Virtual Magazine of Morocco on the Web
Morocco Week in Review 
August 2 , 2008

Morocco likely to adopt public smoking ban.
By Sarah Touahri 2008-07-29

The Moroccan Senate is reviewing an anti-smoking bill that would ban smoking in certain public places and prohibit the sale of cigarettes to people under 18. Morocco appears set to toughen its anti-smoking legislation, with the lower house of Parliament unanimously approving a bill on Wednesday (July 23rd) which would ban smoking in public places and bar the sale of cigarettes to anyone under the age of 18. The Senate is expected to pass the measure during its October session.

According to a statement issued last Thursday by the legislative body, the bill is aimed at reinforcing the legal measures to prevent tobacco smoking, filling the legal gap that the absence of sanctions represented, and protecting citizens' health, particularly that of youths and minors. Fine enforcement will also generate additional financial resources for the government.

"The law is in the national interest. It will be passed by senators without delay and then enforced immediately," Istiqlal Party President Latifa Bennani Smires told Magharebia. She explained that the law effectively limits the harmful effects of smoking by introducing penalties for public smoking and cutting tobacco advertising.

The new law will affect public buildings, offices, schoolyards, and cafés and restaurants with floor areas of no more than 50 square metres. The bill also imposes fines. Smoking in a public place will incur a fine of 100 dirhams and double that for a repeat offence. The penalty will rise to 500 dirhams for those in charge of public places who themselves break the law. Fines of up to 10,000 dirhams will be incurred by cigarette manufacturers if packs fail to carry health warnings. Under the new law, sales of cigarettes to minors will incur a fine of 2,000 dirhams and 5,000 dirhams for repeat offences. Vendors will also risk losing their tobacco sale licences.

Half of all proceeds from the fines will go to NGOs working to raise public awareness of the dangers of smoking. The new initiative, which many hope is sufficiently severe to convince people to stub out their habit en masse, has drawn widespread praise from healthcare professionals who point to nationwide studies indicating the severity of the smoking problem in Morocco.

According to a survey by the Ministry of Health, nearly 35% of men over age 20 are smokers. Another survey has shown that over 15% of schoolchildren between 13 and 15 years of age are smokers. The age at which they begin varies, with almost 13% starting by the age of 15. "It's high time they passed a law like this," Dr. Sellam Mbarki told Magharebia. "The number of cancer patients is rising because of tobacco. Some of them are passive smokers and suffer the consequences of being in a smoke-filled environment. We now know of a whole host of serious diseases caused by tobacco," he said.

Still, the bill has met with vociferous opposition from some quarters. Among the most outspoken critics of the proposed legislation are the owners of cafés and restaurants, who are anxious that the new law will hurt their businesses. Selmane Bhiri, who runs a café, anticipates that his business will plummet when the law is enforced. "80% of my customers are smokers. When the law comes into force, I’m expecting my turnover to fall by 90%," he complained.

Some smokers are less pessimistic. 15-year-old Mourad says that the law will not cause him any problems because he will stock up from retailers: "The public smoking ban doesn’t bother me because I smoke in secret anyway." "As for getting hold of cigarettes," he continues, "I’ll be able to get them from the young people who find work selling cigarettes on street corners."

With more than 15 billion cigarettes smoked every year, Morocco is one of the largest tobacco-consuming countries throughout the Mediterranean basin.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2008/07/29/feature-01
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Morocco hails first female district officers .
By Sarah Touahri  2008-07-27

Until recently, women were barred from attending Morocco's elite training academy for district officers. The graduation of the country's first female caids last week is seen as a milestone for equal rights. In what is being called a landmark event for gender equality in Morocco, the Royal Institute for Regional Government has granted training course diplomas to women for the first time since its founding in 1965. The 43rd cohort of new caids (district officers) who graduated Monday (July 21st) includes 19 women out of a total of 107.

According to teachers at the institute, which provides theoretical, military and on-the-job training, the first female caids have dazzled with their ability. One – Loubna Faez – obtained the highest mark in her year and will now be promoted directly to the post of District Chief. "Women have shown that they’re just as capable as men of running all aspects of national affairs. This first cohort of female district officers is something Morocco should be very proud of," Faez commented.

