Virtual Magazine of Morocco on the Web
Morocco Week in Review 
July 25, 2009

5 Reasons To Get Obsessed with Argan Oil. April 30, 2009

In case you haven’t heard the hype, argan oil is one the latest (and supposedly greatest) beauty ingredients around —loaded with vitamin E and fatty acids to make you gorgeous in all sorts of ways. In Morocco, where they get it from the kernels of argan trees, people say it’s a cure-all for everything from zits to wrinkles to psoriasis. In our offices, we discovered its more immediate effects, thanks to supermodel-turned-beauty-maven Josie Maran. (Give us more time to test and we’ll get back to you on the pimple/wrinkle business.) Maran packs her all-natural (or, as she calls them, “chic-ological”) skin-care products with argan oil, and the straight-up bottle of 100% oil is her line’s best-seller. But trust us, it’s not her low-key sales pitch that sold us. Woman has amazing skin and the most exquisitely shiny hair, and gives her daily dose of argan oil the credit (we’ll assume mom, dad, and some pretty primo genes have something to do with it, too). Maran smoothes the stuff on her face every morning and night in lieu of ordinary moisturizer, over dry patches on her body to vanquish scales, over her hair instead of silicone products, and on her cuticles and nails to prevent cracks. Oh, she also slathered her prego stomach with it for nine months to help avoid stretch marks (yes, even Sports Illustrated swimsuit models are vulnerable). All we have to say is that we adopted her routine (minus the stretch-mark bit) and we are now officially o-b-s-e-s-s-e-d.
http://www.allure.com/beauty/blogs/reporter/2009/04/5-reasons-to-get-obsessed-with-argan-oil.html
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Eden Allure Releases New Argan Oil Total Body Care Line.
Cultural Connections releases its new argan oil based natural skin and hair care line of products under the brand name Eden Allure. They are a green company who sells natural and organic products made with fairly traded ingredients.

Orlando, FL (PRWEB) July 19, 2009 -- Cultural Connections LLC today released its Fall line of Eden Allure argan oil based natural skin care products (Eden Allure). Featuring a new Lavender scented argan oil soap and an argan oil and papaya exfoliating face masque, this new product line reflects the green reputation that the company has earned.

Argan Oil is a rare and difficult oil to obtain. This wonderful natural oil is found exclusively in southwestern Morocco. It is known as "liquid gold" and has been used by the Berber women of Morocco for hundreds of years for its beneficial use in skin, hair, nail, and therapeutic treatment. Deemed the new "It' beauty ingredient of 2009 research has shown that argan oil helps diminish fine lines and wrinkles, protects skin and hair from free radicals, and gives skin and hair a healthy, glowing appearance.

"We donate part of our income to Global Fund for Women," said James Moore, owner of Cultural Connections, LLC, an Orlando, FL based manufacturer of fine argan oil based skin and hair care products. The production of argan oil is controlled by women's cooperatives in Morocco. He says that through fair trade, argan oil provides the Berber women with a dependable source of income and opens better access to health care and education. It has been estimated that over three million people derive their incomes from the economy created by argan oil and its products.

Global Fund for Women is an international network of women and men committed to a world of equality and social justice. They have granted over $73 million in 168 countries to improve the lives of women, and will donate to 123 women's rights organizations over its next funding cycle.

Cultural Connections has continued its commitment to green, natural, Earth-friendly policies by buying carbon offsets to stay carbon-neutral, and by making sure that all imported products have been fair-trade certified. In a commitment to transparency and honesty, their website contains many written reviews and video reviews so that potential customers can hear from previous customers.

Eden Allure sells pure argan oil in 2.2 fl. oz. bottles for $30. The Argan Oil and Papaya Face Masque is currently on sale for just $22. The argan oil soap is certified organic and comes in Grapefruit and Lavender varieties, $8.

For more information about Eden Allure argan oil based skin care products, visit Eden Allure or call James Moore at (866) 403-1421.
http://www.prweb.com/releases/argan/oil/prweb2656004.htm
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Features of the Amazigh Culture in Morocco.
Having spiritual, material, and intellectual aspects characterizing the amazigh people, the Amazigh culture takes in arts, literature, the lifestyle, the basic rights, the values, the traditions and the beliefs. The Amazigh culture is primarily oral. Its components are multiple and differ from one region to another.

