Drop in infant mortality in Morocco, says minister.
Every year, 800,000 babies are born with HIV; one in twenty women tested.
H.M King Mohammed VI Arrives in New York.
H.M. King Mohammed VI and US President Agree to Lend Particular Status to Bilateral Ties.
UK Foreign Office Minster Lauds Reforms in Morocco.
Jewish Association Pays Tribute to Inter-community Brotherhood in Morocco
Morocco says probe still going on to identify killers of Moroccan Jew.
Arab Fund Lends Morocco US$ 45 million.
Unemployment rises by 0.8 percent in Morocco.
IFC, Morocco to set up facility to finance SME.
Morocco's informal sector includes 1.2 million enterprises, makes 17% of gdp.
Smuggling costs Morocco 450,000 jobs, says minister.
Berber Language Now Used In Morocco Schools.
Moroccan schools teach Berber.
Fossil find a winner.
Multinational Team Unearths 180 million-year old Dinosaur .
Moroccan Writer Awarded UNESCO's Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture.
Morocco Denounces Deliberate Amalgam between Islam and Terrorism
Morocco death sentences
Morocco and Wallony set to boost economic and social partnership
Customs receipts rise by 13.3 percent in Morocco

Drop in infant mortality in Morocco, says minister.

Health, 9/22/2003

Infant mortality in Morocco has fallen from 211 per thousand in 1960, to 64 per thousand in 1997, due to improvements in child's care, said here Thursday, Moroccan health minister, Mohamed Sheikh Biadillah. Biadillah who was addressing the opening of the 28th meeting of the Union of Paediatrics Societies of the Middle East and the Mediterranean, acknowledged however that this rate does in no way match Morocco's ambitions and remains high compared with some countries with the same social and economic levels. Morocco, he said, is facing multiple challenges related to child diseases, in particular concerning prevention and treatment. He also revealed that expenditures in health hardly exceed 56 dollars per person and per year, which represents 4.5 per cent of the GDP and 5.3 percent of the state's Budget. Talking of progress being made in the field of health, the minister mentioned the new law on compulsory health insurance which will be covering 32.5 percent of the active population up from 16.5 percent presently. The Marrakesh four-day meeting is bringing together 350 paediatricians from the Middle East, the Mediterranean countries and the United States. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/030922/2003092229.html

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Every year, 800,000 babies are born with HIV; one in twenty women tested.
Health, 9/24/2003

Moroccan foreign affairs and cooperation minister, Mohamed Benaissa, called in New York Monday in the United Nations' head office for an immediate international mobilization to fight AIDS. In a speech on behalf of the Group 77 and China, Benaissa said at a meeting of the UN Assembly General "we are long way from defeating this devastating epidemic and the situation may get worse without international mobilization." One out of four countries does not have a national strategy to provide the necessary aid and assistance to HIV infected-people, deplored Benaissa, adding that one of 16 people in Sub-Saharan Africa, the most vulnerable region in the world, does not have access to Aids test.

Every year, some 800,000 babies are born with HIV and only one woman out of twenty undergoing prenatal treatment has access to preventive care, said the Moroccan official. Benaissa warned that these figures are even more worrying because they concern women and children, that is the active population whose contribution to development is decisive. However, he went on, national, regional and international efforts made so far have started to yield fruit and international solidarity is effected in initiatives and commitments that give hope in the future.

As far as Morocco is concerned, a strategy was drawn up to fight HIV/AIDS through a large awareness campaign where the government and the civil society work side by side, underscored the minister, saying nevertheless this breakthrough remains insufficient given the financial means that are necessary to take up the new challenges in terms of low-price drugs, preventive education and national strategies to fight the epidemics. (MAP)OB/ http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/030924/2003092430.html

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H.M King Mohammed VI Arrives in New York.

NEW YORK, Sep. 22 - H.M King Mohammed VI arrived here Sunday to take part in the general debates of the United Nations General Assembly 58th session that will open Tuesday. The sovereign, who headed to New York from Paris where he was on a private visit, is accompanied by a delegation comprising foreign minister, Mohammed Benaissa, delegate minister for foreign affairs and cooperation Taieb Fassi Fihri, Royal advisors, André Azoulay, Abdelaziz Meziane Belfkih and Mohammed Moatassim.