Interior Minister Chakib Benmoussa chaired last week's ceremony in Kenitra and praised the performance of the female graduates. He also noted that a woman "came first in her year". The first group of female district officers in more than four decades strengthens the programme and helps build "a modern democratic society to ensure equality between man and woman", the minister said. "By taking this step based on the values of fairness and equal opportunity, the main foundations of building modern Morocco, the Interior Ministry is determined to move forward on this path to... integrate the female element into the areas of authority and give them the opportunity to assume positions of responsibility," he added.

Women's organisations and NGOs have welcomed the move to bring equality for women. Initiatives of this kind mean that women are finally making their presence felt, noted Samira Bandouri of Together for Development. "We've been waiting a long time for decision-makers to apply the principle of equal opportunities in all areas. Over the last few years women have finally been given a chance to show what they can do," she said.

Access for women to positions of responsibility demonstrates how Moroccan society has undergone a total transformation, said social science professor Miloud Boussafi: "Women now have a say in family matters. Traditions are changing little by little." "The appointment of women to key posts has given Moroccan women a huge confidence boost," he added. Morocco must follow the lead of developed countries with regard to sexual equality, argues political science professor Mohamed Bendahmane. "A true democracy can only be created through effective participation by women occupying positions of responsibility. Officials have realised this over the last few years, and so now more women hold important posts," he told Magharebia.

The lower chamber of parliament now has 34 female members out of 325 under a quota system guaranteeing a minimum proportion of 10%. The current government has seven female ministers. http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2008/07/27/feature-01
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Morocco's ONEP plans $615m of investment projects in 2008. 2008-07-27
Morocco's National Drinking Water Office (ONEP) has planned investment projects worth $615m in 2008, compared to $409m in 2007, MAP quoted Amina Benkhadra, Minister of Energy, Mines, Water, and the Environment as saying on Friday (July 25th). Benkhadra stressed the desalination of seawater as an alternative to face drought, in addition to adopting a national water policy.http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/newsbriefs/general/2008/07/27/newsbrief-08
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Morocco promotes rural tourism gateways.
Author: BI-ME staff 27-07-2008

MOROCCO. Morocco hopes to bolster its tourism industry by encouraging visits not only to beaches, but also to rural mountainous and desert destinations such as Chefchaouen, Ifrane and Ouarzazate. Morocco's tourism industry is undergoing significant change as part of its 'Vision 2010' initiative to attract 10 million visitors by 2010. While the sector has traditionally focused on the beach vacation market, Morocco has begun targeting rural tourism in an effort to stimulate economic revival in remote areas and encourage expatriate Moroccans to both visit and invest in their homeland.

Every year, Morocco receives between 150,000 and 200,000 tourists who are attracted by this kind of tourism. They go to areas in the Atlas mountains, the desert and the countryside. In June 2003, Morocco launched an initiative to develop this sector by preparing a comprehensive work plan to develop "tourist reception avenues" in remote areas such as Chefchaouen, Ifrane, Imouzzer, and Ida ou Tanane, as well as places which already see tourist activities but which need rehabilitation and support, such as Great Atlas, Rachidia Desert, Ouarzazate and Zagora.

The rural tourism projects are focused on investing even in isolated douars (villages), with plans in place for 20 new inns. Nine such rustic accommodations located in Taroudant, Tiznit, Ouarzazate, Haouz, Tata, Chtouka ait Baha, Rachidia and Zagora have already started to receive visitors. The rural tourism project is the fruit of co-operation between Morocco and the French Development Agency. The EU, along with several associations in the kingdom, provides financial support to enhance rural development and help revitalise the local economies. The goal is to boost opportunities for rural Moroccans so that they will be dissuaded from emigrating. The plan also aims at encouraging Moroccans living abroad to return and invest in their motherland.

Morocco's Social Development Agency provided training for the managers of the inns. However, the day-to-day operation is up to the owners, many of whom are people from the area who have either immigrated or retired. Mohamed Lamine, a Moroccan living in France for more than 20 years, said: "It's about highlighting the features of Moroccan villages that enjoy significant qualifications and beautiful scenery. We are also sorry that only foreigners, who really appreciate such tourist treasures, benefit from them. Therefore, it has become our duty today to provide good reception conditions that would boost the importance of our legacy and our natural treasures."

