MOROCCO

FACEBOOK WILL END ON MARCH 15th!

2011-01-10T19:53:00.000+00:00

PALO ALTO, CA –

Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook will be shut down in March. Managing the site has become too stressful.

“Facebook has gotten out of control,” said Zuckerberg in a press conference outside his Palo Alto office, “and the stress of managing this company has ruined my life. I need to put an end to all the madness.”

Zuckerberg went on to explain that starting March 15th, users will no longer be able to access their Facebook accounts.

“After March 15th the whole website shuts down,” said Avrat Humarthi, Vice President of Technical Affairs at Facebook. “So if you ever want to see your pictures again, I recommend you take them off the internet. You won’t be able to get them back once Facebook goes out of business.”

Zuckerberg said that the decision to shut down Facebook was difficult, but that he does not think people will be upset.

“I personally don’t think it’s a big deal,” he said in a private phone interview. “And to be honest, I think it’s for the better. Without Facebook, people will have to go outside and make real friends. That’s always a good thing.”

Some Facebook users were furious upon hearing the shocking news.

“What am I going to do without Facebook?” said Denise Bradshaw, a high school student from Indiana. “My life revolves around it. I’m on Facebook at least 10 hours a day. Now what am I going to do with all that free time?”

However, parents across the country have been experiencing a long anticipated sense of relief.

“I’m glad the Facebook nightmare is over,” said Jon Guttari, a single parent from Detroit. “Now my teenager’s face won’t be glued to a computer screen all day. Maybe I can even have a conversation with her.”

Those in the financial circuit are criticizing Zuckerberg for walking away from a multibillion dollar franchise. Facebook is currently ranked as one of the wealthiest businesses in the world, with economists estimating its value at around 7.9 billion.

But Zuckerberg remains unruffled by these accusations. He says he will stand by his decision to give Facebook the axe.

“I don’t care about the money,” said Zuckerberg. “I just want my old life back.”

The Facebook Corporation suggests that users remove all of their personal information from the website before March 15th. After that date, all photos, notes, links, and videos will be permanently erased.

A look at Peta Mathias' new Moroccan cook book

2010-11-09T19:09:00.000+00:00

Adventures in Marrakech

It’s early days yet but I’m starting to dream of the summer holidays. Ever since reading Culinary Adventures by Peta Mathias, Morocco keeps popping into my head as a great place to go. She paints a vivid picture of an exotic location, tantalising food and colourful markets and amazing places to stay. Sounds like a tourist Mecca.

Peta chose Marrakech for one of her Fete Accomplie Culinary Adventures in which she takes her gastronomads on a weeklong culinary and cultural adventure. It’s the capital of South Morocco, a city both medieval and ultramodern.

Peta sees it as “lush, affluent, Euro-influenced chic, outrageously exotic nightclubs, designer kaftans, tagines, crab sushi, sexy North African cool and drop-dead stylish accommodation.” But it is also the “most African of Moroccan cities, a place of sweet rosebuds and honeyed dates, pungent olives, aromatic spices, dust and heat.”

She is captivated by the famous Djemaa al Fna Square, one of the busiest and most colossal town squares on the planet, much loved by the locals and “a cheap gourmet paradise, of piping hot snails and ignoble bits of innards, entertainment and musical appreciation.”

But she’s not afraid to say how it is and tells of hundreds of Moroccans having a ball slurping up on boiled sheep’s heads, which they slice crosswise for everyone to admire.

This is not the only graphic description of meat as the book proceeds and anyone with a tendency to be queasy may well want to skip quickly over such bits. The fact is however that Marrakech, as Peta says, is very much about meat and there is no point in pretending that animal carcasses are not hanging in front of you in the souk.

Peta and the gastronomads make their base at Dar Tasmayoun, the country home of a Frenchwoman, Florence Verley. It’s a rammed earth mansion with an organic garden and a menagerie of birds, rabbits, ducks and lambs.

Their lavish welcome dinner is served by the pool around which rows of flickering candles have been placed. It includes garden salads, harira soup, lamb tagines with prunes and fruit from the garden and a plentiful supply of gin and tonics. Local Berber musicians provide the music. Sounds amazing!

