Virtual Magazine of Morocco on the Web
Morocco Week in Review 
June 7, 2008

Morocco launches $8.4m programme to fight gender-based violence.
2008-06-01

Morocco's Princess Lalla Meryem and other government and non-government officials launched an $8.4m multifaceted programme targeting gender-based violence on Friday (May 30th), MAP reported. The programme aims to involve policymakers, religious and community leaders, parents, teachers, men, women and adolescents in refuting gender-based violence as a social norm. Official figures suggest a total of 5,650 reported cases of violence against women in 2007. Actual numbers may be significantly higher.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/newsbriefs/general/2008/06/01/newsbrief-04
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Artist to bring love of art to Marshall, then to Morocco.
Linda Jo Scott • For the Enquirer • June 7, 2008

In September, Hillary Presecan will embark on a Moroccan adventure — she'll be hands-on, teaching English and health with her colleagues in the Peace Corps. This summer, however, she'll engage in another kind of adventure. Also hands-on, but likely messier. Twenty-three-year-old Presecan, a 2003 Pennfield High School graduate, will spend the next few months up to her elbows in paint and paper, teaching art classes for kids at Marshall's East End Gallery.

Recently earning her bachelor's degree in art history at Kendall College of Art and Design, Presecan hopes to use her training and experience in the visual arts, perhaps starting an art club for children, during her time in Morocco. But this summer, she'll concentrate on cultivating a local love of art. "I want to combine art history and hands-on experience," Presecan explained of her classes that begin Monday. "We might study impressionist painters, for example, and then do a finger-painted version of a favorite scene."

Cynthia Marko, one of the coordinators for East End, said she was happy to have such a talent to the gallery."We believe Hillary will bring wonderful new energy, imagination and skill to the gallery teaching program and bring out the best in the children she will be working with," she said. Meanwhile, Presecan is trying to read everything she can about Morocco and about customs and practices in the Muslim world.

"Starting in September, I'll be learning Moroccan Arabic, Arabic script and Berber, the native language of Morocco," she said. "Then, after our three months of training in Rabat, we'll be placed in a city or a village, depending on our language skills at that point." Presecan also is trying to learn about daily life and the best ways to interact with Moroccans. "I've been told that women in Morocco have more rights than women in other Middle Eastern countries," she said. "Even the queen walks in the streets in modern dress." Relations between men and women still are restricted, though, Presecan said. "Men and women don't mix on the streets, and I've been told not to make casual eye contact with men," she explained. "They say I might get proposals from men I don't even know, and, in general, many Moroccans will wonder why I want to be there at all."

None of these aspects of life in Morocco dampen Presecan's excitement about her adventure, however. "I love helping people and it finally will help me, too. My ultimate goal is to come back knowing what I want to do with my life — and what I am willing to spend $50,000 on for graduate school."

For more information about children's classes at the East End Gallery and Studio, call 789-2379.
Linda Jo Scott is a freelance writer.
http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080607/NEWS01/806070306
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Moroccan government develops strategy to tackle rising prices.
By Sarah Touahri 2008-06-03

In response to rising prices across a number of goods and materials, the Moroccan government has announced a new initiative to help consumers and stabilise the budget. Faced with a steep hike in prices of essential products and basic materials, the Moroccan government has worked out a global structural strategy aimed at controlling the compensation fund budget and introducing economic efficiency and fairness into the distribution of subsidies.

"Morocco will maintain compensation whilst many other countries have raised prices by around 40%, so the compensation fund budget will rise to 30 billion dirhams rather than the 20 planned in the budget," said Nizar Baraka, Minister Delegate for General and Economic Affairs, addressing Parliament on Wednesday (May 28th).

Baraka described how his ministry identified failings in the fund related to an unchecked budget, the growing dependency on world markets and the many actors involved. "The high number of intermediaries is a real problem," he said. "For example, wheat – which is subsidised by the state at 1.43 dirhams/kg to reach the consumer at 2 dirhams/kg – can be found in markets at more than 2.50 dirhams/kg." To make matters worse, the wealthiest 20% in society enjoy 75% of the subsidies, while the poorest 20% receive just 1%.

Another important issue is the cost of butane gas. This commodity was initially subsidised to benefit households, but it is also used in the manufacturing sector. Growth in consumption has risen from 5% annually in 1995 to 9% over recent years.

A series of measures is now planned to deal with these failings, particularly the development of alternative energy sources and smarter energy consumption (energy-saving bulbs, solar energy, energy audits for manufacturing and agricultural facilities). As part of the new energy strategy, a revised price structure will apply to customers with high electricity consumption rates during times of peak demand.

In addition, there are plans to revise the breakdown of subsidised commodities. Ministerial committees are in the process of examining this subject to get costs under control, particularly where profit margins and transport costs are concerned, so that the final price can be set more precisely.

Studies are currently under way to set out a new pricing system for oil products, considering the margin for oil refining which will be adopted by Moroccan oil refining company SAMIR from next year. This new system will emphasise reducing profit margins at the local level. According to the government, price controls will be backed up by guaranteeing that national prices are clearly published, particularly where sugar and flour are concerned, to avoid speculation. According to Minister Baraka, this measure will be applied over the next few months, by agreement with professionals.

