king has brought social and human rights reforms to the impoverished North African country, where one out of two people is illiterate. The reform announced today was expected to become a hot topic of public debate. Among the former French colonies in North Africa, Morocco has been considered a relative laggard on issues of women's rights. For example, Tunisia, after its independence in 1956, enacted progressive laws ensuring the equality of women and men on matters such as divorce, education and rights to political representation.

The announcement of Morocco's reform came on the second day of a three-day trip by French President Jacques Chirac, who has repeatedly praised the king's efforts to modernise his country. Early today, Chirac travelled to the northern city of Tangiers to visit the construction site of a giant port and industrial complex expected to boost the region's economy and create about 100,000 jobs. The port project is expected to cost about $US1.3 billion ($1.89 billion) and build stronger links between Europe and a region troubled by contraband and illegal cannabis exportation. Chirac's trip was his first to the North African nation since Mohammed VI took the throne in 1999 after the death of his father, Hassan II.

The Associated Press http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,7526296%255E1702,00.html

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Morocco to produce 54,000 tons of dates

Morocco, Economics, 10/4/2003

Morocco is expecting a date production of 54,000 tons, marking an improvement of 62% compared to the previous season, the agriculture ministry forecast.A rate of 44% of this quantity is a top quality variety, intermediary quality account for 34% while low quality dates will represent 22% of the harvest. Top quality dates, known in Morocco as Majhoul, are sold at a price ranging between 60 DH (US$ 6) to 100 DH per kilogram.

The ministry also says the improvement in the date production will ensure a normal market supply during the fasting month of Ramadan during which dates consumption is a must in the fast-breaking meal.

Palm trees are grown on 47,300 hectares, with an average density of 100 trees/hectares. One million inhabitants are living on palm tree fruits, mainly in the southern regions of Ouarzazate and Errachidia. A disease has destroyed two thirds of the Moroccan palm trees that used to extend in the last century over 150,000 hectares. According to the source, 1.3 million tress of a new disease-resistant variety will be planted by 2010. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/031004/2003100423.html

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Moroccan government to support farmers for 2003-2004 agricultural campaign

Morocco, Economics, 10/9/2003

The Moroccan agriculture ministry announced this Wednesday a series of measures to support farmers in the 2003-2004 campaign and relaunch the drought-stricken agricultural sector. The announced measures, that concern financing, insurance to farmers, irrigation, supply of materials, automation, and animal stock, seek to build on the good crops of the 2001-2002 positive season that produced around 7.8 million tons of cereals.

The state will carry on its support to the insurance of cereals crops against drought by extending the insured area to 300,000 hectares benefiting from a state support of 10% of subscriptions and extending 120 million DH (US$ 12 million) to compensate farmers in case of drought. A more rapid and easier insurance system is also mulled.

The train of measures also includes irrigation, water-management programs, subsidizing seeds and increasing the number of sites where fertilizers and seeds are sold. The ministry expects cereal seeds availability to reach around 100,000 tons with a wide variety likely to meet farmers demand. The ministry says it is in contact with the Moroccan phosphates company to guarantee a normal market supply of seeds. In parallel, the ministry announces it will continue its activities of soil analysis, counseling in the use of fertilizers and control of imported and local products used in agriculture. Premiums and incentives extended to people and companies investing in farming automation and agriculture companies will be maintained. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/031009/2003100921.html

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Morocco launches drive to eradicate shantytowns

RABAT, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Morocco launched a new drive on Monday to eliminate all its city slums, where poverty and unemployment present a potential breeding ground for radical Islamism. The North African country has stepped up its efforts to remove shantytowns and boost housing for low-income households since the May 16 suicide bombings in Casablanca. Most of the 12 Islamist radical suicide bombers, who killed 33 people in almost simultaneous blasts, were from notorious shantytowns on the outskirts of the business capital. The government announced on Monday it would boost initiatives aimed at totally eradicating slums estimated to house around 1.5 million people.

Prime Minister Driss Jettou told a conference on housing the government aimed to build 100,000 homes each year for low-income households, with decent homes available for less than 120,000 dirhams ($12,770). The conference was held to coincide with the United Nations World Habitat Day. A U.N. report to be released on Monday warns that the world's slum population will double to two billion within 30 years unless governments take drastic action. Jettou said the government would more than double to around 1 billion dirhams a state fund for improving housing. He also urged banks to make mortgages more accessible to shantytown dwellers by offering low-interest rates, longer maturity periods of 25 years and beyond, and exemption from deposit payments.