The strategy to promote rural tourism includes providing douars with paved roads to the inns, electricity, drinking water and sanitary drainage canals. "Naturally, this will not benefit tourists alone, but will also contribute to improving the social conditions of the residents of douars that host the inns; something that will boost the state's policy in curbing rural immigration," visitor Rachid Salah said in an interview for Magharebia.

Restored through French-Moroccan co-operation, the Agoudal Inn in the village of Echmarin offers classic Moroccan cuisine in a rich rural setting.
Agoudal Inn in Echmarin village is one of the rural tourism project's success stories. Owners Mohamed and Abderrahman Marir received help from the Social Development Agency and the French Development Agency to rebuild an old house while preserving its traditional design. Like all restored inns, Agoudal offers guests classic Moroccan cuisine. One French tourist expressed his admiration for the Moroccan tagine, confirming that while its flavour may differ from region to region, the same taste and relish "makes you eat insatiably and forget about any diet."

"The natural environment and fresh air opens up your appetite all day long," he added. Mohammed, a tourist from Casablanca, chose to spend his vacation among the valleys, hills and mountains of the south, of which he had long heard but had never seen. "The tourist finds among these charming sights everything that relieves the soul after a whole year of work," he said. It's also a souvenir-hunter's paradise. "Tourists will not leave empty-handed, because the people there enjoy magnificent manual skills to make traditional local products," he added. "These inns also help create job opportunities for the people of the area," Mohammed noted, pointing out that locals take visitors on camel rides or offer sightseeing tours of the historical landmarks which abound in the area.

Morocco is working to help the long-isolated and marginalised local population manage tourism revenue and re-distribute the profits generated by the new visitors. The local economic boost "preserves the dignity of Moroccans, spares them the needs and the pains of immigration in search of another means of income away from family and home," said expatriate Mohamed Lamine, who has lived in France for more than 20 years. "The project has rehabilitated a remote mountainous area and made the standard of living of the people improve," agreed Abdalah Bahamu, the owner of Sirwa Inn in Tagmoute douar. The Amlen Inn is located 4 kilometres from the Taforalt tourist area. The owner says it sustains his family, helps them cling to the land where they were born and creates job opportunities for the people of Amlen.
http://www.bi-me.com/main.php?id=22946&t=1&c=33&cg=4&mset=
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Child marriages continue despite law to curb practice
Rabat, 29 July (AKI)

Despite a move four years ago to curb child marriage in Morocco, the practice is still quite common in the country, according to new data provided by the authorities. The Moroccan Justice Minister Abdel Wahid al-Radi, said that in 2007 alone, his ministry received 38,710 marriage applications involving a minor, in which about 90 percent of the cases were approved.

This despite the reform of Morocco's Family Law or Mudawana four years ago which outlawed child marriages except in special cases that have been approved by the Justice Ministry. Out of the over 38,000 applications, 379 involved marriage with a male child below the age of 18. The rest of the applications were for unions with female minors.

Most of the marriage applications were made by people living in the cities while only two percent were made by nomads who live in the countryside or in the desert regions. Most of the cases involve marriage with a child aged between 15 and 17 years old.

It is believed that the applications for marriage with a minor were approved because of willingness of bureaucrats to allow such unions. Only 4,151 applicants were denied the right to marry. This despite the fact that various imams and Islamic politicians protested against the legitimacy of the Mudawana, accusing it of violating Sharia or Islamic law which they say puts no limits on the age for marriage. http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/CultureAndMedia/?id=1.0.2375314024
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Boom years over in Morocco?
31 July

Analysts of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) indicate that the boom years of the Moroccan economy may near an end. International price hikes and the growing need for subsidies to meet the poor majority's needs may slow down growth. Managing IMF Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn on a current visit in the Moroccan capital Rabat was vague when describing running economic developments in the North African kingdom. He rather praised the King, his government and Moroccan financial institutions for the "strong economic gains in recent years."