Music

The Amazigh music, chleuh, is a typical music of the Moroccan culture, more precisely of three areas in Morocco: The Average Atlas, the Rif and the Souss. This traditional music, although having common characteristics, includes differences according to the area.

The most outstanding distinction is that which relates to the number of notes used. The Amazigh music chleuh in the area of Rif uses seven different notes, which brings it closer to the universal traditional music. The Amazigh music chleuh in the area of Souss uses five notes, like Jazz music.

In Souss too, the musicians use three ranges, namely “Lel Maaha ", “Ashelhi” and finally “Agnaoui”. In the region of the Average Atlas, the music comprises three ranges of strong Eastern inspiration. One can easily compare the Amazigh singers to poets who play with sounds and words.

Poetry

Amazigh Poetry is omnipresent in the various events and activities of Amazigh men and women. The poetry accompanies the individual from his birth till his death: a cycle of life with its lullabies, its songs of circumcision, baptism, harvest, marriage, dance…

Orality, which characterizes Amazigh poetry and is suitable for it, is a parameter determining the level of the “typologisation” of the latter. It is an aspect which makes it possible to better determine a poetic Amazigh genre. Orality is synonymous with life, and dynamism.

It is true that the “poeticity” of each Amazigh genre is not the same: the language, the figures of speech, etc differ.

The Costume

The Amazigh culture is renowned for its special clothing that takes up the role of “symbol” rather than that of “protection”. Through her clothing and hairstyle, the Amazigh woman expresses her resistance or her adhesion to the social changes.

The “cap” “Aqlous”: elevated for married women, flat for girls, is required, but it is a simple ornament on feast days. The female dress is composed of a gandoura known as Akidour (covered with a large white fabric), white trousers, an amber collar, and a silk scarf known as tasbniyt.

The hair is combed and rolled up in a circular form on the level of ears “Aabrouk”. The belt is made of pure wool, and is called Tasmart.

-Alarabonline-
http://www.alarabonline.org/english/display.asp?fname=2009%5C03%5C03-16%5Czculturez%5C977.htm&dismode=x&ts=16/03/2009%2005:12:14%20%C3%A3
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Morocco 'country of tolerance,' 'strategic ally' of USA, US ambassador-designate to Morocco says.
Washington

A country with a history of tolerance, Morocco is a "strategic ally, key partner and enduring friend" of the United States, said, in Washington, Mr. Samuel Kaplan, the US ambassador-designate to Morocco.

In his statement before the senate committee on foreign relations, on Wednesday, the US diplomat pledged to "do all that I can to further deepen our relations with this strategic ally, key partner and enduring friend" as well as "to promote partnership, expand U.S. exports [and] promote human rights."

Recalling president Obama's initiative to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world, Mr. Kaplan indicated that he believes that Morocco, "a Muslim country with a history of tolerance toward people of other faiths," "is an ideal country to continue to further the effort of finding common ground."

He mentioned Obama's June 4 speech in Cairo, in which he recalled that Morocco was the first nation to recognize the USA, noting that "two hundred and twenty-two years ago this month, the Continental Congress ratified a Treaty of Peace and Friendship - the longest unbroken treaty relationship in United States history."

"Our longstanding relationship has produced several milestones that demonstrate the depth and breadth of our close relationship," Mr. Kaplan said, recalling that the Kingdom, "a major non-NATO ally," has a thriving Free Trade Agreement with the U.S., and signed a $697.5 million Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact in 2007.

The diplomat highlighted the reforms undertaken in Morocco, such as the Family Law, which gave rise to “a dialogue on women’s rights that challenged social norms, leading to significant positive changes in the treatment of women and children.”

He recalled that in the June 12 local elections, 3,406 women won seats – 12.4% of the total – in 1,500 local councils across Morocco.

On the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement, Mr. Kaplan said the agreement has doubled bilateral trade, and the MCC Compact and the development work of the U.S. Agency for International Development will expand opportunities for millions of Moroccans to lift themselves out of poverty and play productive roles in Morocco's future.