Baraka also indicated that the government also wants to reduce economic dependency on international markets by promoting vital sectors locally. This relates in particular to helping domestic wheat production cover a larger share of national consumption and improving the negotiating ability of professional organisations in the agriculture sector. Where sugar is concerned, a contractual programme has been drawn up with professionals to cover 58% of national needs instead of the current 38%, by increasing the area given over to sugar cane production and improving production resources.
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Tangier to host Amazigh culture festival in July.
2008-06-02

The 4th annual Mediterranean Festival of Amazigh Culture will be held in Tangier from July 24th to July 27th, festival director Ilias Omari announced on Saturday (May 31st). The 2008 event will focus on the cultural diversity of the Mediterranean basin and the interaction of the Amazigh identity with other cultures in the region, Omari said. Amazigh bands, Flamenco music groups and Arab-Andalusian bands will perform and a special tribute will be paid to the late writer Mohamed Choukri. http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/newsbriefs/general/2008/06/02/newsbrief-05
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Bac exams wrap up in Morocco.
By Imane Belhaj 2008-06-06

From June 3rd through June 5th, Morocco conducted its annual round of bac exams. Now that it is finally over, students, teachers and parents react to this year's tests. Three days of baccalaureate exams in Morocco ended on June 5th. More than 300,000 candidates —observed by 47,000 monitors and more than 1,400 supervisors —sat for the tests in approximately 20,000 examination rooms at 1,300 centers across the Kingdom. Officials had to accommodate a greater pool of candidates this year compared to 2007: 4.9% more girls registered for the bac and 6% more students overall. Despite the magnitude of the operation, it all went off without a hitch.

Teachers who monitored exams at Casablanca's Shawki Qualifying High School told Magharebia that the exam went smoothly, no cheating was reported and questions were clear and related to the students' prior coursework. M. A., a secondary school teacher and bac exam monitor at the Imam Ghazali School in Meknes, said the ambience on the first day of exams was all quite regular. She also said the exams were reasonable and in line with the material taught in required courses —for the students, that is, who had taken the time to prepare. "Those who revised well managed to answer the questions. Those who did not missed their chance," she said, adding that some students handed in their answer sheets blank.

With girls representing 44.8% of the total number of candidates sitting for the June session of the baccalaureate, Magharebia wanted to learn more about their reactions to the tests. For Nadia, Samira and Fatiha, whom we met in front the Shawki Qualifying High School after their physics exams, the questions "did not require much time to decipher", as they put it. Shadia and Thoraya, however, said they were unable to answer the questions because they were "tough".

Time ran out before they could finish. The same variety of reactions was noted among students of the arts section. Latifa and Sarah, who took the Arabic language exam on Tuesday morning, said they managed to answer the questions, whereas Malika and Samira said the test was difficult. Like students, parents were equally eaten up with worry over their children. One mother said she was as anxious as if she were taking the exam herself. S.S. added that she had been praying all morning for God to assist her daughter in this decisive year that determines her child's future.

According to the Ministry of National Education and Youth, candidates from public schools constituted the largest portion of students sitting for the bac; 92.7%, as compared to 5.6% for technical education students and 1.7% for students of religion. 142,745 test-takers sat for the arts section, 135,995 sat for the science section, 16,806 for the technical section and 5,127 for the religious section. http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2008/06/06/feature-01
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Moroccan economy expected to grow by 6.2% in 2008.
2008-06-05
Morocco's economy is expected to grow by 6.2% in 2008, Finance Minister Salaheddine Mezouar said on Tuesday (June 3rd). While the forecast is slightly lower than the earlier 6.8% projected growth in GDP Mezouar said "it still remains quite an achievement considering the circumstances". GDP growth in 2007 was only 2.2% due to a poor harvest caused by prolonged periods of drought. Inflation is expected to reach 2.9% in 2008, Mezouar added, due to the rising costs of energy.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/newsbriefs/general/2008/06/05/newsbrief-05
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New TV channel to promote Moroccan film production.
By Sarah Touahri 2008-06-06

Morocco's newest TV channel "Aflam" airs both national and international movies around the clock to foster a film culture and encourage cinema in the Kingdom. Morocco has a new television channel dedicated to the seventh art. "Aflam" was launched on May 31st by the SNRT (National Radio and Television Company) to promote Moroccan film production and help television viewers discover the diversity of cinema. "Aflam is intended to better cater to the public’s expectations and tastes. It will respond to the very large demand among the Moroccan public for fiction," said SNRT Chief Executive Officer Faisal Laraichi, adding that the channel will air both new and old movies.

The new channel comes as a response to progress made by the Moroccan film industry in recent years in terms of production, Minister of Communications Khalid Naciri said. "Aflam will contribute to film culture by educating the public about film and raising awareness through special cinema magazines and covering high-profile events and festivals dedicated to film," Naciri noted.