Toufiq Hjira, Minister-Delegate for Housing and Urbanism, said priority in state financing would be given to councils that come up with the best plans for removing slums in their areas. "We will announce each year the list of cities that will see the total eradication of shantytowns, starting next year," Hjira told the conference. ((Reporting by Souhail Karam; editing by Emma Batha. Reuters Messaging: souhail.karam.reuters.com@reuters.net; +212-37 720065)) ($1=9.395 Moroccan dirhams)

http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm?id=1065454960nL06437256&section=Countries&page=Morocco&channel=All%20Morocco%20News&objectid=22403786-8F1A-11D4-867000D0B74A0D7C

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Morocco sees to teach humanitarian law concepts in schools

Morocco-Regional, Education, 10/9/2003

Morocco is seeing to include humanitarian law concepts in the new school curricula, education and youth minister, Habib El Malki, said.In a speech read out on his behalf an education ministry executive at a meeting here on international humanitarian law, El Malki said the kingdom aims, by doing so, to inculcate the respect of human life and dignity in pupils' minds.The new subjects were introduced in curricula with the fresh amendment of the education and training system in the kingdom. The Amman meeting gathers representatives from 14 Arab states over humanitarian law and its promotion through education. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/031009/2003100924.html

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US Peter Gruber Foundation holds justice-prize awarding ceremony in Marrakech

Morocco-USA, Local, 10/6/2003

The US Peter Gruber Foundation has chosen to host the annual justice prize awarding ceremony in Marrakesh with the collaboration of the Moroccan supreme court. The ceremony will be taking place under the patronage of King Mohammed VI. The Justice Prize, established in 2001, is awarded to individuals or organizations in recognition of significant contributions in the area of justice and for efforts and accomplishments in furthering the cause of justice as delivered through the legal system. The foundation says on its website, the Justice Prize, a gold medal and a $150,000 cash award, is an international award given without respect to nationality, race, gender, ethnicity, or religious creed. Recipients are selected from the world community by a distinguished panel of international legal experts. (MAP)SH http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/031006/2003100628.html

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Angry Moroccan teacher throws pupils out of window

RABAT, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Two Moroccan schoolboys were injured on Monday when their teacher threw them out of a first floor classroom window for being too noisy, an Education Ministry official said. One of the pupils, aged nine, ended up in hospital with a fractured shoulder and serious injuries to his face and head while the other, 10, suffered only slight injuries, the official from the ministry's delegation in Casablanca said. He said the teacher had warned the pair she would throw them out if they were not quiet. "They did not listen. They should have listened," he told Reuters by telephone. "She (the teacher) suffers depression." The official had no comment on whether the teacher would be disciplined.

((Reporting by Souhail Karam; editing by Alison Williams; Reuters Messaging: souhail.karam.reuters.com@reuters.net; +212-37 720065))

http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm?id=1065465716nL06555919&section=Countries&page=Morocco&channel=All%20Morocco%20News&objectid=22403786-8F1A-11D4-867000D0B74A0D7C

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Stone honored in Morocco for cinema achievements

MARRAKECH, Morocco, Oct 07, 2003 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- Hollywood director Oliver Stone has received a lifetime achievement award in Morocco, where he is busy filming the big-budget epic "Alexander" about Alexander the Great. Stone, the director behind provocative films like "Platoon" or "JFK," was honored late Monday with the Golden Star award during the third edition of the Marrakech international film festival.

Festival organizers also projected Stone's new documentary, "Comandante," about Cuban leader Fidel Castro, which has drawn the scorn of some Cuban expatriate groups in Florida. "I wanted to show the portrait of a dictator that very few people know about," Stone told reporters. "I just wanted to say: 'listen to Fidel Castro speak in his own words, then make up your own opinion."'

Morocco has sought to build its movie industry, but the fallout from five deadly terrorist attacks in the port city of Casablanca in May has turned away some Hollywood studios from filming here. Stone praised Moritz Borman, the producer of "Alexander," for "real personal courage" in holding to plans to film in Morocco after the May 16 bombings that left 33 bystanders and 12 attackers dead. With a budget of nearly US$200 million, "Alexander" is being partially filmed near Marrakech in one of the largest film projects ever in this north African kingdom.