The diplomat also commended the growing press freedom in Morocco, citing, in this regard, the opening in recent years of a vibrant independent radio sector.

He insisted that increasing trade among the countries of North Africa could lead to greater levels of economic development than they can achieve alone, adding that “improving cooperation among them can help them all better cope with illegal migration, trafficking and extremism.”

“If I am confirmed as Ambassador to Morocco, I will fully support the efforts of the UN Secretary General’s Personal Envoy to work with Morocco and other parties in the region toward a just, lasting and mutually-acceptable political solution” to the Sahara issue, he said.

Mr. Kaplan said Morocco is a “moderate Muslim country” who is in a position to play a mediating role in the Mideast peace process.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/main2/morocco__country_of/view
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'King Cool's' decade of modernity in Morocco.
By Herve Guilbaud (AFP) RABAT

People in Morocco call their monarch 'King Cool' because he rides jet skis, hangs around with rapper P. Diddy and French rocker Johnny Halliday.

After 10 years as king, Mohammed VI has brought modernity to his North African country but some still have a sneaking suspicion that the new roads and high-speed trains are not dragging Morocco fast enough into the 21st century.

When he took the throne on July 23, 1999 at the age of 35, Mohammed promised to pursue the open politics initiated at the end of his father Hassan II's reign, which was tainted by a legacy of repression.

He projected the image of a contemporary monarch, with his pop star friends, sports cars and ski holidays in the French Alps.

In 2002 he broke with tradition and married a 24-year-old commoner, computer engineer Lalla Salma Bennani, reinforcing the image of a modern Morocco on the move.

Over the past decade, Morocco has built an infrastructure that is the envoy of its Maghreb neighbours. From 100 kilometres (60 miles) of major highways in 1999, Morocco's main cities will be connected by some 1,500 kilometres of motorway by 2011.

On the Mediterranean coast, the 825-million-euro (1.15 million dollar) Tangiers Med project was launched in June, aiming to create the biggest port in Africa. Plans are under way for a high-speed train to connect the port to Casablanca.

Last year, Morocco obtained "advanced status" relations from the European Union, which will eventually give it greater access to Europe's single market.

On social issues, Morocco in 2004 adopted a new family code giving women better rights compared to men, despite protests from hardline Islamists.

As commander of the faithful, Mohammed VI has also initiated religious reforms aiming to counter the rise of fundamentalist imams.

Mohammed remains a reserved figure however. His speeches are rare and he remains a mystery to his subjects. An absolute secrecy surrounds events behind the walls of the 'Mechouar', the royal palace in Rabat.

Despite the change, human rights and development groups say that life has not changed fast enough. Corruption is found at all levels of government. Some 40 percent of the population is illiterate. Morocco ranked 126th among world nations in the 2007-2008 UN Development Programme (UNDP) report on human development. Newspapers can write freely, as long as they do not criticise the monarchy, the official Sunni Malakite Muslim sect or Morocco's territorial integrity.

The Moroccan Association of Human Rights says that the justice system is not independent, there is still torture and many arbitrary arrests.

Mohammed acted to end the abusive practices of the dark years of his father by setting up a special reconciliation commission. The victims of the repression have been indemnified, but no alleged torturer has been pursued.

Nabil Mouline, a specialist on Moroccan history at the Institute of Political Studies (IEP) in Paris, has in many ways returned to the traditional role of the Moroccan monarch.

"The king is present just about everywhere, omnipotent, reassuring the population. It is a return to the secular tradition of the Moroccan sultanate that goes back to the 16th century."

Mouline says that Morocco needs a change of mentalities through the reinforcing of culture, education and health.
The researcher insisted however that democracy has improved. "Elections are more transparent and there is a greater participation among women."
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jrJPNcLQZpJq0UhnSmtPvfF2yNIA
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New "business incubator" in Rabat encourages female entrepreneurs.
By Siham Ali  2009-07-19

To boost women's role in the economy, Morocco is offering young female innovators financial and technical support at a new business development centre. Aspiring businesswomen in the Moroccan capital region have a new resource at their disposal.

