Virtual Magazine of Morocco on the Web
Morocco Week in Review 
March 26 2005

14,000 vaccinated to prevent meningitis.
New TB cases declined in Morocco in 2004.
Argan: The Moroccan Tree of Life.
Forests in Morocco seriously threatened, official.
Women's rights : Ministry of Justice to publish guide.
Save the Children leaves Morocco.
Moroccan invention to use video-telephony through GSM.
Piracy costs Morocco around USD 253 Mn.
Morocco, JBIC to promote cooperation in Clean Development Mechanisms.
MACECE Opens its 12th Annual Maghrebi Symposium.
USAID to help Moroccan Audit Court promote transparency.
$ 1.64 billion investments in Morocco in 2004.
Morocco Textile Exports -33% In Jan As Quotas Expired.
Morocco has good scope for business.
Tourism to Morocco keeps growing.

14,000 vaccinated to prevent meningitis.

14,000 people have been vaccinated since Feb. 12 and 3,000 others received chemotherapy treatments in order to prevent a meningitis epidemic in the Chefchaouen region, announced Friday Minister of Health, Mohammed Cheikh Biadillah. This statement came following the outbreak of 28 cases of meningitis in the village of Aouzgane, near Chefchaouen.

In a meeting with local officials, Biadillah insisted that the situation is under control, thanks to the mobilisation of medical teams in the areas were the outbreaks took place. He also explained that the epidemiological situation concerning this illness is still consistent with international norms, adding that only 53 cases were registered in the whole country since the beginning of 2005. The minister also took advantage of his visit to the region to examine the construction works of the Bab Berad hospital, a MAD 1,949,000 project that should benefit to 130,000 local inhabitants.

Biadillah also inaugurated the 'Bab El-Ain health centre in Chefchaouen, in presence of the President of the autonomous government of Andalusia Manual Chaves and the chairman of the Development Agency for the northern provinces Driss Benhima. This medical structure, which cost about MAD 2,000,000 was built in the framework of the partnership between the Andalusia government and the Spanish foundation ''Progreso.''
http://www.moroccotimes.com/paper/article.asp?idr=11&id=4934 
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New TB cases declined in Morocco in 2004.
Rabat, Mar 23

Some 26,149 new various tuberculosis cases and 12,223 new infectious pulmonary TB cases were reported in 2004 in Morocco, recording decreases compared to the previous year, figures released by the health ministry said. The figures, released on the occasion of the World Tuberculosis day, recalled in 2003, the cases were 26,780 for various TB types and 12,840 for infectious pulmonary cases.

A health ministry communiqué ascribed the decline in TB cases to intensification of TB Medicare, to the development of the services of anti-TB departments and their integration in basic Medicare. The ministry said anti-TB fight set goals were achieved to a great extent both at the levels of detection and treatment, adding detection was successful in 80 pc of cases, while the cure rate was 90 pc, both rate trends being stable since 1991. The cut in the number of TB cases during the nine past years show the disease is subsiding in Morocco, the communiqué said recalling the North African country was awarded a world Health Organisation medal, at the second partnership forum held in 2004 in New Delhi, for the good results of the fight of tuberculosis.

Some 8 millions new people are infected by TB annually in the world, 2 million of which pass away. WHO estimates some 1.9 billion people are infected by the TB bacillus, including two thirds in the developing world. WHO warns that by 2020 close to one billion news TB cases could be recorded in the world, 200 million could reach TB disease proper stage, while 70 million people could die because of the infectious diseases.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/imp_general/new_tb_cases_decline/view 
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Argan: The Moroccan Tree of Life.
25/03/2005

In Morocco, the argan is called "The Tree of Life" due to its many uses. UNESCO declared an 800,000-hectare area in southwest Morocco between Essaouira and Agadir a biosphere reserve because it is the only place in the world where argans grow. Argania spinosa grows in the area due to a unique mixture of soil, strong sun and Atlantic climate. Though declining in number, argans can live up to 250 years through heat and drought in meager, stony soil. Attempts to introduce the species to other parts of the world have failed.