The cookery sessions at Dar Tasmayoun are only a part of the gastronomads culinary adventures. Peta also takes them to markets, picnics and parties, and kaftan shopping for a spot of retail therapy. One day they are persuaded to fling off their clothes and have a scrub in a traditional massage parlour. They love it.

But the highlight of the whole week’s activities is the day they are welcomed into the home of Mohammed and Latifa and their family who live in a traditional Berber village. It touches their hearts that a village family, who Peta has got to know, welcomes them into their home. They are “blown away by the abundance, simplicity and freshness of the food that they prepare for them.” Making a connection in this way is something the average tourist seldom gets to experience

Fifty recipes are also included in the book. They are Peta’s interpretation of traditional Moroccan food. They are carefully recorded and easy to follow. And she uses ingredients which are available in New Zealand.

The soul of Moroccan cooking is its spices which arrived as a result of an ancient spice trade. Spices such as coriander, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, paprika, and saffron and turmeric are essential ingredients in many of the recipes.

Peta explains how to make couscous from scratch but this is time consuming and would require years of practice before perfection is reached. Better to start with her easier recipes such as pomegranate and yoghurt dip, olives with orange blossom water and artichokes, or an eggplant salad.

I was delighted to also find some recipes for staples of Moroccan cooking such as preserved lemon, harissa and ras el-hanout. These are expensive to buy but here they look easy to make.

For a main course I’d like to make a tagine, but unfortunately I don’t own one of the special earthenware pots they are cooked in (would definitely bring one back if I did go on that Moroccan adventure!) There are several recipes for these and they all sound good.

So instead I’ll make a pastille, a large, round flat pie. Not the complicated pigeon pastille which Peta was served at a friend’s house. This was filled with ground almonds, pigeon, eggs mixed with lemon juice and spices enveloped in layers of wark pastry and dusted with cinnamon and icing sugar.

This Seafood Pastille is her recipe for a lighter dish, filled with prawns, fish and rice vermicelli and redolent with chili, paprika and coriander. It’s not hard to make and would make a very inviting centrepiece for a special summer lunch.

From : 3news

INDH gets 5-year Morocco review

2010-11-09T19:00:00.000+00:00

On the fifth anniversary of the National Human Development Initiative (INDH), Moroccan officials held a forum November1st-2nd to take a closer look at progress made and address obstacles.

"Despite the unquestionable advances which have been made, we are aware that this experience has highlighted certain limitations, which will naturally form a part of any innovative programme of this size," Moroccan King Mohammed VI said in a message to the forum participants.

"Hence our desire to ensure that it is followed up on the ground, along with constant monitoring at various stages, with a view to improving programmes, encouraging a more integrated approach to projects, and overcoming obstacles," the King said.

International partners at the Agadir forum included members of the European Union. French Secretary of State for Urban Affairs Fadela Amara lauded the initiative as an exemplary development model.

Others, however, highlighted the obstacles that the programme still faces, particularly regarding the long-term future of economic plans.

Since its launch in 2005, INDH has notched up 22,000 development projects helping 5 million people, at a total cost of more than 10 billion dirhams (887 million euros). It has produced more than 3,400 income-generating activities, which have created 40,000 jobs.

"The efforts should certainly be acknowledged, and have enabled many families to move out of poverty," said sociologist Samira Kassimi, adding, however, that the initiative would become more effective if the projects could be put on a more permanent footing.

"We have seen problems regarding the viability of the projects. This comes from a lack of follow-up mechanisms for beneficiaries," Kassimi said. She added that it is not enough to set up small projects but the important thing is to maintain and develop them.

The King emphasised that development problems have to do with "targeting populations and areas, intensifying activities to generate income and spreading the participative approach". He also highlighted "the decisive role that the regions and territorial authorities must play in the move to promote the well-being of the citizen".

"Weaknesses will always be found in any new experiment, but the evaluation which has been carried out to date will allow improvements to be made," said Moroccan Finance Minister Salaheddine Mezouar at the opening of the meeting.