Established last week by the Association des Femmes Chefs d’Entreprise du Maroc (AFEM, Moroccan Businesswomen's Association), the new "business incubator" promotes entrepreneurship among women in the Rabat region.

The institution, with an initial budget of 1.1 million dirhams, will provide technical and financial support to young women with business ideas. The women whose programmes are selected by committee will be given office space and career mentoring over the first two critical years.

Speaking at the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday (July 16th), project co-ordinator and honorary AFEM president Saloua Kerkri Belkziz said that the aim of the partnership is to produce self-sustaining enterprises at the end of the sponsorship period.

"Fewer than 20% of business jobs are held by women," she said, "and fewer than 12% of new businesses are started up by women".

As a result, Belkziz concluded, the incubator could play an important role in helping women enter the Moroccan business world through their own projects.

Minister of Social Development, Family and Solidarity Nouzha Skelli, who presided over the launch ceremony, hailed the initiative and said that encouragement should be given to all measures aimed at boosting women's presence in the economy.

Despite the disparities that still persist, the minister said, there are more women on the job market than ever before."They make a significant contribution to the generation of business wealth," Skelli added. The success of the first incubator in Casablanca in 2006 made the Rabat launch possible, the AFEM said. Many women in Morocco's economic capital have received training and support as a result of the initiative.

The Spanish International Co-operation Agency, which provides funding for the endeavour, has twice renewed its financial and logistical assistance after evaluating the project.

The Casablanca office has supported 41 businesses and encouraged the creation of 27 others. A wide range of projects were selected; the five most recent focus on different areas, such as professional training, foreign investor relations, fashion design and manufacturing, childcare and web design.

Beneficiaries say the incubator was very useful to them. One such woman is Fatima El Hassni, who set up a training office. She said she succeeded in large part thanks to the technical support she received from the AFEM project, which "enables people with ideas to have faith in themselves".

It is essential to support women's entrepreneurship in a formal manner, sociologist Jamila Berdai tells Magharebia, since many female heads of household are already working in the informal sector and need structure in order to prosper.

"The state must focus on education and fostering a spirit of enterprise among both women and men," Berdai added.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2009/07/19/feature-01
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Second-round bac students in Morocco hopeful.
By Siham Ali 2009-07-21

The baccalaureate exams are an important event in any student's career. For those who passed the test on their second attempt, dreams of the future can begin again. Candidates fortunate enough to succeed on the Moroccan baccalaureate exams in the July 2-4 re-testing period are expressing their relief, with many showing new hope for the future.

The Ministry of Education announced on Friday (July 17th) that more than 104,000 pupils passed the bac in 2009 – 87,000 on the first attempt. Of the 121,000 candidates who repeated the exams, just 17,000 passed, bringing this year's overall pass rate up to 45%. Girls made up 51.1% of the total number of successful students.

The ministry expressed its satisfaction with the 9.31% rise in the number of successful candidates over 2008, as well as the number of those who passed with distinction, which rose to 31.43%.

The pass rate was highest in the sciences, math, and technical subjects, in which 66,852 students passed – up 5.4% over last year. Some 37,260 students passed in arts and traditional subjects – a success rate of 35%.

After finding out their results, those candidates who passed the re-test began to think about the future. Unfortunately for many, the registration deadline for most major state-run institutions has already passed.

One such student is Zakaria from Temara, who dreamt for years of going to the Higher School of Information and Communication to become a journalist. But when he failed the baccalaureate at his first attempt, his ambition was thwarted. The written exam for his desired programme was on July12th. "It was all I wanted to do," he said with disappointment. "I haven't chosen an alternative yet."

A similar case was that of Sara from Kenitra, who wanted to get into the School of Information Science in Rabat. "I only got my result on July 16th, and the deadline for applications to the School was July 15th, according to their website," she said.

Many have opted to receive vocational training from the Vocational Training and Skills Promotion Office (OFPPT), which takes in thousands of students each year. Sara is thinking of studying management to guarantee herself a job after she earns her certificate. "A lot of OFPPT graduates find jobs without great difficulty. Although I didn't realise my dream of getting into one of the grandes écoles, I have to move on and make the right choice," she concluded.