Morocco has seen impressive economic growth during the last years, to some degree driven by a boom in tourism and the property market. In 2006, GDP growth was at a record 8.0 percent. This year, the Fund foresees a still impressive growth rate of 6.5 percent. But already next year, the IMF in predictions made in April foresees a slower growth rate. In April, 2009 predictions were set a 5.7 percent GDP growth. The cautious Rabat statements of Mr Strauss-Kahn could indicate that the Fund and Moroccan authorities will have to reduce this still optimistic figure; or even downscale the 2008 estimate.

"Similar to many other emerging market countries, Morocco currently faces the challenge of surging food and fuel prices, which has significantly impacted the trade balance and the budget," the IMF leader said. "Over the medium term, reducing the subsidy burden, particularly through a better targeting toward the poor, will be essential," he advised Rabat authorities.

Morocco however can ill afford to reduce its subsidy level fast enough. Unemployment remains high in the country and great parts of the population still have to benefit from the recent boom and step out of poverty. Any economic recession or deteriorating economic situation for the poor masses could bring about political instability, and the Rabat government is very aware of this.

While the statement of Mr Strauss-Kahn could be interpreted as a slow cooling off of the Moroccan economy, the IMF leader still made it clear he had faith in continued growth. "The financial sector is sound and robust to shocks, and I welcome ongoing efforts to strengthen sector supervision in view of the rapid credit growth, notably in real estate. Morocco's increasing integration in the global economy is also welcome," he added. By staff writer © afrol News
http://www.afrol.com/articles/30086
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International Monetary Fund Congratulates Morocco's Government.
Thursday, 31 July 2008

IMF Congratulates MoroccoMr. Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), issued the following statement in Rabat on July 30, 2008, at the end of the first day of his visit to Morocco: “I am very pleased to have the opportunity to undertake my first visit to Morocco as Managing Director of the IMF. I congratulate the government of His Majesty King Mohammed VI on Morocco’s strong economic gains in recent years, which have made it a pillar of development in the region. I also indicated that our Executive Board, representing 185 countries, last week praised Morocco’s performance in its annual review of the Moroccan economy in the context of the 2008 Article IV consultation.

“During our discussions, we agreed on the need to sustain the momentum of reform, including by increasing Morocco’s openness to the global economy, in order to raise living standards and create jobs. Similar to many other emerging market countries, Morocco currently faces the challenge of surging food and fuel prices, which has significantly impacted the trade balance and the budget. Over the medium term, reducing the subsidy burden, particularly through a better targeting toward the poor, will be essential. This will also create room to boost spending on investment and social spending, and help further reduce public debt.

“I also congratulated Bank Al-Maghrib for its effective management of monetary policy. Going forward, international developments will make it harder to control inflation, and I am reassured that the central bank stands ready to adjust monetary policy if inflationary pressures intensify. “The financial sector is sound and robust to shocks, and I welcome ongoing efforts to strengthen sector supervision in view of the rapid credit growth, notably in real estate. Morocco’s increasing integration in the global economy is also welcome. I indicated that the Fund will continue to support Morocco’s ongoing reform efforts through policy advice and technical assistance.”
http://www.morocconewsline.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=250&Itemid=1
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Morocco: Splits and burdens.
Monday, July 28, 2008 Ahmed Charai, The washington Times

When, against a background of growing conservatism, notably religious Mohammed VI succeeded his father Hassan II as king of Morocco on July 23, 1999, he set his sights on democracy and modernity. Nine years later, it is worthy noting that this dichotomy between the old and the new still exists as the king breaks with the past. It is a tangible fact that the scope of liberties is broader. There is practically no taboo and the level of public debate surprises all who knew Morocco 10 years ago, let alone the Morocco of the 1970s.

Moroccans, long deprived of free expression, now discuss everything. The king's powers, his decisions, his court are no longer off-limits. While such burgeoning is not without shortcomings, excesses and other negative reactions, it is fundamentally undeniable that Moroccan society has secured liberties that seldom prevail elsewhere in the Arab and Muslim world.