Targets include simplifying administrative procedures and putting support mechanisms in place to help beneficiaries to become more autonomous. He added that from now on the idea is to strengthen the network of voluntary organisations involved in setting up various human development projects.

Moroccans from underprivileged backgrounds pinned their hopes on the project. Craftsman Bousselham Boujemâa, 32, told Magharebia that he hopes to set up a small business and receive funding from the INDH.

"I'm also hoping to get some training so that I can adapt to the market and manage my project properly. A friend of mine has really benefited financially. But he's run into some problems and there's a risk he could go under," he said.

The second phase of the initiative is slated for 2011. It aims to step up the pace, by introducing new rules, facilitating business set-up procedures and encouraging income-generating activities.

From : magharebia

Chefchaouen the perfect place to relax in hectic Morocco

2010-11-09T18:52:00.000+00:00

Chefchaouen, Morocco - Visitors to the dusty streets of Morocco's major cities such as Tangier experience a bustle of heat, noise and frantic trading in crowded alleyways where poultry have their throats slit by butchers before your eyes.

The smells from the hundreds of food stalls and spice sellers assault the senses as much as the ubiquitous rubbish while donkeys push by with equal regularity as motorbikes.

The frenetic nature of much of Morocco can become a serious strain after a while but the north-western city of Chefchaouen offers tourists the chance to experience something different as well as recharging their batteries for a couple of days.

Chefchaouen or Chaouen, as it is often called by Moroccans, is situated in the heart of the Rif Mountains, and offers a relaxed alternative with its combination of Arab tradition and Andalusian flair.

The mountain air is clear, the streets and most of the buildings in the walled old city (medina) are painted a brilliant sky-blue and are set against a background of green hillsides dominated by cedars, pine and oak.

The heart of Chefchaouen's medina is the shady, cobbled plaza of Uta el-Hammam, where old men in traditional garb observe the busy cafes and restaurants while waiters serve a spiced meat and vegetable dish known as tajine and named after the special clay pot in which it is cooked.

The clear mountain light makes the red-hued walls of the kasbah and the El Masjid El Aadam Mosque appear even more impressive. The mosque was commissioned by city founder Ali Ben Moussa Ben Rached El Alami in 1471 on his arrival from Andalusia.

The octagonal minaret is especially noticeable while the mountain tops above the town look like the two horns of a goat. The name Chefchaouen derives from the Berber word for horns.

Many of the Muslims driven out of Andalusia at the end of the 15th century made their way to Chefchaouen, which has their influence to thank for its unique architecture. For centuries Chefchaouen was considered a holy city and was barred to non-Muslims until 1920.

The medina is particularly beautiful on the evenings when the muezzin leads the call to prayer and those wanting to stay should have no problems finding a room in the many hotels.

A clean double room with mosaics on the ceilings costs no more than 150 dirham, around 18 dollars. Nearly all hotels have a roof terrace, offering panoramic views of the area and the priceless sight of a star-filled sky. Budget travellers can also sleep here, in summer at least.

A breakfast consisting of fresh mint tea, baguette and marmalade can be bought at one of the cafes at the Uta el-Hammam plaza while afterwards a stroll through the city's steep and narrow streets is well worth the effort.

By travelling north from the medina, visitors find themselves quickly in the mountains. After half an hour on foot, the view opens up, presenting the blue and white walls of Chefchaouen circled by green - a certain cure for stressed holidaymakers.

From : monstersandcritics

Morocco's press union denounces banning access of Moroccan journalists to occupied Melilia

2010-11-09T18:46:00.000+00:00

Rabat - Morocco's press union (SNPM) denounced on Tuesday banning access of a group of Moroccan journalists to the Moroccan Spanish-occupied city of Melillia and the confinement of two cameramen by Spanish civil guard while they were trying to enter the city through its crossing point.

In a statement, the SNPM added that the behavior of the Spanish civil guard is a repressive practice against Moroccan journalists, who wanted to accomplish their mission as defined by all laws and international standards, including the legislation of the Spanish state itself.

The union said that the purpose of these practices is to "harass journalists particularly from Moroccan TV channels that broadcast programs on the sufferings of Moroccans in the city where they are repressed by the Spanish forces."