Copyright 2003 Associated Press, All rights reserved

http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm?id=280w0771&&channel=All%20Morocco%20News&objectid=22403786-8F1A-11D4-867000D0B74A0D7C

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Ridley Scott: Morocco offers most developed cinema infrastructure in region

Morocco, Local, 10/7/2003

Morocco has the most developed cinema infrastructure of the region, said British movie maker, Ridley Scott, currently participating in the International Film Festival, held in Marrakesh October 03-08. Scott, who was extended on Friday the intellectual merit Wissam (medal), said at a dinner offered by King Mohammed VI to participants in the festival that besides the landscapes and architecture, the kingdom has a developed cinema community. The artist recalled he had shot two movies in four years in Morocco (Gladiator, Black Hawk Down) and he will start shooting in January in southern Morocco his 20th century fox crusades-era epics "Kingdom of Heaven." The Moroccan government has always showed a genuine will to help us, which created an atmosphere of confidence, he said. It is a country where I feel good, the producer of Morocco-shot "Black Hawk Down" and "Gladiator" said. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/031007/2003100731.html

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Morocco's Faouzi Bensaidi and Narjiss Nejjar movies prized at Namur Film Festival

Morocco, Local, 10/6/2003

Moroccan movie makers, Faouzi Bensaidi and Narjiss Nejjar, were prized Friday at the Namur Francophone Film Festival for their "Mille Mois" and "Les Yeux Secs."  The festival, held September 26-October 08, screened Mille Mois(1,000 months) in its "un certain regard" category. The comedy-drama, Bensaidi's first long movie, is about Mehdi, an eight year-old boy growing up in a Moroccan village. He's the center of the tale and most things are seen from his perspective. His father, whom he has been told is "in France," is in prison for his participation in a labor strike. The tale takes place during the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan, the final days of which is very important, it's like "A Thousand Months."

Nejjar's movie is about an old woman comes out of prison after 25 years. Outside, she meets Fadh, a young bus driver who offers to take her back to her village. The old woman accepts but warns Fadh that she will say he is her son, for only women live in the village. When he gets there, Fadh discovers that the women of the village, living in total isolation, are personal prostitutes who wait for the shepherds to return once a year. The old woman finds her daughter in the village, whom she abandoned 25 years earlier. She decides to free the village of its curse. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/031006/2003100629.html

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Morocco needs 800 additional judges to overcome lawsuits backlog

Morocco, Judicial, 10/7/2003

The Moroccan justice needs an additional 800 magistrates in order to be able to process the cases clogged up in Moroccan courts, said justice minister Mohamed Bouzoubaa. The minister said Moroccan judges are working three times as hard as their colleagues in other countries, with a similar level as Morocco. He said Moroccan courts process around 3 million cases annually. This means, he added that each of the 3,000 magistrates handle an annual average of 1,000 cases. About 600,000 new cases remain unprocessed every year, said the minister before arguing that the courts computerization will help clear this backlog and the slowness in handling lawsuits.

The new reform that concerns training, further training, modernization and setting deadlines for the processing of lawsuits are also likely to help overcome the justice problems, he told a television show. Asked on the new penal law enacted recently, the minister said the law is part of a comprehensive system and was preceded by amendments to the public freedoms law, particularly the press law and the law regulating associations and meetings. The minister further explained the new law is part of the Kingdom's irreversible option for democracy and of a series of actions meant to adapt the Moroccan legal system to the constitution, in accordance with the King's instructions.

Novelties of the amended penal law include rescinding the college of judges and returning to the single judges in some cases so as to free judges for other cases, assigning to prosecutors the mission to conduct weekly inspection visits to prisons and favoring friendly settlement as an approach that reduces the number of prison sentences. He went on that the new penal code has established some balance between the rights of individuals and those of the society while guaranteeing conditions of fair trial to the defendant and other parties. Regarding the minister's attributions under the new law, he said the holder of the justice ministry portfolio is not entitled to interfere in justice although he is empowered to give instructions to the public prosecutor who is free to fulfill his duty independently http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/031007/2003100718.html

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Children MP ambition to become real lawmakers

Morocco, Culture, 10/7/2003

Members of the children parliament said they want to have in the coming sessions a genuine law-making role and be able to propose bills to the adult parliament. Junior MPS who have been holding regional meetings in Kenitra and other regions of the Kingdom said they wanted their parliament to serve as a tribune for children and official organizations and institutions active in children rights.

The meeting of local branches of the Moroccan children parliament is held under the patronage of King Mohammed VI and the chairmanship of Princess Lalla Meryem who chairs the Moroccan observatory of children rights and the children parliament. Seen as a unique experience of the kind in the Arab states, the institution is composed of pupils representing the same constituencies as those represented in the adults parliament, plus disabled children (6%) and deaf-mute children (4%).