Strongly dominated in the Sunni arena by the Muslim Brotherhood, political Islam operates in the context of existing rules and institutions. Thus, in many places around the Arab world, and particularly in Morocco, Islamist parties often participate in elections, whenever allowed to do so. Far from having an exclusive religious tone, their discourse often reflects the social and political demands of the people disappointed in their leaders' inability to meet expectations.

Since the 1980s and the '90s, the discourse of political Islam has tremendously evolved, as has the approach, which became more pragmatic. Instead of promising immediate restoration of Shariah, the Koranic canon, the majority of Islamist parties insist on three core concepts: freedom, justice and development. Their vision is, however, unchanged on women. But their discourse is new, and it pays off. Without renouncing their religious slogans, they have aptly integrated their discourse with the theme of democracy and reforms.

In Morocco, reshaping the political landscape and the task of increasing the credibility of elected bodies are further complicated by an active Islamist minority in Morocco, the Justice and Development Party (Moderate Islamist), which uses the divisions within other political forces to make important political scores. Hyper-spiritual Islamists use the conservative backdrop of Moroccan society to make full use of social issues, in particular focusing on promoting moral values following the May 16, 2003, Casablanca terrorist bombings that killed dozens.

The main political battle waged by this trend pertained to the status of women. They were able, with massive mobilization, to block "the women's integration plan," a series of measures put forth by the government to improve the lot of the country's females. Mindful of the stakes, the king created a commission, which the Moroccan elite - with old reflexes still very much alive - believed would serve to bury the project. The surprise that followed was equal to their skepticism: Not only did the king not bury the project, but he endowed the country with a pioneering Status of Women reform that goes against the current trend nurtured by acute retrograde Islamist undertones.

As Commander of the Faithful, Mohammed VI undertook a deep reform of religious life while promoting an open and tolerant Islam and fighting extremism. This endeavor was conducted to reorganize Moroccan Islam and preserve its overtures as well as to stem the most virulent form of Wahhabism that started to take root in the early '80s when Saudi Arabia and Morocco joined forces against Soviet communism in Afghanistan. Mohammed VI chose the option of modernity, a break with tradition that is assuredly critical.

On the delicate issue of human rights, as lives were lost, he acknowledged (which is difficult in developing countries) the responsibility of the state and created independent bodies to seek the truth, offered compensation to victims, and proposed a Moroccan approach to reconciliation. During his nine years of reign, Mohammed VI has proved that his faith in democracy is sincere and that he is resolutely modern. This said, one should not overlook considering the structural issues affecting Morocco, such as the fragmentation of the political class, the absence of a modern middle class and the political mishaps of the previous decades.

The most serious threat that looms over Morocco's future remains the nation's alarming poverty that the king inherited. Often stark, poverty is the lot of millions of Moroccans. Entire segments of society, albeit regions, were left to fend for themselves. The country's social deficit in terms of housing, hospital beds and basic infrastructure is significant. The solidarity system put in place by Mohammed VI is based on a partnership approach with civil society. The resources mobilized are considerable but obviously insufficient to bridge the gap, particularly as the population growth remains unchecked despite progress made in urban areas.

The Moroccan economy's growth rate averages 2 percent to 4 percent over five years, not enough to augur that social problems will be solved in the coming years. Budget receipts, burdened by debt service, are insufficient inasmuch as Morocco, to jump-start its development, committed to an ambitious infrastructure development program of roads and highways, ports, rural electrification and potable water projects for the countryside. These are projects whose effects will be felt in the intermediate and long term.

The situation is a source of concern as extremism, incivility and illiteracy flourish on these islands of poverty. The "Moroccan Model" will only serve if tangible results can be achieved on this front, and Morocco's success will only be possible if properly supported. Clearly, Europe and the United States are concerned in many regards, first for security reasons (illegal immigration, drug trafficking and terrorism) and to make democracy viable on the southern flank of the Mediterranean.

The breaks from the past made by King Mohammed VI deserve to be sustained as a role model for the region.
Ahmed Charai is an editor and publisher in Casablanca, and a member of the board of trustees of the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia and the international nongovernmental organization Search For Common Ground, in Washington, D.C.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/jul/28/morocco-splits-and-burdens/
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