It recalled that it is not the first time the Spanish forces in the occupied city avail themselves of these repressive practice, calling on national and international organizations to strongly condemn these acts.

Abderahim El Bouhedioui from 2M TV channel and Rachid Laatabi from Al Oula TV channel were kept in a location by the guards, who also confiscated the passports of three other Moroccan reporters without explaining motives behind this measure.

Badiaa Zeghnini (Al Oula), Azzedine Lamrimi (Arabic-speaking paper Al Ahdat Al Maghribiya) and Said Youssi (Morocco's news agency MAP), who were accompanying the cameramen, intended to enter the city to cover the latest developments of the incidents that occurred recently in Melilia.

From : map

Morocco delays solar unit tender to Dec: minister

2010-11-09T18:39:00.000+00:00

RABAT (Reuters) - Morocco said on Tuesday it would take bids for the first unit in a national $9 billion solar power programme in December instead of November but added that it would not delay the construction of the unit.

"The outcome of the pre-qualification stage of the tender will be known in mid-November. Those who will be selected in mid-November will be invited to participate in the bids at the end of December," Energy and Mining Minister Amina Benkhadra told Reuters on the sidelines of an energy conference.

The government of the North African country had previously set end-November as a deadline for would-be investors to submit bids for the first unit, which will be based in the southeastern city of Ouarzazate.

"A minimum of time is needed," Benkhadra said when asked about the delay.

"But the planning of the solar programme will go as scheduled. The construction of the Ouarzazate unit will start by the end of 2011 and will be completed by the end of 2014 and by beginning of 2015 the unit will go on stream," she added.

Plans call for the Ouarzazate unit to start off as a 125 megawatt unit and then undergo gradual upgrades to reach 500 MW before the end of 2015.

Morocco's solar plan calls for five power stations to account for 38 percent of its installed power generation capacity by 2020. The plan is instrumental for a country that has no oil or gas of its own and aims to diversify its exports to an energy-hungry trade partner, the European Union.

Moroccan authorities are betting on demand for the clean energy that will be generated by the Desertec project, a 400 billion euro EU plan to use solar power from the Sahara desert to supply 15 percent of Europe's power by 2050.

Major companies including Siemens, RWE and Deutsche Bank are members of the Desertec consortium.

Morocco aims to export surplus electricity to Europe via Spain, where it has a power market trading licence that allows it to sell electricity.

In preparation for exporting the electricity to Europe, Morocco's power utility ONE doubled the capacity of its interconnector to Spain to 400 MW in 2007.

From : reuters

Nemotek Technologie Introduces Two-Element, Wafer-Level Camera Lens for Ultra-Slim Mobile Phones and Notebooks

2010-02-18T21:44:00.000+00:00

Designed for portable applications, alternative glass lenses offer higher resolution at lower costs.

SALA AL JADIDA, Morocco, Feb 16, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Nemotek Technologie, a manufacturer of customized Wafer-Level Cameras for portable applications, today launches its first two-element VGA wafer-level lens. Providing an advanced camera lens design with lower distortion, better resolution and higher image quality, the two-element lens utilizes glass wafers instead of traditional plastic. Marking the first steps in the next-generation of wafer-level lenses, Nemotek brings to market a compact, reflowable lens that provides high-end features at lower costs.

As an alternative to the multi-element plastic lens, Nemotek utilizes replicated lenses on glass to deliver a reliable solution that can withstand the most intense, environmental conditions. An infrared filter and apertures are also incorporated into the lens structure to reduce the number of components within a camera module and assist in the development of ultra-slim handsets. Ideal for mobile phone and portable laptop applications, this lens leads the industry into the future of higher resolutions, such as two megapixels and three megapixels.

"With the two-element lens we are providing a smaller and compact form factor that utilizes the advantages of wafer-level technology and improves the overall image quality for cameras," said Jacky Perdrigeat, CEO of Nemotek Technologie. "Utilizing cutting-edge wafer-level technology, our lenses benefit from high reliability, miniaturization as well as cost reduction. With this new offering, we are reinforcing Nemotek's capabilities in the field of wafer-level optics and also marking the next stages for this technology, resulting in higher resolution."