For her, like many others, university will be a last resort. Many students who pass their baccalaureate exams shun university, as they believe it does not prepare students for the demands of the job market.

This opinion is rejected by officials. Hafid Boutaleb Joutei, President of Mohammed V-Agdal University, believes people should not criticise Moroccan schools, claiming they have adopted a vocational focus to all subjects to help students integrate into the labour market.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2009/07/21/feature-01
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Morocco's information technology market expands.
By Rachid Jankari 2009-07-23

The Moroccan information technology market continues to see double-figure growth as a result of the deregulation of the telecoms sector. Millions of the kingdom's residents now benefit from advances in media and communications technology.

The main information technology indicators in the information technology market continue to increase in Morocco, as demonstrated by the latest report from the monitoring centre at the National Telecoms Regulation Agency (ANRT), which pointed to sustained growth in the mobile, landline and internet segments.

Morocco now has over 23.5 million mobile customers in a market dominated by Maroc Telecom, which has a 62% share, and Medi Telecom (35%). The third-largest operator, Wana, has just a 2% market share at present. The growth of the mobile sector has brought penetration up to 75% from 66% in 2008.

"Despite this boom, the mobile market is still dominated by prepaid services (96%) versus 4% post-paid, and there is a lack of added-value services aimed at this target market", said Yassine El Ghazouani, manager of Cyberesa Maroc.

The ANRT's findings also revealed that the landline telephony market has grown to three million customers, bringing the penetration level up to around 10%. This segment is paradoxically dominated by Wana, which has a 58% market share as compared with 42% for Maroc Telecom. In Q1 2009, the public telephone market contracted slightly by 0.13% as compared with December 2008.

The number of public phones available nationwide, including teleshops, phone boxes, and card-operated and GSM public phone booths, rose to 174,666.

As for the internet, this sector expanded by more than 43% in 2009 as compared with 2008. Morocco now has around 835,000 subscribers, half of whom use high-speed internet (ADSL). Maroc Telecom has a 66% market share, followed by Wana Corporate with 26%, and Medi Telecom with approximately 8%.

"The most significant aspect of the internet market is undoubtedly 3G mobile internet," said Faisal Benachou, director-general of the Consultancy Office at Ribatis. "Morocco has witnessed a 3G boom, since this means of access accounts for 40% of the market with more than 399,000 subscribers, and saw exponential growth of more than 288% between March 2008 and March of this year."

Wana has a market share of more than 60% as compared with around 20% for both Maroc Telecom and Medi Telecom. Not only has access to landlines and mobile internet increased, but also the number of domain names. According to the latest figures available from the Moroccan Network Information Centre, Morocco now has over 30,000 domain names, including more than 23,000 under the .ma extension. The remainder are under the extensions press.ma, .gov, .co.ma, .net, and .org.ma.

"Despite the growth in terms of internet equipment and indicators, Morocco suffers from a woeful lack of content," said Mahdi Tazi, the director of web agency PiXi Media. "The big issues for ICT are now editing and services."

Industry figures estimate that over 120,000 computers are sold each year in Morocco. This enthusiasm for IT equipment stems partly from the double-figure growth in landline, high-speed, and 3G internet.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2009/07/23/feature-03
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Morocco catches Twitter and Facebook fever
By Rachid Jankari 2009-07-24

Morocco's 9 million internet users are using the social networking tools Facebook and Twitter to reach out to people at home and overseas. Magharebia checks out the chorus of tweets. Facebook and Twitter, the latest Web 2.0 tools to captivate Moroccans, are winning new users among everyone from chatty teens to dedicated cyberactivists.

The growing popularity of the two tools indicates that Morocco's Web users, who now number 9 million, are moving beyond blogging to share information with each other and the world. Facebook is witnessing intense activity, with 840,000 subscribers in Morocco. Many of these are young people posting photos and writing back and forth with their friends.

"This network has become an electronic mouthpiece for cyberactivists to speak out in defence of the freedom of expression online and in the media in Morocco," said Sami Ben Gharbia, who manages the advocacy component of international blogging network Global Voices Online.