Broadcast free of charge, 24 hours a day, by TNT (Télévision Numérique Terrestre) receivers, Aflam will offer its viewers original versions of selected films subtitled in Arabic or dubbed in Arab, Amazigh or French. The Moroccan production sector does not currently have the capacity to supply a channel of this kind with films on a daily basis, but the channel does constitute a tool which could encourage the development of national audiovisual and film production, said Ahmed Ghazali, the president of the Supreme Audiovisual Communication Authority (HACA).

"The development of audiovisual media and Moroccan film means that Moroccan production must play an increasingly important role in this channel’s programming, but the channel is not intended to broadcast just Moroccan-made films. It should also offer the Moroccan public a variety of foreign films," Ghazali told Magharebia.

Figures within the film industry welcomed the launch of the long-anticipated channel. Comedian Aziz Maouhoub was delighted, saying Afram will provide a major boost to his profession. Moroccan artists have been waiting a long time for an initiative of this kind to give film the public exposure it deserves, he said.

Arts critic Jamal Bouaazzaoui feels that the channel is a positive initiative which will bring Moroccans back to the cinema. "In 2006-2007 around fifty Moroccan films were produced, so it's an emerging industry. However, fewer than 5% of people go to the cinema and we're also seeing mass closures of cinemas in cities all over the country. The Aflam channel will contribute to fostering a film culture," he commented. http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2008/06/06/feature-03
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Moroccan Tiles: Newest Collection Showcased at Star of Morocco.
Straight from Morocco, Star of Morocco announces the arrival of its new shipment of Moroccan tiles that are from the latest collection produced in Morocco. Star of Morocco selected the most authentic Moorish and Moroccan designs currently coming out of Morocco to give the public an opportunity to incorporate these century-old designs into their home décor or design project at an affordable price.

Austin, TX (PRWEB) June 3, 2008 -- Straight from Morocco, Star of Morocco announces the arrival of its new shipment of Moroccan tiles that are from the latest collection produced in Morocco. Star of Morocco selected the most authentic Moorish and Moroccan designs currently coming out of Morocco to give the public an opportunity to incorporate these century-old designs into their home decor or design project at an affordable price. Moroccan tiles are not readily available in retail stores in the United States; therefore, Star of Morocco offers this collection of Moroccan tiles to help aid the home-decorator, homebuilder or interior designer complete the Moroccan theme that is a current trend in home decor and interior design.

Star of Morocco offers a collection of tiles unmatched by the competition, allowing shoppers to select from floor tiles, wall, kitchen and bathroom tiles that can be shipped anywhere within the 50 states. Bringing Moroccan tiles directly to the United States and offering them online allows people to shop from the comfort of their home and eliminates the immediate need to travel in order to bring another culture into their home or design plan. It is also convenient for those who have traveled to Morocco and now want to have a part of that culture with them here in the United States.

Moroccan design and decor surfaced a few short years ago on several home-decorating shows. It created a wave of interest for many interior designers and decorators, as well as the average person who just wanted to add some life and excitement into their home. Moroccan tiles are an integral part of Moroccan society and history and offer designers and home decorators an opportunity to incorporate traditional Moroccan design into any space. The geometrical patterns of each Moroccan tile date back centuries and reflect the history of the rich and vibrant Moroccan culture. Each Moroccan tile motif is significant and symbolic be it geometrical or floral, which are the prominent design elements that dominate Moroccan furniture and décor design.

Star of Morocco's recent collection of Moroccan tiles offers a variety of colors, designs and usages to accommodate a wide range of design plans at an affordable cost. The authentic and traditional designs of this recent collection give people the opportunity to incorporate the history of Morocco into their own space, be it traditional or modern. Moroccan tiles have the flexibility to work with many design styles. This recent shipment of Moroccan tiles brings Star of Morocco to the forefront of keeping up with the evolving popularity and increased demand of Moroccan design in the United States.

About Star of Morocco
Star of Morocco was founded in 2006 and imports directly from artisans in Morocco who hand-craft each item from scratch. They travel to Morocco multiple times a year and select authentic handmade pieces of the best quality from various local cities and towns. Star of Morocco's online store offers an extraordinary inventory of artisan items: Moroccan tiles, Moroccan lanterns and lamps,Berber and Moroccan rugs, henna tables and lamps, as well as hand-painted and hand-carved Moroccan mirrors, tables, and Moroccan armoires. Star of Morocco accepts custom orders and can make any piece to any specification. They also accommodate large quantities for all types of projects. Customers can appreciate the charm of this collection of Moroccan furniture and decor at our online store.

For more information regarding the company, Web site or specific products, contact the owner, Adeal Benhayoun, at 512-300-4368 or at info @ starofmorocco.com.
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/6/prweb989474.htm
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Morocco trims 2008 growth forecast to 6.2 pct.
Jun 4, 2008

Morocco's economy is likely to grow by 6.2 percent this year, falling short of a previous forecast of 6.8 percent, Finance Minister Salaheddine Mezouar said on Tuesday. "It still remains quite an achievement considering the circumstances," he told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of a meeting of the Islamic Development Bank.