Nemotek's two-element lens is comprised of two optical wafers that are processed separately and then bonded together before being diced. By producing a pair of lenses, Nemotek overcomes the technical challenges of aligning, bonding and dicing two glass wafers together. This new lens is added to the Nemotek family of optical solutions, tailored for customers in the form of lenses or directly mounted on an image sensor.

Nemotek Technologie will be demonstrating this new two-element VGA wafer-level lens (NEMO-02VG) at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

About Nemotek Technologie

Nemotek Technologie manufactures customized Wafer-Level Cameras for portable applications. The company provides customers with design and manufacturing services for Wafer-Level Packaging, Wafer-Level Optics and Wafer-Level Cameras. Established in May 2008, Nemotek Technologie is funded by Caisse de Depot et de Gestion (CDG). The company features a world-class manufacturing and clean room facility located in the Rabat Technology Park, a hub for technology development based in Morocco. For more information, visit: http://www.nemotektechnologies.com/

From : marketwatch.

Destination romance: Imilchil, Morocco

2010-02-18T21:34:00.000+00:00

A mountain village steeped in myth, and its miraculous wedding ceremony, teach Tahir Shah the secret of love.

If Morocco is a land of romance, then its heart is surely the remote Berber village of Imilchil – without doubt the most romantic place I have ever been. Nestled in the Atlas, it lies beyond the Gorge of Ziz, in a wild and unforgiving frontier of narrow passes and sweeping mountain vistas. Once each year, in September, a festival is held in which the young are permitted to choose a spouse for themselves. In a realm usually confined by tribal tradition, the would-be brides and grooms are free to pick whoever they wish to marry. Dressed in roughly woven black robes, jangling silver amulets and amber beads heavy around their necks, the girls stream down from their villages. There's a sense of frivolity, but one tempered with solemn apprehension as they approach the doorway to a new life.

Reaching the village square, they catch first sight of the grooms. All of them are dressed in white woollen robes, their heads bound tight with woven red turbans, their eyes darkened with antimony.

The betrothal festival owes its existence to a legend, itself a blend of love and tragedy – a kind of Moroccan Romeo and Juliet. The story goes that, forbidden to marry, a couple who hailed from feuding tribes drowned themselves in a pair of crystal-clear lakes called Isli and Tislit. (One version of the tale says the lakes in which they drowned were made from their tears.) So horrified were the local people at the loss that they commenced the annual festival. No one is quite sure when the tradition began, but everyone will tell you that the marriages which follow betrothal there are blessed in an almost magical way.

The first time I visited Imilchil, almost 20 years ago, I met a young couple, Hicham and Hasna. They had met, fallen in love and been betrothed all on the same morning. They were glowing, their cheeks flushed with expectation and new love. Last year, when I visited Imilchil again, I tracked down the pair. They look a little older now. Hicham's hair has thinned and his face is lined from a life outdoors tending his goats; and Hasna looks fatigued. But then she has given birth to six children, four of them boys. As we sat in the darkness of their home, a wooden shack clinging like a limpet to the mountainside, I asked them how the years had been.

Hicham looked across at Hasna, and smiled. "On that day all those years ago," he said, "I became the happiest man in all the world. And each day since has been conjured from sheer joy." He glanced at the floor. "Do you want to know our secret?" he asked me bashfully. I nodded. Hicham touched a hand to his heart. "To always remember the love of the first moment, the tingling feeling, the first time it touches you, and the first moment your hands touched."

A few days after leaving Hicham and Hasna at their home in Imilchil, I reached my own home overlooking the Atlantic, in Casablanca. As I stepped in the door, my two little children, Ariane and Timur, ran up and threw their arms around my neck. They asked where I'd been. I told them about the winding mountain roads, the Berber villages, and the Gorge of Ziz. "And what did you bring?" they asked both at once, straining to look sheepishly at the ground. "I brought you a secret," I said. "What is it, Baba?" "Always to remember the feeling of tingling love," I said.