Eighty heads of state are scheduled to participate in the UN general assembly that will examine the situation in Iraq following the war led in the region, Israel's decision of principle to expel Palestinian president, Yasser Arafat and the reform of the United Nations. The 58th session is of particular importance, given this year's events that challenged the international community's efforts for peace around the world. UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, had called for a serious reflection about the organization and its main agencies in a bid to restore the confidence of member-states and the public opinion. The meeting of heads of state will be an occasion to discuss several issues such as AIDS, anti-terrorism struggle, poverty, women's promotion, human rights and development.  Bilateral and multilateral meetings will be held on the sidelines of the event that will wind up on October 3.  © MAP 2003

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

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H.M. King Mohammed VI and US President Agree to Lend Particular Status to Bilateral Ties.

NEW YORK, Sep.24 - H.M. King Mohammed VI and US president, George W. Bush, agreed here on Tuesday to give Moroccan-US relations a particular status. The two heads of state who held a work session on the sidelines of the United Nations' 58th General Assembly also agreed to reinforce political dialogue at the service of peace, stability and security of countries in the Middle East and North Africa. H.M. King Mohammed VI and the US chief executive, whose countries are poised to sign a free-trade agreement by the end of the year, discussed major international, regional and bilateral questions. US secretary of state, Colin Powel, US. national security Advisor, Condoleeza Rice, Moroccan minister of foreign affairs and cooperation, Mohamed Benaissa, and delegated minister for foreign affairs and cooperation, Taib Fassi Fihri, and several other US and Moroccan officials were present at the meeting.

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

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UK Foreign Office Minster Lauds Reforms in Morocco.

RABAT, Sep. 20 - British foreign office minister, Baroness Symons De Vernham Dean, who paid early this week a three-day visit to Morocco, lauded the ongoing reforms in the kingdom and the level of Moroccan-British relations. De Vernham told Moroccan daily "Assahra Al Maghribia" she was informed by Moroccan officials about reforms undertaken in several fields in Morocco, underlining that they are based on democratic principles, notably those in relation to the legislative and local elections. The UK official also hailed the development process led by the Moroccan government, particularly in fighting poverty. She expressed hope that H.M king Mohammed VI will pay an official visit to the United Kingdom to further reinforce relations, voicing her government's resolve to promote bilateral economic and trade relations. Baroness Symons said her country backs the efforts of Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, and his personal envoy for the Sahara, James Baker, recalling that she evoked the Sahara issue with delegate-minister for foreign affairs and cooperation, Taieb Fassi Fihri. Baroness Symons also held talks with Moroccan prime minister, Driss Jettou. © MAP 2003 http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/eng.htm

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Jewish Association Pays Tribute to Inter-community Brotherhood in Morocco.

MARSEILLE, Sep. 20 - The Marseille offshoot of the World Federation of Moroccan Judaism (FMJM) paid here Thursday tribute to people who supported the Moroccan Jewish community in difficult moments and enhanced the spirit of tolerance and brotherhood between communities. At a ceremony organized by FMJM, chairman of FMJM's branch in Marseille, Victor Abbou, expressed determination to endeavor for tightening the bonds binding the Moroccan Jewish community to the Alawite throne. "The King and people of Morocco do not deny their Jewish citizens," he said, underlining that this explains their attachment to Morocco. Abbou recalled the "courageous attitude of H.M late king Mohammed V during the second world war when he defied the French authorities and refused to hand over Moroccan Jews to the Nazis. He also paid tribute to the memory of H.M late King Hassan II who had announced that he will always have esteem for all Moroccans abroad, regardless of their religion and the causes that made them leave the country. He added that it was quite natural for H.M King Mohammed VI to receive Israeli foreign minister, Sylvain Shalom, at a time of uncertainty and distress in Israeli-Palestinian relations. On this occasion, Moroccan Jewish figures highlighted the lasting ties binding Moroccan Jews to their country. They also condemned extremism, evoking the killing of two Moroccan Jews lately in Meknes and Casablanca. © MAP 2003 http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/eng.htm

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Morocco says probe still going on to identify killers of Moroccan Jew.
Local, 9/24/2003

A Moroccan official judiciary source said this Tuesday investigation is still going on to identify the killers of Albert Rebibo who was shot on Sept.11 in Casablanca by two hooded individuals. Denying "as baseless" news reports that the police has arrested some individuals involved in the crime, general prosecutor at the Casablanca court of appeal, Abdallah Alaoui Belghiti, said the police is still investigating to find the two killers or their accomplices and refer them to justice.