Four children representing pupils attending foreign schools in Morocco and 6 members representing students of vocational training centers and children of the Moroccan community living abroad will also sit in the Parliament. Selection of the students was made according to their school results. Girls were allocated 57 % of seats in view of their excellent school grades. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/031007/2003100721.html

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Professionals hold textile and apparel fair

Morocco, Economics, 10/7/2003

The Moroccan association of textile and apparel industries (AMITH) is holding this October 13-18 a week-long fair simultaneously in Marrakesh and Casablanca. AMITH chairman, Salah Eddine Mekouar, told reporters, the event seeks to promote Morocco as a producer of textile and garment. The fair features an exhibition in which 200 companies will display their new techniques in terms of finishing, accessories and services, a fashion show in which 100 Moroccan designers will showcase their 2004-2005 fall-winter and summer 2004 collections and an international encounter between some 600 operators in the sector and their public and private partners both in Morocco and abroad. The event will wind up with a fashion show by young Moroccan designers. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/031007/2003100722.html

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Chirac heads for Morocco in supportive mood.

09 October 2003 RABAT : French President Jacques Chirac begins a three-day visit to Morocco, during which he will encourage Rabat to pursue its economic and political reforms. The French leader will be accompanied by his wife Bernadette on the official visit, which will take in Morocco's ancient imperial city of Fez, Tangiers and the capital Rabat.

It will be the first meeting between Chirac and Morocco's Mohammed VI here since the king assumed the throne in 1999. The two share "personal and affectionate" ties which have brought an "exceptional quality" to Franco-Morocco relations, Chirac spokeswoman Catherine Colonna said on the eve of the visit. France is encouraging Morocco to pursue economic and political reforms despite the "threats" facing the country, the target of terrorist attacks in May, Chirac said in an interview with the Moroccan Press Agency (MAP) published Wednesday

"It is natural that France is by his (Mohammed's) side, offering support and encouragement to pursue the path it has chosen," Chirac said, adding that his visit would be a chance to "reinforce the strategic partnership," between the two countries. France is by far Morocco's biggest trading partner, accounting for 30 percent of the kingdom's sales and providing 27 percent of its purchases. It is also the biggest foreign investor.

On a wider level, Chirac is expected to discuss the creation of a trading area involving the European Union and countries on the other side of the Mediterranean, including Morocco. "Like Morocco, France wants to be active in building a Euro-Mediterranean area of peace, security and shared prosperity," Colonna said in Paris. Rabat is currently in negotiations with the European Union for a special status which would be less than membership but more than association.

After the deadly Casablanca bomb attacks which killed 45 people, including 12 suicide bombers, on May 16, Chirac, who will address the Moroccan parliament on Saturday, voiced his solidarity with Rabat in the fight against terrorism. In five nearly simultaneous attacks, booby-trapped cars exploded outside an international hotel, a Jewish cultural center and an Italian restaurant, and the suicide attackers detonated their bombs at a Spanish club and an abandoned Jewish cemetery, all in downtown Casablanca. Moroccan investigators concluded that the attacks were organised by banned Islamist group Salafia Jihadia, which mainly recruits among residents of poor suburbs in cities such as Casablanca, but they have not ruled out participation by international groups. Nearly 100 people are being prosecuted in Moroccan courts either for terror-related offenses or for association with Salafia Jihadia, . - AFP http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/51376/1/.html

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Morocco among countries to benefit from French 'co-development' policy

Morocco-France, Politics, 10/9/2003

Morocco is among four African countries to benefit from the "co-development" policy initiated by the French government to help foreign communities settled in France invest in their native countries. The three other countries to benefit from this policy are Mali, Senegal and Comoros islands, announced here Wednesday, French minister of cooperation, Pierre-Andre Wiltzer, at the end of a cabinet meeting. "The government has decided to boost its policy of co-development by inciting the foreign communities' elite to invest in development projects in their countries of origin," said the French minister who was quoted by the government's spokesman, jean-Francois Cope. "The four countries have been chosen because of "the importance, the degree of organization and the dynamism of the communities in France but especially because of their countries' wish to associate them to their development policies," he explained. Wiltzer also emphasized the need to mobilize the thousands of teachers, doctors, researchers, engineers, computer scientists trained in France "towards development actions in their native countries ." These two programs, to start in 2004, will be financed partly by the French foreign affairs ministry. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/031009/2003100919.html

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The fight against terrorism must also include improving the lives of the poor, French president says

FEZ, Morocco, Oct 10, 2003 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- The fight against terrorism should include efforts to improve the lot of people whose lives are steeped in misery, French President Jacques Chirac said told King Mohammed VI. Chirac made his remarks at a gala dinner held in his honor on Thursday night at the royal palace in Fez, 200 kilometers (124 miles) south of the capital, Rabat. "The best weapons against fanaticism are education, work, hope," Chirac said in the presence of the Moroccan monarch. Chirac arrived in Morocco earlier in the day for a three-day state visit - his first since Mohammed VI took the throne in 1999.