The argan's small habitat makes it virtually unknown outside Morocco and unknown to many Moroccans who live in different regions. The name "argan" likely came from the village of Argana, where the tree may have first been identified. But there is more to the argan tree than meets the eye. Growing to a height of 8-10m, the twisted and gnarled trunk of the tree enables goats to climb and eat its leaves and fruit. After the goats consume the green, fleshy, olive-looking fruit, they excrete the nut.

Argan nuts contain oil slightly darker than olive oil with a reddish tinge and nutty taste. Called Moroccan "liquid gold," the oil is extracted in a largely traditional production process that starts with farmers collecting the nuts left by goats. Opening the nuts to remove kernels requires 20 hours of work to produce one litre of oil. The largely cottage industry is mostly performed by women, though it is possible someday greater popularity of the oil will lead to significant employment opportunities. One indication of the oil's popularity is a Swiss-Moroccan company, Argane d'Essaouria, now sells argan oil over the internet.

At the local level, the difficult oil extraction process from argan nuts yields an unexpected outcome: unscrupulous vendors and distributors. High-priced argan oil tempts many vendors and distributors to dilute it with cheaper oils. On the many roadside stands between Essaouira and Agadir, the oil's authenticity is not guaranteed and customers must be careful.

High costs lead to consumers generally only using argan oil in moderation to flavour dishes such as couscous, salads, vegetables, meat, and fish. People who make their own oil are more likely to utilize it for general cooking. Argan oil is considered healthy because it contains 80 per cent unsaturated fatty acids like oleic and linoleic. Attributed health effects include reducing cholesterol levels and bolstering the body's natural defenses.

The oil is packed with natural vitamin E and is used as a skin care product. Argan oil's anti-aging effect on skin and ability to soften it makes it a popular ingredient in Moroccan cosmetics. There is also evidence the oil can protect against skin infections.

More than oil is made from the argan kernel. A brown-coloured paste called amlou is made from the kernel, sweetened and served as a breakfast bread spread by Berbers. Besides the economic benefits that could be spurred by increased investment in argan products, efforts to protect and possibly increase the number of trees will help the environment. The trees' deep roots help bind the soil and prevent erosion. With the capability of yielding tasty oil, skin care products, a sweet paste, and saving the environment, the Moroccan "The Tree of Life" earned a well-deserved name.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2005/03/25/feature-01 
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Forests in Morocco seriously threatened, official.
Rabat, Mar. 21

A Moroccan official has warned against the "serious threats" facing forests in Morocco where some four million people live, directly or indirectly, on forest products, according to figures released by the High Commission for Water, Forest and Anti-Desertification. The forest ensures about 10 millions work days a year, and provides activity for some 500,000 peasants, according to the same source. It also provides firewood to 3 million inhabitants, participates to the socio-economic development of rural authorities at a rate of MAD 300m per annum (MAD 1 = Euro 0.1) and constitutes a major space for ecologic tourism. This invaluable source of life and energy is now pray to multiple dangers that threaten its existence in Morocco, said High Commissioner for Water, Forest and Anti-Desertification, Abdeladim Lhafi, in an interview with MAP, on the occasion of the national day of the tree.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/general/forests_in_morocco_s/view 
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Women's rights : Ministry of Justice to publish guide.

Zhor El Horr, the president of the Derb Soltane El Fida family court (Casablanca), announced Friday that the Ministry of Justice is about to publish a guide to help magistrates apply the new Moudawana family code. El Horr, who was participating in a meeting on "The Family Code, One Year After its Application" in Casablanca, explained that the application of the Family Code clauses made it possible to pick out some 128 legal restrictions that the Ministry of justice had managed to overcome. However, El Horr lamented that mentalities, judges' lack of continuous training and the insufficient number of social workers, made it difficult to apply the new family code.