Government statistics show that Morocco's economy grew by 2.2 percent in 2007. Mezouar also forecast annual inflation in the Kingdom, which imports all its petroleum, to be 2.7-2.9 percent this year, up from an initial projection of 2 percent. A rise in tax receipts would however offset the impact on the country's finances of both the surge in the energy import bill and a public wage hike agreed with unions earlier this year, he said.

"Our initial target for a budget deficit of 3 percent will be maintained ... Receipts of value-added tax and corporate tax are up 20 percent ... which will generate a surplus in our receipts of 15 billion dirhams," Mezouar said. He said Morocco had no plans to enter the international debt market this year and still expected to meet its target budget deficit of 3 percent. "We are in a situation which will allow us to fulfil all our commitments in terms of both investment and financing. Resorting to international markets is not called for," Mezouar added.

Morocco received $800 million in grants last month from fellow Muslim allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to help it cushion the oil price spike. Morocco expects to import 3-5 million tonnes of wheat in year to June 2009 due to a shortfall in local production. "I think we might harvest between 5.1 and 5.5 million tonnes this year ... that's an average harvest. We will need to import something between 3 and 5 million tonnes next year," Mezouar said.

This year's harvest will be more than double the figure for 2007 of 2.35 million tonnes, but below a 10-year average of 5.15 million, according to agriculture ministry figures issued last month. Last month's estimate was at the bottom of a range given by the head of Morocco's main farming group COMADER in March of 5-6 million tonnes. Morocco has imported 6.1 million tonnes of grains to make up for last year's poor harvest, with more than half the shipments in soft wheat, according to official figures.

The economic slowdown in the European Union has not had an impact on Moroccan exports which rose 13 percent in the first five months of the year, against budget projections of 7.5 percent for 2008, he said. The European Union accounts for about two-thirds the country's trade volumes. With poverty and unemployment rife, the government is trying to create more jobs by expanding existing industries such as tourism and textiles while venturing into new areas like back-office outsourcing.
http://www.morocconewsline.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=472
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Yves Saint Laurent’s ashes to be kept in Marrakech Morocco.
Tuesday 3 June 2008, by Lucas Radicella.

The international designer will be laid to rest in the Majorelle gardens. The ashes of the late french international designer, 71 year old Yves Saint Laurent, who passed away Sunday evening in Paris, will be kept in a tomb in the “Majorelle” botanical gardens, a property he acquired in Marrakech (south of Morocco) in the 1980’s. “The designer will be incinerated and his ashes kept in a tomb in the “Majorelle” botanical gardens, a property he acquired in Marrakech, Morocco, in the 1980’s” said the Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent foundation in a statement Monday.

Yves Saint Laurent discovered the ochre town in 1967. Several years later, himself and his businessman friend, Peirre Bergé, bought the house of gardens which once belonged to Jacques Majorelle the painter. In March 2000, they decided to restore the garden at great cost. Four years later they started an association to save protect and beautify the majorelle gardens “"l’Association pour la sauvegarde et le rayonnement du jardin Majorelle". Yves Saint Laurent’s last visit to Marrakech was in November 2006 when he spent his summer vacations in Tanger situated in the north of Morocco, where he owned another property.
http://en.afrik.com/article13742.html
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Nearly 60% of Moroccan families own their homes, Minister.
Rabat, June 5

Nearly 60% of Moroccan families own their homes, Moroccan Housing Minister, Taoufiq Hejira, said on Wednesday. Speaking at the House of Representatives' (lower house) question time, Mr. Hejira attributed the improvement of this percentage to various factors, notably credit facilities, competition between real estate credit institutions, and decline in interest rates. According to official figures, the construction pace of social housing in Morocco sky-rocketed 168.8% in 2007 with 121,000 housing units built in 2007 compared with 45,000 units in 2002. http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/social/nearly_60_of_morocc/view
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A little piece of Morocco.
Jun 5 2008 by Alison Young, South Wales Echo

TANYA Cole stumbled across her dream Moroccan-style house when she was picking up her daughter from a friend’s birthday party. “It was ‘wow’ as soon as I walked in and I knew instantly that I wanted to live there one day,” explained Tanya. It took nearly 10 years but Tanya’s dream finally come true when she moved into one of the 10 distinctive flat-roofed houses in a crescent in Peterson-Super-Ely. “It wasn’t the exact house which I had visited all those years previously but it was almost identically with the same beautiful parquet flooring and fantastic high ceilings which I had fallen in love with.”

The crescent of houses date back to 1911 and were built by the owner of the adjoining landed estate – the shipping magnates the Cory family. It is understood the estate owner’s wife was holidaying in Morocco and was so taken with their architectural style that the estate architect was told to build the houses in the crescent in a similar way. “Originally they were going to build hundreds of these houses and create a garden village but in the end it was just 10 which were built,” said Tanya, 42, an insurance investigator, who moved to the property four years ago with electrical engineer Gareth Williams, 47.