Authorities had earlier pointed fingers at "Salafia Jihadia" underground radical group for the Casablanca murder while robbery was found to the motive of the killing of another Moroccan Jew in Meknes (150 km northeast of Rabat). The police said it is investigating with two men involved in the killing in Meknes of Aferyat Elie Ben Abraham, who was stabbed to death. A third individual is actively sought by the police. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/030924/2003092419.html

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Arab Fund Lends Morocco US$ 45 million.

ABU DHABI, Sept.22 - The Arab Monetary Fund lent Morocco US$ 45 million to help in the restructuring of Morocco's financial and banking sectors. The loan, the third of the kind, will finance a set of reforms meant to improve domestic debt management, carry on the restructuring of lending institutions, modernize lending-system for low-cost housing and reinforce financial markets control. The Abu Dhabi-based Fund had extended Morocco two loans worth 78 Special Drawing Rights units.The loan agreement was signed by Morocco's finance and privatization minister, Fathallah Oualalou, and AMF director general and board chairman, Jassem Al Mannai.

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

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Unemployment rises by 0.8 percent in Morocco.

Economics, 9/20/2003

Morocco's unemployment rate increased in the second half of 2003 to 11.2 percent against 10.4 percent in the same period last year, marking a 0.8 percent, the Statistics Direction announced Friday. The rate raised from 17.1 percent to 19.2 percent in cities and dropped from 3.2 to 2.6 percent in rural areas. The number of unemployed women increased by 2.3 percent while the rate remained almost stable concerning men. In a twelve-month period, some 155,000 jobs were created in Morocco, including 80 percent in urban zones, due to the increase of the number of people employed in agriculture (2.5 percent), industry (1.7 percent), construction and public works (3.1 percent) and services (3.2 percent). In rural areas, labor rose in the sectors of agriculture, forest and fisheries (0.5 percent), industry and craftsmanship (13.8 percent) and construction and public works (13.0 percent) while labor in the sector of services dropped by 4.8 percent, said the same source. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/030920/2003092021.html

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IFC, Morocco to set up facility to finance SME.

RABAT, September 18 -- Morocco and the Washington-based International Finance Corporation (IFC) concluded in Rabat an agreement on the setting up of a facility to finance small and medium enterprises in North Africa.  Under the agreement, Morocco's Agence Nationale pour la Promotion de la PME (national agency for the promotion of small and medium enterprises), IFC will provide technical assistance to this facility.

The first donor board meeting of the North Africa Enterprise Development (NAED), held Monday in Paris, marked the formal launch of IFC's newest multi-donor small and medium enterprise facility. NAED will offer an integrated package of technical assistance and capacity-building services to support small and medium business growth in Morocco, Algeria, and Egypt.  In September 2002, IFC announced its partnership with the Swiss government to form NAED, with the parties contributing $5 million and $3.5 million respectively. Since then, additional funding from France ($3 million), Italy ($1.5 million), and Belgium ($500,000) has generated an initial total of some $13.5 in donor support for the new facility, which will be managed by the SME Department.

NAED is now beginning formal operations, leveraging IFC's investment program in the region and coordinating closely with the World Bank. In Morocco, NAED will also help Al-Amana, a leading Moroccan micro-finance institution, develop new financial products, namely the individual loan product, aimed at financing micro entrepreneurs. - arabicnews

http://www.africast.com/article.php?newsID=47769

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Morocco's informal sector includes 1.2 million enterprises, makes 17% of gdp.
Economics, 9/26/2003

The Moroccan non-agricultural informal sector, which contributes 17% to the kingdom's GDP, counts some 1,233,240 production units including 76.6% in cities, according to a survey of the statistics department. The study, which has been published recently, covers the period 1999-2000 and concerns a sample of 8,890 cities-based informal production units, agricultural ones not included. The study calls informal units all those that produce and/or sell goods or services and do not have complete accounts describing their activity as provided for by the law in force since 1994.