At the same meeting, two lawyers from the Casablanca bar, Zhour Al Forate and Lakbira Chater, insisted on the need to adapt the Moroccan family code to international conventions and called for the reinforcement of the reconciliation council by including a social worker. Concerning divorces and their impact on children, Al Forate and Chater also insisted on the need to listen to children since they are the first victims of the divorce. They suggested that the words "handicapped children" be replaced by "children with urgent needs."
http://www.moroccotimes.com/paper/article.asp?idr=11&id=4946 
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Save the Children leaves Morocco.
Wednesday 23rd March, 2005

The British group Save the Children is leaving Morocco after 45 years, President Nick Mac Andrew announced in a release Tuesday. Morocco has now sufficiently efficient and dynamic child protection structures, Mac Andrew said, adding his organization is going to focus its efforts on countries and regions with greater needs than Morocco. Save the Children UK came to Morocco in 1959, following the government's appeal to the international community triggered by the Mecknès poisoned oils incident that deprived many children of their parents. Despite leaving Morocco, Save the Children will go on following the Moroccan childhood program and will provide support through its Cairo offices, Mac Andrew said. Save the Children contributed to the creation of centers for disabled people and the realization of childhood projects through partnerships with the local civil society and governmental structures.
http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=b19d88c9bdbcc684 
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Moroccan invention to use video-telephony through GSM.
Rabat

Majid El Bouazzaoui, a young Moroccan engineer, patented his new invention that consists in the use of video-telephony techniques through the classical networks. Video-telephony is an audiovisual real-time communication service, which allows symmetrical and bi-directional transmission of voice and dynamic color images via communications networks between two or more communication points. The genius of the invention lies in the use of GSM networks (Global System for Mobile Communications) rather than the current costly network, know as UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), which requires the use of 3G mobile phones, still expensive in the Moroccan market. Today, to access the service, a phone operator needs to buy the extremely high-priced network operating licence, and to invest huge monies in infrastructures able to bear large frequencies reaching up to 2 GHZ, against 960 MGH needed for ordinary networks. Having deposited his invention patent at the Moroccan Office of Industrial and Commercial Property (French acronym OMPIC), El Bouazzaoui will exhibit his breakthrough device in the Geneva Inventions Fair, due on April 6-10. The young engineer has made three inventions in IT and communications fields.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/box5/moroccan_invention_t/view 
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Piracy costs Morocco around USD 253 Mn.
RABAT, Mar. 22

Piracy costs Morocco MAD 2 billion of economic losses with an average rate of over 70pc in the sectors of software, music and cinema, it was revealed, here Tuesday, at a meeting on counterfeiting and piracy, organized by the Communication Ministry and Le Bureau Marocain du Droit d'Auteur (Moroccan Office for Authors' Rights). Organized groups in Morocco manufacture and illicitly distribute audio cassettes, CDs, video tapes and VCDs with a capacity production of nearly 400,000 cassettes and 600,000 CDs a week. Losses resulting from pirating and counterfeiting CDs and cassettes are estimated at around MAD 200 million (about USD 23.5 Mn).

The north African country has made the crackdown on piracy among its priorities for 2005 because of the economic and moral damages it causes, said Moroccan Communication Minister, Nabil Benabdellah. "Piracy is a problem that takes massive proportions, as it undermines the image of Morocco at the international scale and destroys creation and production," he noted. Benabdallah called for drawing up an action plan to raise awareness on the dangers of piracy and reflect on alternative solutions.

Representative of the London-based International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), Stéphane Krawczyk, said his institution supports public authorities worldwide to limit the damages caused by piracy. In Europe alone, he noted, the music sector employs about 1.5 people with a turnover of nearly EUR10 billion. Piracy is the enemy of both local and foreign investor, deplored Krawczyk, noting that this phenomenon is a "crime" against intellectual property and the right of authors.

On his part, representative of the Business Software Alliance (BSA), Laurent Masson, said counterfeiting causes billions of dollars of losses at the international level. He noted that the software business employs 10 million people in the world with a turnover of USD 1000 billion. Masson recalled that the world rate of computer hacking in 2003 was estimated at 36pc, and at 56pc in the region of Africa and the Middle East. In Morocco, he said, this percentage has reached 73pc in the same period with losses of over MAD 1 billion (USD 117 Mn).
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/economy/piracy_costs_morocco/view 
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Morocco, JBIC to promote cooperation in Clean Development Mechanisms.
Marrakech, Mar. 22

Morocco signed, here Tuesday, a draft cooperation accord with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation JBIC-France to promote Clean Development Mechanisms (CDM) in the kingdom. CDM, which stemmed from the Kyoto Protocol, consists in helping developing countries to achieve sustainable development by encouraging industrialized countries to carry out "ecologically healthy" investments (ones that reduce greenhouse effect) in these countries.