“I’m glad that they didn’t build any more than 10 though as I think it makes the ones which they did build more special. “They are all quite deceptive as they are so much bigger on the inside than they look from the outside – and the high ceiling creates an air of even more space.”

The property also features an unusual tower staircase which leads up to a stunning roof terrace overlooking miles of the surrounding countryside. “The views from the roof terrace are fantastic – everyone loves going up there, “ said Tanya. The house is for sale priced £448,500. For further details, contact David Birt on 01446 775858. This spacious four-bedroomed Grade II listed Edwardian house includes a drawing room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room, shower room, family bathroom and roof terrace which enjoys views over open countryside.
http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/cardiff-news/2008/06/05/a-little-piece-of-morocco-91466-21024336/
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Moroccan women seek their way between Islam and feminism.
By Sinikka Tarvainen, Kenitra/Sale (Morocco), June 1

A young woman passes in a sleeveless shirt and a knee-length skirt, her hair flowing down her back. Another woman of the same age follows in a loose tunic and pants, the Islamic headscarf covering every strand of her hair. An older woman wears the traditional djellaba, a long outer robe with full sleeves, her hair in a bun. Some women wear the strictest Islamic dress, covering themselves in black from head to toe, with only the eyes visible. The remarkable variety of female dress on Moroccan streets reflects the passionate debate raging in the north African kingdom about what it means to be a woman, what kinds of rights women should have, and how Muslim women should relate to western feminism.

Morocco's 2004 family law reform gave women rights that led to King Mohammed VI being described as one of the women's rights pioneers in the Muslim world. Nearly five years after the family law, known as the Moudawana, was reformed despite initial opposition from the country's Islamists, the special courts applying it have clearly improved the situation of women, sociologist Khadija Amiti says.

Amiti heads Chaml, one of Morocco's hundreds of associations trying to help women claim their rights in what observers describe as a traditional and conservative society. Having a child out of wedlock, for instance, is regarded as a source of shame, said Soumaya Belhabib, vice-president of the association, which is based in Kenitra near the capital Rabat. Girls who have been made pregnant by now absent boyfriends, by abusive employers or by rapists often end up in poverty or even prostitution, with their children becoming social outcasts.

The new Moudawana, however, allows a judge to authorise a woman to seek a DNA test to make her child's father recognise it and help to support it, Belhabib explained. Women are now also allowed to initiate divorce - but the overall divorce rate appears to be going down, because men may no longer leave their wives by just repudiating them, Amiti said.

"Everyone now talks about women's rights, even if jokingly," the sociologist smiles. Shortly after the female academics running Chaml had discussed women's rights at their Kenitra office, a women's group of al-Adl w'al Ihsane (Justice and Spirituality) was meeting in Sale, the twin town of Rabat.

Their faces framed by headscarves, the members of Morocco's largest Islamist movement sat on mattresses in a mosque-like basement room, discussing how to develop their spirituality. "The new Moudawana only defends the elite among Moroccan women," fumes al-Adl w'al-Ihsane spokeswoman Nadia Yassine, who claims to be more feminist than "Westernised" Moroccan feminists, and stresses Prophet Mohammed's early role as a champion of women's rights. "The Moudawana makes it easier for women to apply for passports," Yassine snorts. "What meaning does that have for most women in a country with a 67 percent female illiteracy rate?" she asks.

Amiti and Yassine agree on the need to base Moroccan women's rights on Islamic values and a feminist reinterpretation of the Koran, but their discourses are nevertheless markedly different. Amiti would, for instance, like to see the already rare practice of polygamy completely abolished, while Yassine feels that would "go against the identity of a people". "Tenderness and sentimentalism" are part of a woman's nature, and make it natural for her to take care of the home, Yassine said.

Morocco has women in most professions, ranging from policewomen to several cabinet ministers, and a minimum of 10 percent of female legislators, elected under a quota in the 325-member parliament. Yet urban women's magazines continue to focus on the institution of marriage, which remains central in women's lives despite the social changes affecting it.

"I have not found a husband because I wear the headscarf, and men prefer modern women these days," said Karima, a 30-year-old teacher. Other women, however, wear the headscarf to attract potential husbands. Women are not, in any case, expected to be so modern as to lose their virginity before marriage, for which reason some young women have their broken hymens repaired by specialised doctors.

Sexual relations outside marriage remain a crime, and an average of 400 secret abortions are performed daily in Morocco, according to a figure quoted by the weekly Tel Quel. Many of the ongoing debates are not that different from those heard in the West some decades ago, such as discussions on whether women should work outside the home or whether they make men harass them on the street by dressing in provocative clothes. Yet such debates hardly touch remote rural areas, where women are more concerned with gaining access to electricity and running water. "Women's rights cannot be separated from overall development," Yassine said.
http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=67433
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Environmental Affairs: North Africa's Water Crisis: The Moroccan Case.

Morocco, just like most parts of North Africa, is facing another drought year. While the biggest victim is agriculture with its negative impact on economic performance, households are not likely to suffer from water shortages. This is because the nation's 116 major water dams have been well planned to supply enough drinking water for the population at this stage.