Morocco is also home to the very first person in the world to be convicted for using Facebook: young engineer Fouad Mourtada, In 2008, he was sentenced to three years in prison for posing as Prince Moulay Rachid. Web users mounted a worldwide campaign to win his release. After spending 42 days in jail, Mourtada received a pardon from King Mohammed VI.

Facebook has also generated interest at home and abroad via its "Official Moroccan Group", which now has over 2,600 members. The group's bilingual Arabic/English page features basic facts about the country, well-trafficked discussion boards, and related videos and pictures.

Digital diplomats are also harnessing Facebook's opportunities. The European Union delegation to Rabat, for example, has been using a dedicated Facebook page to communicate with the Moroccan media and other local audiences. The US Embassy in Rabat and USAID in Morocco also set up pages.

"The aim of this digital presence on the social networks is to keep Facebook members up to date on the news and activities of the embassy in Morocco," said Ghassane Hajji, the embassy's social media officer.

The micro-blogging site Twitter is also piping up to gain a share of Moroccan fans. This social networking tool allows its users to send 140-character messages (or “tweets”) to a list of friends. It can be accessed from a computer and/or mobile phone, making it easy to bombard people with mass updates.

"At the moment, the Moroccan community, nicknamed Twittoma, is very select," said Siham El Moudden, a member of Morocco's micro-blogging community. "It’s still in its infancy."

Nevertheless, Twittoma includes Ahmed Reda Chami, the minister for industry and information technology, who recently started "tweeting" about his work to pass legislation to protect personal data and his plan to roll out broadband internet service.

Other political figures are joining the chorus of tweets. "The use of Twitter is an extension of the detailed posts published on my blog. It’s also an effective way of alerting Web users to events that could otherwise go unnoticed," MP Khalid El Hariry said.

Politicians are not the only ones tweeting, however. Many young people are beginning to use Twitter to communicate about new technologies and internet trends.

One measure of Twittoma's popularity is evident simply from typing the keyword "Morocco" into the search engine http://search.twitter.com. The search returns threads from the top 100 users in Morocco online at http://minyurl.net/twitt_maroc.

With over 250 million Facebook members worldwide, and with Twitter claiming over 3 million users, it's clear that Moroccans are tapping into a global trend. What happens next is up to Moroccans themselves, as they innovate and modify their own communication.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2009/07/24/feature-01
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Morocco’s Local Elections and Decentralization
by Dr. Yossef Ben-Meir (7/19/09)

On June 12th, 2009, the same day that Iran had its contentious presidential elections, Moroccans also went out to polls to participate in local elections. In stark contrast, Morocco’s elections were viewed to be both free and fair, and boasted a 15 percent increase in turnout from the 2007 parliamentary elections.

While much of the world’s focus has not been on Morocco’s new party and efforts for reform, the Authenticity and Modernity party (PAM) gained the most seats in local councils (3 percent more than the ruling Socialists). PAM’s ‘third way’ message of promoting tradition and progress, business and social justice, and development and the environment energized a grassroots movement rarely seen in Moroccan politics.

PAM now has the potential to considerably guide and execute the large-scale and profoundly significant Moroccan decentralization initiative to enable local communities and provinces to have a greater say in their own affairs. The “roadmap” to decentralization, which describes the project’s guiding framework, objectives, and actions, was announced by Morocco’s King Mohammed VI on November 6, 2008--the 33rd anniversary of the Green March which saw 350,000 unarmed Moroccans cross into the Western Sahara to unite (or reunite) the region with the Kingdom.

The idea of decentralization in Morocco was first promoted in 1977 by the late King Hassan II. In 2007, the Kingdom proposed to the United Nations Security Council a solution to the Western Sahara--“autonomy within Moroccan sovereignty,” which necessarily involves significant transfer of authority from the central level. The proposal catalyzed today’s new decentralization effort throughout Morocco with the Western Sahara.

The strategic implementation of the roadmap, including a funding level of 10 billion dollars over 10 years, can generate transformative socio-economic and environmental benefits for the entire population (36 plus million people). It can also establish ideal conditions to resolve the Western Saharan conflict by advancing the political, social, cultural, economic, and environmental fulfillment of the people there, especially those who have suffered most over the course of the international conflict.