Under the agreement, signed on the sidelines of the ongoing 2nd International Forum on Partnerships for Development in Marrakech, the Moroccan Ministry of Territory Development commits to provide JBIC with information concerning CDM opportunities in the kingdom, and to help the bank obtain the Moroccan authorities' approval for its projects. On its part, JBIC (a government financial institution facilitating cross-border economic cooperation) will offer its expertise to the North African country.

Since 1976, JBIC-France has granted Morocco 21 loans totalling about 160b Japanese Yens (Euro 1 = JPY 138.5), notably in the fields of road development, water supply and sanitation and rural electrification.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/general/morocco_jbic_to_pro/view 
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MACECE Opens its 12th Annual Maghrebi Symposium.
25/03/2005

The Moroccan-American Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchange (MACECE) opened its 12th Annual Maghrebi Area Studies Symposium for US Fulbright Grantees on Thursday (24 March) in Rabat. At the three-day event eight professors and 19 students will present an overview of their research in Morocco on youth, religious and social issues. MACECE administers a wide range of research, study and teaching grants within the context of the worldwide Fulbright Educational Exchange Programme and aims to facilitate academic and cultural exchanges between American and Moroccan citizens.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/homepage/ 
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USAID to help Moroccan Audit Court promote transparency.
RABAT, Mar. 25

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) signed, here Thursday, a memo of understanding (MoU) with the Audit Court of Morocco to improve its performance and transparency at all levels. The US agency will provide technical assistance to the Audit Court, with a particular emphasis on regional courts. Under the accord, the USAID will train judges on issues of public finance and will organize seminars for local officials and administrators on the principles of transparent financial management and reporting. Besides, it will support the publication, dissemination and public discussion of audit reports, and will assist in the establishment of improved mechanisms for interacting with other government bodies at the national and sub-national levels.

The court publishes annually a public report that is submitted to HM King Mohammed VI. It includes the overall activities of the Audit Court and proposals for a better management of public funds. The MoU was signed by first president of the Audit Court, Ahmed El Midaoui, US ambassador to Morocco, Thomas Riley, and visiting US Comptroller General David Walker (March 23-29). Following the signing ceremony, Walker highlighted at a roundtable the American experience in public funds management, giving an overview on the evolving role of Supreme Audit Institutions.
On his part, El Midaoui underscored the reforms instituted in the Audit Court aiming to improve its performance and efficiency. The goal, he explained, is to define and develop the modalities of public control, reinforce the State's credibility as well as ethics and transparency in public management. Members of parliament, representatives of the private sector, the civil society and USAID took part in the roundtable that focused on the current tendencies in auditing and control.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/imp_general/usaid_to_help_morocc/view 
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$ 1.64 billion investments in Morocco in 2004.
Economics, 3/26/2005

Investments in Morocco in 2004 have reached, according to temporary estimates, MAD 14 billion (around USD 1.64 Billion), said a senior official in the Finance Ministry. In an interview published by 'Al Moustakil' weekly, Hassan Bernoussi explained that the final value of investments in 2004 was not yet counted, saying it could reach MAD 15 billion (around USD 1.76 billion). He added that the sale of 16pc of the capital of Maroc-Telecom will be listed in the accounts of 2005. Bernoussi recalled that the World Bank report on foreign investments in 2003 ranked Morocco at the top of Arab and African countries. He said stability of economic laws, the geographic location, infrastructures and the conditions of business encourage investors to settle in Morocco. He cited, nonetheless, that some problems discourage foreign investments, saying public authorities are examining them seriously.
http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/050326/2005032628.html 
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Morocco Textile Exports -33% In Jan As Quotas Expired.
RABAT, Morocco (AP)

Morocco's textile exports fell by 33% in January when all textile quotas expired, allowing countries like China to sell their products everywhere, Trade Minister Mustapha Mechahouri said Friday. The minister spoke after meeting with E.U. Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, the official MAP news agency reported. The talks were focused on measures that the E.U. could take to support Morocco in the face of "the new givens." The expiration of the Multifiber Agreement allows countries to sell their products freely. The agreement had limited competition from cheap Asian exports to the European Union and the U.S.. It was phased out over the last decade and ended Jan. 1.