At present, Morocco is well prepared to face what appears to be a more permanent state of drought but is it the case longer term? Should the country's leaders worry about what can happen in a decade or more? Analysts fear that the situation can worsen if the proper measures are not taken. Given the nation's current water and infrastructure policies, combined with demographic trends and reduced precipitations, Morocco could face more acute shortages by 2020. With less rain, reduced water collection means the possible reduction in available volumes in the mid terms. Losses and leakages are also sources of major problems, areas that Morocco will need to address to maximize water collection, retention, distribution and consumption. It is estimated that of the 13 billion cubic meters of collected surface water, 8.8 billion are lost, either through the evaporation process or are not fully captured for consumption and lost to sea. Included in this figure are important volumes lost through leakages along the distribution system. This represents a massive 68% of lost resources.

These figures are not challenged by the country's government authorities, and that's a good step toward recognizing the problem. Furthermore, official figures show that even today, the 1,000 cubic meters per individual per year required as minimum standard is not even met. The availability of water in Morocco at present is 745 cubic meter per capita per year, a level obviously below the minimum requirement. Projections for the 2020-2025 horizon call for a mere 500 cubic meters, only half of what is considered minimal normal supply.

But this is not the only problem. Availability and supply of water are not evenly distributed across the entire country and population. The populations of the north have an average of 2,000 cubic meters of water supply per person, compared to 150 cubic meters in the southern provinces. Some 79% of water resources are concentrated in 27% of the territory. What this means is that by 2020, more than 13 million Moroccans will face chronic water shortages.

For Morocco, the long-term outlook does not look so good. This is despite the fact that it was among the first countries in Africa to tackle the water issue and establish a roadmap for a secured water supply. The reality, however, is that the outcome and problems related to water shortages as they are predicted are not necessarily confined to Morocco only or even to its own direct neighbors. This is indeed a global issue that is affecting even the most water-rich geographies. With the ongoing climate change and its resulting global warming, water is expected to be a source of tension, and Africa, in particular could be the first victim of drought. The continent has suffered the most from reduced rainfall, a problem compounded by the lack collection and storage infrastructure. Considered a semi-arid country, Morocco has not had major problems in its modern history and as recently as the 1960s the population benefited from a per-capita of 2,560 cubic meters per year. Since then demographic pressure did no help, with the population nearly tripling to today's more than 30 million people. The concentration of the population in the cities and the expansion of the number of households accessing water have led to added pressure on the water supply. In the cities, the number of households accessing fresh water through modern water distribution systems grew from 52% in 1970 to 91% today. In rural areas, 70% of the households have running water at home, compared to just 14% in 1994. All of this growth is bound to have consequences, the most logical being a reduction in supply.

Leakages all along the water distribution system are a real problem in Morocco. The systems in many cities have long needed modernization as water is lost in the upstream, long before it is supposed to reach the consumer. It is estimated that of the 915 million cubic meters of water pumped into the Moroccan water distribution system in 2005, only 70% of that volume (600 million) actually reached the taps. The remaining 30%, or more than 300 million cubic meters, was just lost along the way in form of leaks.

Agriculture and the Biggest Waste of Water:

But household consumption and leakages in the distribution system are not the only culprits. They are not even the biggest ones. Agriculture is Morocco's biggest consumer of water. It literally absorbs a massive 88% of the water collected by the country's dam and reservoir system, leaving only 12% for both households and industrial consumption.

If farming is a major user of water it is because it has grown to become an important contributor to the Moroccan economy, employing millions of people and generating substantial export revenues. Such growth could not have happened if irrigation were not used in industrial scale. In 1960 only 150,000 hectares of land were irrigated. Today it is 1.4 million hectares. While the bulk of this land (600,000 hectares) uses small and medium scale irrigation and another 300,000 hectares use seasonal irrigation, the amount of water used is still significant. Most of the irrigated land (80%) uses the old gravity technique just as someone would water his or her garden. This technique requires 36 liters of water to properly cover a single square meter. The more efficient technique known as trickle irrigation or drip irrigation requires only 7 liters to reach the same outcome. The consequences of not using the drip technique mean that Morocco is wasting so much water. In fact, 60% of the water it uses to irrigate its farm lands is purely lost. That's 5.5 billion cubic meters per year.

So while Morocco can do better by revisiting its irrigation techniques and modernizing its water distribution system, it still needs to recognize that what it is collecting is by far below what it can technically mobilize. Of the total rain fall of about 140 billion cubic meters of water per year, 80% is considered out of reach since it is naturally evaporated or absorbed by the vegetation and the flora in general.

Scientists estimate that Morocco's available water from rain is 22.2 billion cubic meters annually, of which 17 billion can be captured. Most of that (13 billion) in form of surface water and the remaining 4 billion as underground water. But already of the 13 billion cubic meters of surface water, 25% find their way to sea. However, theoretically, Morocco's 116 dams can store up to 16.8 billion cubic meters, a volume never reached.