The roadmap includes both “devolution” and “deconcentration” organizational arrangements, which are to be carried out by the “democratic, participatory method.” The participatory development method values local knowledge and engages entire communities in dialogue as they conduct their own investigation and analysis toward the creation of an action plan that reflects local development priorities.

The King’s roadmap has developmental responsibilities (legal, financial, and operational) existing at the sub-national level (among local communities, civil and private groups, and local and regional government). A range of essential capabilities (to overcome constraints and realize opportunities) need to be built among these local groups through training, education, and experience. The roadmap intends to strike a balance between national and regional levels, with clear and recognized roles for each.

Civil organizations play a critical role in decentralized systems and sustaining local projects and are part of partnerships at and between the micro and macro levels of society. Decentralization can then actually strengthen national solidarity in Morocco due to the web of new participatory-based partnerships that are created. Local communities generally seek to maintain these kinds of partnerships because they help satisfy their human needs and better enable people to shape the institutions that govern them.

The roadmap is flexible enough so that the system of decentralization can appropriately grow out of the processes of each village and neighborhood implementing development projects (such as, in rural areas, clean water, fruit tree agriculture, and irrigation). Successful local development is often replicated by neighboring communities who may embark on a process of their own and work with others to pursue shared goals. This is generally how scaling-up occurs and new and reformed policies take shape.

Decentralized development in this form could demonstrate to the 400,000 people in the Western Sahara a relationship with the Kingdom that furthers their self-determined local and regional human development goals. This is how decentralization could be a path of common interest.

To advance decentralization, centers at universities (Western Sahara needs its first university) ought to be created that train facilitators of participatory methods. The methods are interactive, information-gathering activities that help local people evaluate their conditions and plan priority projects. Facilitators of planning activities can be extension workers from ministries (such as from agriculture and health), local and regional politicians, teachers, students, from civil organizations, retirees, and citizens.

The new training center at Hassan II University in Mohammedia, for example, which is in partnership with the High Atlas Foundation, is planning training programs with presidents of communes and national park technicians who are then able to more effectively assist development initiatives in the areas they work. These professional positions and others interface with local communities and they could therefore organize and facilitate participatory community planning meetings to advance decentralized development.

In order to assist decentralization, Morocco’s Ministry of Interior (which is in charge of internal security) ought to develop its role as a provider of information to advance development. For example, it could help build institutional partnerships by making available online relevant information related to the tens of thousands of Moroccan civil society organizations. The functions of traditional provincial and local Interior officials should also be reformed so that they are active contributors to development and trust is built. For example, it might be helpful if the positions of “Kaid,” “Sheikh,” and “Moqadam” were made directly accountable to presidents of communes.

Finally, a new decentralization project office within the Royal Cabinet would help build innovative partnerships between government, civil, and private institutions, and influence against the centralized tendencies of government. PAM, being a new party and with its concentration of power at the local level, is probably pre-disposed to work against rigid centralized control of development.

Creating regionalization by way of implementing locally determined and controlled projects that benefit in important ways every person in a rural area will cost approximately 4 billion dollars. This figure is projected from project experience since the mid-1990s in the Rural Commune of Toubkal (Province of Taroudant) with a population of 10,000 people. Project costs are kept low because they use local materials and know-how, and labor is often contributed in-kind.

Therefore, the cost of this approach to decentralization in all rural and urban areas, with more heavy funding for projects in the Western Sahara, as the King of Morocco proposed, would likely be in the range of 10 billion dollars over 10 years. Morocco’s bold initiative is worth the investment, considering the enormous human development that would ensue, the most probable end to the decades-long Western Saharan conflict, and with that, greater constructive relationships among North African nations.
Dr. Yossef Ben-Meir is a sociologist and is president of the High Atlas Foundation, a non-governmental organization founded by former Peace Corps volunteers and dedicated to community development in Morocco. Email: yossef@highatlasfoundation.org
http://newsbyus.com/index.php/article/2689
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