Morocco has been largely spared of extremist violence until five suicide bombings in Casablanca on May 16 killed 45 people, including 12 of the attackers. The bombings have led to questions about how to balance human rights and a tough crackdown on Islamic militants. On the subject of Iraq, Mohammed VI said his nation supports a quick transfer of power from the U.S.-led occupation forces to Iraqis themselves, a position in line with France.

The United States and Britain say the country must first have a constitution in place and hold elections before they relinquish sovereignty, a process that will take at least a year. "We hope to see our brothers, the Iraqi people, recover as quickly as possible their full sovereignty," Mohammed VI said.

By NICOLAS MARMIE Associated Press Writer Copyright 2003 Associated Press, All rights reserved

http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm?id=283w6845&section=Countries&page=Morocco&channel=All%20Morocco%20News&objectid=22403786-8F1A-11D4-867000D0B74A0D7C

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Princess Lalla Salma takes center stage at dinner with Chirac.

10 OCTOBER 2003 Morocco's Princess Lalla Salma made another high-profile appearance on Thursday, as she joined her husband King Mohammed and French president Jacques Chirac for a state banquet in the city of Fez.  Sitting alongside the French premiere, red-headed former computer engineer Lalla Salma joined in the two leaders' conversation. In the past, commoners never even saw a royal wife. Her outing comes a few months after she took centre-stage during Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's visit to the north African country. The 25-year-old's increasingly visible role in Moroccan affairs is seen as further evidence of her husband's modernising approach. And their Parisian guest was eager to praise Mohammed's efforts to bring greater democracy to the nation. "Morocco is a precious example of a country that has always succeeded in striking the fragile but necessary balance between respect for traditions and openness to the world," said the 70-year-old. "It is only natural that France stands by, supports and encourages Morocco in the path it has chosen."

http://www.hello-magazine.co.uk/royalty/2003/10/10/morroccanroyals/

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Morocco's fiscal receipts up by end of July 2003

Morocco, Economics, 10/4/2003

Morocco's fiscal receipts scored by end of July 2003 a 5.7% rise with 50.82 billion dirhams ($ 5 billion) in comparison with the same period last year (48 billion dirhamsor $ nearly 4.8), the department of general economic policy (DPEG) said. Fiscal receipts were boosted by direct taxes which went up from 18.8 billion dirhams to 20.7 billions ("10%) and indirect taxes receipts which increased from 18.8 billion dirhams in 2002 to 20 Bln this year ("6.6%), the source explains. In the same period, customs duties fell by 10% to settle around 6.45 billion dirhams (nearly $645 million).

http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/031004/2003100425.html

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Moroccan highway tolls exceed $ 40 million in 2002

Morocco, Economics, 10/10/2003

Moroccan highway tolls reached in 2002 400 million DH (over US$ 40 million), increasing by 26% compared to the amount paid in 2001, says the state-owned company of Morocco's highways (ADM). The Rabat-Casablanca 120 km-long highway accounts for 40 percent of tolls, followed by the north-bound Rabat-Asilah axis with 26% of the total amount. Morocco counts 506 km of highways that are all pay roads. The company which projects to build an annual average of 100 km of highways between 2004 and 2006, for an annual investment of 2.3 billion DH (US$ about 230 million). With a capital of 2.22 billion DH (US$ 222 million), ADM is in charge of highway construction, maintenance and operation contracts.

http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/031010/2003101027.html

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U.S. Military Doctors Medically Aid Morocco

October 9, 2003 by LT Corey Barker MEDFLAG 2003 Public Affairs

ER-RACHIDIA, Morocco (NNS) -- From tumor biopsies to neurosurgery, medical personnel from U.S. Naval Station Rota, Spain, Ohio Air National Guard and other medical commands in Europe and the United States have been performing up to 15 complex surgeries a day at the Ali Cherif Moulay Hospital in Er Rachicdia, Morocco, since the annual MEDFLAG exercise began Sept. 6.