From : guardian.

African Youth Games 2010 to be held in Morocco

2010-02-18T21:27:00.000+00:00

Morocco will in May this year host the inaugural African Youth Games. The games, which will see participation from all the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) members, will be held in the cities of Rabat and Casablanca.

The Botswana National Olympic Committee CEO, Tuelo Serufho, told the Sunday Standard that the games had been organized by ANOCA, of which Botswana is a member, and would be held on the 9th to the 15th of May this year in Morocco.

Serufho noted that the games are targeting young African athletes, both girls and boys of 15-17 years, and about 14 sports codes will be featured at the continental event.

“A total of 14 sports codes will see participation at the games, among them athletics, basketball, boxing, fencing, football, gymnastics, Judo, rowing, swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, swimming and gymnastics,” he said.

He stated that all the other disciplines’ competitions will be held at Rabat whereas swimming and gymnastics will be held at Casablanca. He further stated that it may be possible for Botswana to partake in all codes except for fencing, which is not a familiar sport in the country.

Serufho also asserted that the Youth games will assist in preparing athletes for the upcoming Youth Olympics Games in August in Singapore.

“We believe that the games will also precisely prepare athletes for the Youth Olympic Games and, at the moment, we are engaging those eligible to participate in Singapore to use these games as a preparation platform,” he said.

Serufho explained that since there is a local Olympic organising committee, they are working closely with them and also considering what sports codes to take for the games as well as how many participants they can hopefully send.

The Africa Youth Games are also hoped to only be limited to sports encounters for the young across the continent but will also include a culture and education programme as well as act as a catalyst in promoting friendship, unity and peace.

The Games will come three months before the first ever Youth Olympic Games in Singapore and will give the young athletes a unique opportunity to train for the major event.

From : sundaystandard.

Moroccan partner says Kuwaiti Zain keeping stake

2010-02-18T21:20:00.000+00:00

CASABLANCA (Reuters) - Kuwaiti telecom Zain, which is in exclusive talks with India's Bharti Airtel to sell its African assets, will keep its stake in Morocco's telecoms venture Wana, the head of the Moroccan company said on Thursday.

"Zain maintains its telecom asset in Morocco," Wana's Managing Director Frederic Debord told reporters.

Zain bought its 31 percent stake in Wana, the telecoms arm of Morocco's largest conglomerate ONA, for $324 million last March.

The purchase was made less than a month after Wana won the concession to operate the North African country's third wireless phone network -- part of a government drive to liberalise the telecoms sector and cut prices.

Debord said Wana will launch its mobile phone operation next Tuesday under the trade name Inwi.

Wana, which currently offers limited-range mobile, fixed-line and Internet services, will join Maroc Telecom and Meditel, which operate the two existing mobile networks in the kingdom of more than 30 million people.

Maroc Telecom is 54 percent held by Vivendi, Europe's largest entertainment group, while Meditel is a joint venture between privately-owned FinanceCom group and Morocco's biggest state fund CDG.

"Inwi's mobile network capacity is ready to receive two million clients from the first day of the beginning of our operation," Debord said.

He added that he saw a huge potential growth in the mobile phone market in Morocco where more than 80 percent of the population own a mobile phone.

"We have to go fast to win more clients," said Debord adding his company aims to undercut its competitors.

(Reporting by Lamine Ghanmi, editing by John Stonestreet)

From : reuters.

Alcohol Stirs Morocco Law Row

2010-02-18T21:12:00.001+00:00

RABAT – Amid an upsurge in alcohol consumption in the conservative Muslim country, calls are growing in Morocco for enforcing laws banning alcoholic beverages in the North African kingdom.

"There is a law forbidding the consumption of alcohol by Moroccans and it is clear," Saad Eddine Othmani, leader of the Islamic-leaning opposition Justice and Development Party (PJD), told Agence France-Presse (AFP).

"It must be respected."

Stringent laws, imposed more than 50 years ago by French colonial rulers, ban the sale of alcohol to Moroccan Muslims.

However, sales and consumption are widely tolerated in the Muslim-majority country.