Over 70% of these units, which cater for some 2 million jobs, are only one person-enterprises. Those run by four persons do not exceed 4.8% of the total number. The survey goes on that 52.8% of these production units are trade-oriented, 48% of them have no offices and only 12.4% are managed by women. During the survey period, informal enterprises made a 166.4 billion dirham (nearly $16.6 billion) in sales, i.e. a 134.8 dirham ($13.4) each in average. Some 77% of the amount is made by units operating in trade and repair services. On these enterprises' relations with administration, the study says 76.7% of them are not licensed, 87% are not recorded in the trade register and 99.2% are not affiliated to the social security fund. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/030926/2003092618.html

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Smuggling costs Morocco 450,000 jobs, says minister.
Economics, 9/24/2003

The marketing in Morocco of Spanish products worth 1.5 billion Euros, smuggled into the country mainly from the two Spanish enclaves, Sebta and Melillia, is costing the kingdom 450,000 jobs and hampers the normal social and economic development, said, in Madrid Tuesday, visiting Moroccan minister of economic and general affairs, Abderrazak El Mossadeq. For every smuggler, 10 peoples are loosing a job in Morocco, the minister who was addressing a press conference, said. He also called for a Çclear-cutÈ struggle by Morocco and Spain against this phenomenon, the minister urged multinational companies to cease their activities in these two Moroccan towns still under Spanish rule. He recalled that Morocco had always urged the European Union to fight drug trafficking, money laundering, financing of terrorism and contraband. El Mossadeq, who is leading a delegation of Moroccan businessmen, started this Tuesday a four-day visit to Spain where he is due to meet officials from the public and private sectors. A total of 996 Spanish private companies are set up in Morocco where Spain is the fifth largest foreign investor with 5.034 billion dirham (531 million dollars), behind France, Portugal, the United States and the Netherlands. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/030924/2003092422.html

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Berber Language Now Used In Morocco Schools.

Posted: 09.24.03

RABAT, Morocco (NNPA) - Children of the majority Berber population of Morocco are being instructed in the Berber language for the first time. The classes are taught in just a few hundred primary schools to begin with, but the government says the aim is to have Berber classes taught in all schools and at all levels within the next 10 years. The move is a sign of increasing recognition of Moroccan Berbers, or Amazigh, as they are known in their own language. Some 60 percent of Moroccans are ethnically Berber. It is the first step in the fulfillment of a promise made nearly 10 years ago by the late King Hassan to bring Berber into the classroom. Morocco's constitution currently enshrines Arabic as the country's only official language. Berbers were the original inhabitants of North Africa before the Arab invasions of the 7th century. They have been seen as a potential challenge to their Arab rulers ever since. This story comes special to the NNPA from IPS/GIN. http://www.sacobserver.com/news/092403/berber_schools.shtml

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Moroccan schools teach Berber.

By Sebastian Usher BBC correspondent in Rabat . Monday, 15 September,2003

The Berber language is being taught in Moroccan schools for the first time from Monday. The classes will be taught in just a few hundred primary schools to begin with, but the government says the aim is to have Berber classes taught in all schools and at all levels within the next 10 years. The move is a sign of increasing recognition of Moroccan Berbers, who have long complained of being denied their rights despite constituting the majority of the population. Some 60% of Moroccans are ethnically Berber. As the new academic year begins in Morocco, 317 primary schools will start giving their first-year pupils lessons in the Berber language.

It is the first step in the fulfilment of a promise made nearly 10 years ago by the late King Hassan to bring Berber into the classroom. Many had doubted it would ever happen at all. Although it is estimated that at least 60% of Moroccans are ethnically Berber, or Amazigh as they are known in their own language, Morocco's constitution enshrines Arabic as the country's only official language. The fact that Berbers were the original inhabitants of North Africa before the Arab invasions of the 7th century has been seen as a potential challenge to their authority by Morocco's Arab rulers ever since. In the 20th century, there were several Berber rebellions. As a result the freedom even to choose a Berber name for a child has been banned.