The medical personnel working at the regional hospital are part of MEDFLAG 2003, a joint humanitarian relief operation and medical training exercise conducted with the Moroccan military, as well as medical personnel from Zambia, Gabon, Belgium and Tanzania. Approximately 100 U.S. medical personnel are conducting medical training and providing humanitarian relief and medical outreach, called Medical Civic Action Programs (MEDCAPS), to outlaying communities surrounding the desert city of Er Rachidia. Seven MEDCAPS will be conducted during MEDFLAG 2003, which is scheduled to end Sept. 19.

A Navy doctor explained that many of the cases seen at the regional hospital in Er Rachidia are referred there from the MEDCAPS set up in the villages. "Most of the patients are first triaged at the MEDCAP medical facility, but unfortunately, their conditions are quite serious and are not able to get the level of care they require from a mobile treatment center," explained Lt. Cmdr Karen Kopman from U.S. Naval Hospital Rota, Spain.

Lt. Col. Harry Reynolds, an Ohio Air National Guard surgeon, said that the groups of up to 10 medical personnel working at the hospital are conducting a wide range of surgical procedures, from removing parasitic cysts and gall bladders to more complex surgeries, like removing tumors in the thyroid glands to neurosurgery. "Just this morning, we performed a hernia repair, hemorrhoid extraction and removed a lung tumor to be biopsied," said Reynolds, a recognized professional in his field, excelling as a prominent surgeon at University Hospitals of Ohio in Cleveland. "The patients are very appreciative that we are here in Morocco to help," he said. "There is a great need for this type of medical support, and we are glad to be working alongside the Moroccan surgeons." According to Kopman, "Things are very different here in the way we do surgery. We are learning the way they do business, and we are showing them the ways we do business."

The U.S. Navy uses some of most advanced medical techniques and equipment in the world. The U.S personnel working with the Moroccan doctors were more than eager to share their experience and knowledge, and the Moroccan personnel were more than eager to learn new exciting procedures.

As part of the U.S. commitment to providing top-level medical support during MEDFLAG, medical and surgical equipment was donated to the Ali Cherif Moulay Hospital. Some of the equipment was provided by Fleet Hospital 8, which was a tent hospital located in Rota, Spain, and the hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20). Both Fleet Hospital 8 and Comfort treated wounded U.S. personnel in the early stages of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. The enormous white hospital ship and the 250-bed mobile tent hospital in Rota both returned to the United States in June 2003. But before they left, they donated hundreds of pallets of excess medical instrumentation and supplies to MEDFLAG 2003. Most of the excess surgical equipment was turned over to the Moroccan military for dispersal to remote medical facilities throughout the region.

Manouni Ahmed, a pharmacist at the hospital sorting the thousands of pieces of equipment, said, "We are very happy to have such nice new equipment. Thank you." The equipment will ensure that the hospital will be able to provide medical support for the region and dramatically increases the quality of equipment the hospital currently has on inventory. Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Chad Fontenot, from Rota, demonstrated a new technique of cold sterilization, which reduces the time required to sterilize surgical instruments from hours to only minutes. "At this hospital, they used steam to sterilize instruments, which takes up to two hours. We have showed them a new process using safe cleansing chemicals to sterilize instruments in only 12 minutes," said Fontenot.

One of the medical corps officers working at the hospital is CDR Gordon Green, a urologist from U.S. Naval Station Rota, Spain. When he arrived at the hospital to treat a number of urology cases, he was surprised to find antiquated medical equipment. "Normally, I use endoscopes to treat urology cases as it is more evasive than actually performing exploratory surgery," Green explained. Putting his cases on hold, he sent for his equipment, which was flown from Rota Sept. 11. While waiting for his shipment of state-of-the-art equipment to arrive, Green kept busy around the operating room by performing jobs such as surgical and scrub technician -- duties usually performed by an enlisted corpsman. "I help whereever I can. I don't mind assisting during a procedure as a tech, or helping scrubbing up medical personnel before an operation. I am glad to do it. Anything we do helps," Green said.

Units participating in the MEDFLAG 2003 include U.S. military personnel from all branches of the armed forces and include: U.S. Naval Hospital Rota, Spain, U.S. Naval Forces Europe, U.S. Air Forces Europe, U.S. Naval Medical Center Bethesda, U.S. Naval Medical Center San Diego, U.S. Naval Dental Center Naples and 464th U.S. Army Medical Company Landstuhl/Miesaw.

http://www.dcmilitary.com/navy/journal/8_40/national_news/25652-1.html

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