Supermarkets enforce no restrictions on alcohol sales and bars make no attempt to hide the sale of alcoholic drinks to Muslim and non-Muslim clients.

Even restaurants offer alcoholic drinks to Muslims with their meals.

To hide wine sales, restaurants draw curtains on the windows, keep bottles from view and taint glasses to disguise their contents.

If police visit, Muslim diners are advised to say they are consuming soft drinks.

Morocco produces more than 40 million alcohol bottles a year, generating €45m a year.

Moroccans are consuming 50 million litres of alcoholic drinks a year.

Islam forbids Muslims from drinking or even selling alcohol.

No Change

Some Moroccans see the alcohol consumptions as an individual freedom.

"The law forbidding the consumption and buying of alcohol by Moroccans must be repealed because it is a matter of individual liberty," Khadija Rouissi, a member of the Authenticity and Modernity Party, told AFP.

Her view is backed by the Bayt Al-Hikma (House of Wisdom) organization, a non-religious group formed a few year ago by a friend of King Mohammed VI.

"The law which says alcohol can only be sold to foreigners is against the constitution, which recognises fundamental individual freedoms," it said in a statement.

But this position is ridiculed by many Moroccans.

"When the king presented his plan on reforming the law on women to parliament in October 2003, he said he could not 'permit what Islam forbids'," said political commentator Mohammed Darif.

“And Islam formally forbids alcohol consumption by Muslims.”

Despite the wrangling, analysts expect no major shift on enforcing the alcohol-banning laws.

"You must realize that the alcohol trade generates profits for the Moroccan state, even if the general tendency is towards conservatism given the growing influence of religion within Moroccan society," said law professor Michele Zirari.

"I don't see any substantial change in the short, or medium, term."

From: islamonline.

Alstom to deliver trams to Morocco

2009-11-18T19:33:00.000+00:00

Casa Transports, the public company in charge of the construction of the tramway network in Casablanca, Morocco, has chosen Alstom Transport for the delivery and maintenance of 74 Citadis trams.

The deal also includes options for the supply of additional trainsets, as well as maintenance of the fleet over a 15-year period. The global value of this market amounts to more than $179.7 million.

Alstom will supply Citadis trams coupled in double units of 213 feet each – a configuration practically identical to the trainsets currently under construction in Rabat. This will optimize spare parts and the maintenance costs of both networks.

The first trainsets will be delivered to Casa Transports 24 months after the contract becomes effective, with entry into commercial service expected for December 2012. The 74 Citadis trams will be operated on a 18.6-mile line crossing the city from east to west. It is expected to carry up to 250,000 passengers per day.

From metro-magazine.com.

New Gary Player Course Opens in Morocco

2009-11-18T19:28:00.000+00:00

Gary Player was on Morocco's Atlantic coast over the weekend to unveil his newest golf course design at Golf de Mogador, located in the historic port town of Essaouira. Player inaugurated the course by leading guests in a ceremonial opening round during the first Mogador Classic Tournament.

After the round, Player commented, "I am blown away by the beauty of what we have created here in Essaouira and my greatest hope is that the course increases tourism and creates jobs for the warm and gracious people of Morocco."

Built among the sand dunes, the ocean-view layout has generous fairways and reasonable putting surfaces to account for seasonal windy conditions, making the challenging course playable by all golfers. Player utilized the existing dunes and vegetation to define the holes and minimize the environmental impact.

The grand opening celebrated the completion of the first of two signature courses at Golf de Mogador. Also during his visit, Player inspected the second 18 holes currently under construction, and was pleased with the progress, commenting that it will complement the first course nicely. The second course is slated to open in late 2010, providing Morocco with 36 holes of championship golf.

For more information about the development, visit http://www.golfdemogador.com/.

Abu Dhabi Fund for Development provides Dhs62.44m for agricultural development in Morocco

2009-11-18T19:19:00.000+00:00

Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) has signed an agreement to provide Dhs62.44m ($17m) to build a Dam in Tamkeet in Rashidia, Morocco, that will support the region's agriculture.