Cultural survival

Berber activists say the Moroccan authorities' refusal to accept their distinctive heritage amounts to an attempt to destroy their cultural and linguistic identity. But under King Mohammed, who succeeded his father Hassan four years ago, there has been some progress towards recognising greater Berber rights. A royal institute for Amazigh culture was set up in 2001; Berber history pre-dating the Arab invasion can now be discussed and taught. Bringing the language into the classroom will go some way towards answering the concerns of Berber parents that not being able to speak their first language at school makes it harder for their children to achieve literacy. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3108678.stm

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Fossil find a winner.

24 Sept 03

AN international team of palaeontologists in Morocco has found a dinosaur fossil dating back more than 180 million years and believed to be one of the oldest ever discovered. The 9m-long dinosaur, resembling a rhinoceros with a long neck and tail, was discovered in the High Atlas mountain village of Tazouda, Morocco's Government said.  The dinosaur has been dubbed "Tazoudasaurus naimi" for the village in which the fossil was found, about 620km southeast of Rabat. Only its head, jaw and some vertebrae are exposed.  "It's an exceptional discovery," said team member Philippe Tacquet, a paleontologist at the Natural History Museum in Paris.  "We're writing a new page of history about the great giants of the Mesozoic (period)."  The oldest known dinosaur fossil, "Atlasaurus imelakei", is believed to be 160 million years old and was also found in Morocco, Mr Tacquet said.  US researchers believe the jaw of a man found in Romania, dating back 34,000-36,000 years, is the oldest such fossil of a modern human. http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,7354838%255E663,00.html

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Multinational Team Unearths 180 million-year old Dinosaur .

RABAT, Sept.22 - A multinational geology team has unearthed a 180 million-old dinosaur in the high Atlas, near Ouarzazate (southern Morocco) , unveiling an important part on the ground eco-systems that lived on earth before north America was separated from Africa. The new sauropod dinosaur, named "Tazoudarous Naimi", was unearthed by a joint mission of Moroccan, French, Swiss and US archeologists, as part of a program called "DinoAtlas". The newly-discovered species used to live in plains and grazed on luxuriant vegetation that grows in the fertile volcanic soil. The continental fossil layers dating back to this age, abundant in Morocco, are inaccessible in north America because they are buried under more recent large sediments layers. Moroccan minister of energy and mining, Ahmed Boutaleb, who held a press conference, in the presence of the archeologists, to announce this major discovery said a museum on the site for visitors to view the region's rich archeology items will be opened. The minister, whose department also comprises geological services, said the museum is also meant to preserve and develop this geological legacy. © MAP 2003 http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/eng.htm

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Moroccan Writer Awarded UNESCO's Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture.

PARIS, Sept.15 - Moroccan writer Bin Salem Himmich received on Tuesday in the UNESCO office the's UNESCO Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture.The Moroccan Novelist, poet and essayist received the prize together with Bosnian professor, Esad Durakovic, from UNESCO director-general, Koichiro Matsuura. The prize-awarding ceremony was held in the presence of Morocco's permanent delegate to the UNESCO and chairwoman of the organization's executive council, Aziza Bennani and a host of Arab and European intellectuals.  Bin Salem Himmich has published 26 books in Arabic and French, including literary works and research publications. Esad Durakovic, for his part, is a university professor, orientalist and translator of literary works from different historical periods of Arab culture, both ancient and modern. The Sharjah Prize was created by UNESCO's Executive Board in 1998, with funds provided by Sheikh bin Mohamed Al Qassimi, Ruler of Sharjah. It awards each laureate US$25,000 and is presented every two years "to honor intellectually distinguished individuals, groups or institutions worldwide for their activities to promote Arab culture."  The jury selected the winners of the Sharjah Prize from 54 candidates nominated by 32 different countries.

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

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Morocco Denounces Deliberate Amalgam between Islam and Terrorism

NEW YORK, Sep. 23 - H.M. King Mohammed VI of Morocco denounced, here Tuesday, "the deliberate confusion between Terrorism and Islam, a religion that advocates peace and respect ". "I(...) strongly denounce the confusion made deliberately by those who persistently associate terrorism with Islam, thus electing to ignore the fact that the latter advocates peace and respect for human life, and flatly rejects injustice and aggression," said H.M. the king who was addressing the 58th general assembly of the United Nations organization, in the presence of more than eighty heads of state and governments. The sovereign recalled the international community's efforts following the tragic events of September 11 to fight international terrorism which poses a threat to the most sacred values of mankind, pointing out to Morocco's own experience with the scourge.