In addition to the challenges of collecting and storing water, there is also the issue of shrinking rainfall. Diminishing rainfall is largely due to climate change with the outcome being rain deficits of 20% and even all the way to 35% over the past decades according to climatologists. In 45 years, rainfalls in Morocco dropped by 26%, raising the number of no rain days. The situation is expected to worsen over the next decade.

From a regional perspective, not all provinces are equal. When there is no drought, the best areas for rain are Tangiers and along the Atlas Mountains, which receive 800 milliliters per year over a period of about 70 days of rain. In the other regions, the amount of rain received during non-drought years fluctuates between 600 mm/year in the north and 200 in the south, where it only rains approximately 30 days annually. But with longer and more frequent drought periods, these average figures are increasingly difficult to reach.

Acknowledging the issue, government and experts organized a conference in November 2006, which called for the need to mobilize more water by focusing on the actual infrastructure, while introducing more rational and better techniques for water management. The use of water in agriculture is of particular concern, likely to receive top priority with focus on crops that use a lot of water. Singled out as the main culprits, tomatoes, sugar cane, and citrus fruits are called the virtual exporters of water, since a large volume of these products are exported to Europe. For each hectare of land used to grow the Clementine mandarin, between 8,000 and 10,000 cubic meters of water per year are needed. A single kilogram of wheat uses 1,000 liters of water. Interestingly, Morocco considers wheat as a strategic product, at least in terms of human impact even though its yields remain low.

Recycling Waste Water:

Morocco will also have to focus its attention and resources on reusing waste water. The case of Marrakech illustrates how a well-planned and implemented strategy can result in a positive outcome. Several years ago, the region used to be a troubled spot, expected not to be able to supply sufficient water to its citizens to having water-intensive projects such as golf courses currently in construction. The Marrakech "miracle" is the result of the ongoing construction of a waste water treatment plant which will bring additional volume of recycled water into the market.

Moroccan analysts also expect the agricultural sector to benefit from the use of recycled waste water. The country's potential in terms of waste water reuse is around 700 million cubic meters per year, instead of the current volume of just 10% of that. The major issue however is cost. Waste water treatment is as expensive as seawater desalination.

Increased Storage:

Storing more water will be necessary and will require substantial investments. The goal sought by the Moroccans is to up their storage capacity with new infrastructure investment to handle a total of 25 billion cubic meters.

The pace of dam construction will have to be upped in the next years but the cost could mean Morocco will have to borrow money in the international market. The last dam constructed in Morocco was inaugurated in the Essaouira region in mid-April this year. The Imam Ben Slimane El-Jazouli dam cost Morocco MAD 320 million.

Morocco disposes of three major dam concentration zones, encompassing a total of 19 basins. These zones are those of the north-northwest, central-east, and south. With the potential to capture 10 billion cm, the north-northwest cluster of basins captures only 3.7 billion cm. In the two other clusters, water collection is respectively 3.4 bcm versus a capacity of 4.4 billion and 2.5 billion for a capacity of 3.6 billion. Additional efforts have to be made to maximize water collection, in particular in the north.

Governing Structures and Water Management:

The issue of sustainability in water supply is largely dependant on three primary factors. They are the amount of rain the country gets, demographic pressure, and the difficulty in capturing and storing the water for future distribution. But there is also a management and governing aspect to the problem. Progress in solving the water problem has been hampered by plethora of institutions and governing bodies that influence policy and planning. There are so many players involved, from the ministry of territorial management (ministère de l'aménagement du territoire) the water administration (secrétariat de l'eau), the ministry of agriculture, the office of agricultural improvement (ORMVA), the basins authorities (agences de bassins) and others where rivalries and competition often lead to the freezing in making the right decisions at the right time. This multiplicity of agencies overseeing the water sector leads to debilitating bureaucratic red tape. The issue is so important that the World Bank attached an important condition to a $400 million loan. The condition is that Morocco will have to streamline its water management institutions and simplify decision making. The country has not yet achieved this objective, but it is surely running out of time as the clock is ticking.
http://www.north-africa.com/news/csNews.cgi?database=aa.db&command=viewone&op=t&id=151&rnd=74.08575381679611
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Vegetarian tagine hails from Morocco.
The Associated Press • June 4, 2008
This rustic vegetarian tagine from Ghillie Basan's cookbook, "Tagine," is common to areas of Morocco where meat is considered a luxury. This pairs well with yogurt and flatbread.

Spicy Carrot and Chickpea Tagine with Turmeric and Cilantro
Servings: 4
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon honey
4 medium carrots, sliced on the diagonal
Two 14 1/2-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Sea salt, to taste
2 tablespoons rosewater
Bunch cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1 lemon, cut into wedges
In a tagine or heavy casserole dish, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the onion and garlic and saute until soft. Add the turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, honey and carrots. Pour in just enough water to cover the base of the tagine. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook 15 minutes.

Add the chickpeas and toss. Add water, if needed. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes. Season with salt, then sprinkle with rosewater and scatter the cilantro over the top. Serve with lemon wedges.