During his visit here, Mandelson assured Moroccan officials of the "commitment of the European Union" to help Morocco's important textile industry, MAP said. Mandelson had earlier visited Tunisia, another North African country threatened by the end of textile quotas. Morocco's textile industry represents a third of its manufactured exports and employs 200,000 people.
http://www.nasdaq.com/asp/quotes_news.asp?cpath=20050325\ACQDJON200503251909DOWJONESDJONLINE000629.htm&selected=9999&StoryTargetFrame=_top&mkt=WORLD&chk=unchecked&lang=&link=&headlinereturnpage=http://www.international.nasdaq.com/asp/gmWorldNews.asp&headl  ----------------------------------------------------------------------

Morocco has good scope for business.

Morocco has good facilities for businessmen with its long coasts, secure environment and investment opportunities. The Marrakesh Investment Centre in the Kingdom of Morocco must participate in Arab business events and activities and promote the centre in the media, said Abdul Rahman G. Al Mutaiwee, director general of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) in a meeting held yesterday at DCCI.

Al Mutaiwee and Abdul Razaq Al Momni, director of the Marrakesh Investment Centre and Dr Abdul Raheem Merzaq, the executive manager and Hessa Al Ossaily, head of exhibitions and conferences committee in the Arab business women council discussed the possibility of organising business conference between Dubai and Marrakesh including workshops on sector wise issues such as IT and E-Government and other exhibitions.
http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=84730 
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Tourism to Morocco keeps growing.
afrol News <http://www.afrol.com>, 23 March

Tourist arrivals to Morocco in January this year grew by 13 percent compared to the same month last year. The North African kingdom thus continues on its well-planned expansion of the important tourism sector. No other significant changes in the market were noted, with most tourists to Morocco still coming from France, Spain and Belgium. It had also been these three principal markets that mainly had contributed to this year's significant growth in arrivals, according to reports in Morocco's daily 'La Vie Economique'. Arrivals from Belgium had even grown by 63 percent while 16 percent more Spaniards had visited Morocco in January 2005 than the year before.

The Moroccan Ministry of Tourism attributed this growth the "the results in the traditional markets, especially France." The growth in tourist arrivals however also is due to large ongoing investments in the sector throughout Morocco. The especially large growth during this year further was explained by the recent commercialisation and air transport agreements signed between charter operators in France and Morocco, according to sources in the Rabat Ministry. At the same time, capacity had increased in Morocco.

The newly released statistics also revealed that the UK, Italy and Germany were following these positive developments in tourism towards Morocco. It was in particular charter tourism that was on the increase, but also individual travellers were increasingly finding their way to the kingdom.

That the growing number of arrivals was reflected by Morocco's booming capacity was demonstrated by the fact that the average hotel occupation rate had not increased significantly. The average occupation rate staid at around 38 percent, with the exception of Marrakech, Agadir and Casablanca. Most destinations were on the scale between 12 percent (Tétouan) and 39 percent (Rabat), regarding hotel bed occupation.

The publication of these positive trends comes after Morocco's National Tourism Office in January launched a new promotion campaign in the European tourism market. Total investments in the marketing campaign, which is to run throughout 2005, are estimated at euro 40 million. The campaign is to cover most of Europe's principal tourist markets.

Shortly after the crisis produced after the 11 September bombing, Morocco's tourism sector started recovering. Last year, a total of 5.5 million tourists visited the kingdom, which represents an 18 percent growth compared to 2003. These tourists left behind an estimated euro 3 billion during their stay in Morocco.
http://www.afrol.com/articles/15983 
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