"Last May, the Moroccan nation was itself the target of the odious plague of terrorism. It was a desperate attempt to challenge the democratic model for which Morocco has opted, and to undermine its strong commitment to the values of freedom, tolerance and openness," he underscored, insisting on the need for intensified international cooperation to eradicate this scourge. On international relations, H.M. King Mohammed VI said "it is imperative to give its original meaning to the concept of universalism its original meaning, namely the obligation for all to comply with the same ethics and rule of law," adding that "there can be no universalism without effective solidarity between all peoples." "To attain this objective, mankind must find new reasons to rekindle hope. We must also have faith in the United Nations Organization to help it recover its standing and efficiency," said the sovereign, reiterating Morocco's firm readiness to back action to build a safer, more equitable and more humane world. © MAP 2003 http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/eng.htm

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Morocco death sentences
Friday, 26 September, 2003,

A court in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, has sentenced two men to death for terrorist-related offences. The two, Abdelouahab Rabii and Hamid Slimani, were convicted of preparing acts of terrorism, murdering a government official and stealing weapons from a barracks. Eleven others were jailed. Meanwhile, the trial has opened in Rabat of three 14-year-old girls, including twins, facing charges of planning the suicide bombing of a supermarket. Iman and Sanaa Laghrisse and their friend Hakima Rejlane, are the youngest suspects so far in a series of trials targeting Islamists in the wake of the bombings in Casablanca in May that killed 45 people. The announcement of their arrest earlier this month caused a sensation with the fact that girls so young were apparently prepared to die for the cause of Islamic extremism.

Desperation

According to the BBC's reporter in Morocco, Sebastian Usher, the information that has filtered out about the girls since has provoked both pity and fear.According to the police, they were planning to carry out a suicide attack on a supermarket that sells alcohol in Rabat. The alleged plot apparently came to light when they asked their local imam, or Islamic preacher, if he would give his official blessing with a fatwa. It has been reported that the girls come from a broken home, had been living in poverty with little education and may have been forced into prostitution.The police say the girls came increasingly under the influence of Islamists as they tried to find a way out of their desperate situation. The BBC's reporter says that the prosecution case seems likely to focus on the girls' alleged manipulation by Islamic extremists. Meanwhile, in Casablanca, a court has given long jail sentences to two men described as "theoreticians" of the Islamist group, Salafia Jihadia, which has been blamed for the May bombings. More than 1,000 suspected Islamic extremists have been arrested since then, with the vast majority of them accused of plotting other attacks. Human rights groups here have expressed their concern about the trials of these suspects, saying the police evidence has not been sufficiently tested in court.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3143688.stm

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Morocco and Wallony set to boost economic and social partnership
Economics, 9/24/2003

Morocco and the southeastern Belgian Francophone region of Walloony agreed on Tuesday to boost economic and social partnership, with a focus on the government's priorities to promote low-cost housing, tourism and investments. During a meeting held with Walloon economy minister, Serge Kupla, who is leading a multi-sector business delegation in a visit to Morocco, prime minister, Driss Jettou, voiced the Kingdom's resolve to boost its relations with the Belgian region. He added that Belgian businessmen will find in Morocco huge potentials that need to be tapped, mainly in infrastructure, housing, industry and services. The meeting is taking place following the signing of a cooperation agreement, last Saturday, by the two parties' enterprise federations for the promotion of trade and investments between Morocco and the region. The agreement was signed as the southern Belgian region is holding its annual festivities that feature Morocco as a guest of honor. (MAP)SH http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/030924/2003092420.html

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Customs receipts rise by 13.3 percent in Morocco
Economics, 9/24/2003

Customs receipts rose by 13.3 per cent during the five months of the current year, reaching 17.22 billion Dirham (US$ 1.82 billion) compared to 15.22 billions Dirham (US$ 1.61 billion) for the same period last year. Figures released Tuesday by the Moroccan minister of Finance and privatisation ascribes the rise by the increase of revenues from tax on consumption products and the Value added Tax (VAT). Energy products alone yielded 4.68 billion DH in customs receipts (US$ 497.8 million). http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/030924/2003092425.html

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