Start to finish: 40 minutes
(Recipe from Ghillie Basan's "Tagine," Ryland, Peters & Small, 2007)
http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080604/LIFE02/806040448
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Four Olathe District Teachers to Tour Morocco on Fulbright Scholarship.
Sunday, June 01, 2008 : infoZine Staff

The four Olathe teachers are part of a Fulbright exchange to Morocco. According to the Fulbright Program Web site, only a select number of teachers and administrators were chosen for the 2007-08 Morocco exchange. The teaching exchanges are administered by the International Institute Graduate School and sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State.

Olathe, KS - infoZine- Olathe district teachers - Diane Bosilevac, Chris Cooper, Courtney Nunns and Deborah Stomboly - will soon leave for the land of "Casablanca." The Kingdom of Morocco in the northwest portion of Africa is the destination of their Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program trip, June 6-July 10. Bosilevac, a French teacher at Olathe South High School and Chisholm Trail Junior High, has been to Morocco, but the others are going for the first time. Cooper, Nunns and Stomboly are English teachers at Olathe North High School. "I personally am looking forward to seeing the change in the country from 20 years ago, when I was there last, and to learn more about the current relationship between Moroccans and the French," Bosilevac said.

The focus of the summer seminar is cultural diversity, women's rights, and Islamic and French cultures in Morocco. The official language of Morocco is Arabic, but many people speak French because France governed the area from 1912 until the mid-1950s. The foursome will visit the cities of Rabat, Marrakech, Essaouira, Agadir, Ouarzazate and Fes, and see the Atlantic Coast and Atlas Mountains. Their itinerary includes lectures; visits at several universities, secondary schools and museums; touring non-European areas and souks (marketplaces); and dinners with local families.

"Traveling around the world invigorates my teaching," Stomboly said. "I teach World Literature and British Literature. Students are far more interested in the lesson if it is infused with real-world adventure and knowledge." Nunns also wants to enhance her classroom curriculum through experiences from this trip. "I hope to incorporate Moroccan culture into my teaching of World Literature," Nunns said. "I hope to build a bridge of understanding for my students to another culture and place."

Cooper sees many benefits of being chosen to go on this teacher exchange trip. "I'm hoping to gain a deeper understanding of Islamic culture," he said. "It will be beneficial for me and my students to be able to discuss my first-hand experiences with a culture some may not be that familiar with." One of Stomboly's goals for the trip is to learn more about Islam and bring a sense of togetherness to the world. She plans to create a project about the culture, languages and religions of Morocco, and present a historical link to the present-day country.

Bosilevac wants to establish relationships that could lead to an exchange between her students and students in Morocco. She also plans to present information that she learns in Morocco to World History teachers in Olathe.
http://www.infozine.com/news/stories/op/storiesView/sid/28676/
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10 million tourists possible despite economic crisis.
6/6/2008

Morocco may attain its objective of draining up to 10 million tourists by 2010 in spite the current international financial crisis, revealed a recent study conducted by the Moroccan Tourism Observatory. Despite the difficult international conjuncture which is reflected in the erosion of purchasing power in most of Morocco's tourist markets, such as France, the tourism observatory stresses that the 2010 tourism vision objectives will be more or less achieved.

In order to draw up its forecasts in these difficult times, the tourism institution has envisages three scenarios for the period spanning 2008-2010.

The first, the most optimistic, projects a tourist activity growth of 14.2%, calculated on the basis of the average 5 % of the last 5 years (2002-2007). Tourist arrivals would thus attain 8.3 million in 2008, 9.2 million in 2009 and 10.3 million in 2010. However, according to the study, this scenario does not seem to be very credible because there is already an economic crisis that cannot be overlooked in Morocco's tourist traditional niches.

On the contrary, the second and the third are more realistic, since they are based on a medium impact of the American crisis on the European economies. This hypothesis is supported by the projections of a number of international institutions, like the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Tourism Organisation (WTO), and the European Central Bank (ECB). The second scenario hence adopts WTO's hypothesis which envisages an average growth of tourist arrivals of 8% in the African continent over the two coming years, against 3% at the world level. Only four countries, namely Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and South Africa, drain 70% of tourists visiting Africa. According to this hypothesis, Morocco would close 2008 with 8 million tourists, 2009 with 8.7 and 2010 with 9.6.

As for the third scenario, projecting a sharp deceleration of the tourist activity, envisages a 6% growth of arrivals for the two coming years. The number of tourist arrivals would thus reach 7.9 million in 2008, 8.5 in 2009 and 9.5 in 2010. According to this analysis, no matter what the economic situation is, in 2010 Morocco will reach 9.5 million at worst visitors and 10.3 million at best, which is after all not far from the objective set in 2001, as part of the 2010 vision.

This difficult conjuncture, however, may play to Morocco's favour. As holidays in Europe are getting increasingly expensive, tourists may opt for less expensive countries like Morocco. Earlier, nubticks.com, a British website specialised in tourism, said that Morocco is among the four top holiday destinations for British tourists this summer, citing Europe expensiveness among the reasons.
http://www.moroccobusinessnews.com/Content/Article.asp?idr=18&id=158
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