The loan agreement was signed by His Excellency Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, Acting Director General of ADFD and His Excellency Abd Al Qader Alzawi Morocco's Ambassador to the UAE, at ADFD's offices in Abu Dhabi.

Al Suwaidi said:

"This agreement comes in line with our commitment to implement the directives of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, under the supervision of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, to assist developing countries and help boost economic development."

"The Dam in Tamkeet is vital as it will contribute to support the country's economy by providing water to irrigate the territory of Rashidia in Morocco. This project also seeks to provide safe drinking water and protect the area from floods. The 14m cubic meters dam will serve as a huge reservoir of water for Morocco," he added.

His Excellency Alzawi expressed his appreciation for the support provided by the Abu Dhabi government and ADFD in executing developmental projects in Morocco, which had a significant impact on the economic growth of the country.

ADFD has contributed to financing 27 developmental projects in the past years with a total value estimated at Dhs2bn.

From ameinfo.com.

Factbox: Rashid Ramzi

2009-11-18T19:00:00.000+00:00

Factbox on Bahrain's Rashid Ramzi who was stripped of his Olympic 1,500 metres gold medal for doping at the 2008 Beijing Games.

Born July 17, 1980 in Safi, Morocco.

Early career

Won the silver medal for Morocco in the 1,500m at the African Junior Championships in 1999.

He moved to Bahrain at the end of 2001 where he was offered a job in the military and later gained citizenship.

Major achievements

In 2003 Ramzi won gold in the 1,500m at the Asian Championships before making his mark on the international scene with a silver medal at the world indoor championships in the 800m in 2004.

Ramzi ended Hicham El Guerrouj's 29-race unbeaten record in the 1,500m in July 2004 making him one of the favourites for the Olympic title in Athens.

He fell in his Olympic semi-final and finished 11th.

In 2005 Ramzi completed an unprecedented middle distance double winning the 800 and 1,500m titles at the world championships in Helsinki.

At the 2007 world championships in Osaka, he finished second behind Bernard Lagat in the 1,500m.

Ramzi won Bahrain's first Olympic medal when he beat Kenya's Asbel Kipruto Kiprop to take gold in the 1,500m at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Doping violation

In April 2009, Bahrain's Olympic Committee announced Ramzi had failed a dope test from the Beijing Games for the banned blood-booster CERA, after frozen samples were re-tested specifically for that substance.

The International Olympic Committee announced on November 18 Ramzi was being stripped of his gold medal for anti-doping violations.

Reuters.

Dramatic finale for Africa

2009-11-17T15:14:00.000+00:00

If it was drama you wanted, African World Cup qualifying was the place to be this weekend. Nigeria and Cameroon became the latest teams through to the finals - joining Ghana, Ivory Coast and hosts South Africa - but in very different circumstances.

The Indomitable Lions booked their place at an African record sixth finals with a straightforward 2-0 victory in Morocco to win Group A, but Nigeria's passage from Group B was far more convoluted. The West Africans were facing another awkward World Cup failure until Obafemi Martins' late effort saw off Kenya 3-2 in Nairobi, meaning the Super Eagles leapfrogged a Tunisian side that lost in Mozambique.

But while this was dramatic, it was nothing compared to events in Cairo. Needing to beat Group C leaders Algeria by two clear goals to stay in the hunt for South Africa, Egypt's one-goal lead deep into injury time was not enough. But in the fifth minute of stoppage time, as a nation's heart sank, substitute Emad Moteab looped home a header for a famous 2-0 win.

"We achieved victory after having lost hope," government paper Al-Gomhuriya admitted in a front-page headline. Given that both Egypt and Algeria finished tied on points, goal difference, goals scored and head-to-head records, the bitter North African rivals must meet again in a sudden-death play-off in Sudan on Wednesday.

"We played under war-like conditions," said Mohammad Rawrawa, head of the Algerian FA. "It was difficult to perform well but we will win on Wednesday because the atmosphere will be calmer."

After Amr Zaki scored after just two minutes, both sides wasted opportunities and, as the fourth official signalled for added time, Algeria had a foot in their first finals since 1986 - qualifying on goal difference - until Moteab's late, late show. The result sparked rioting in the Algerian capital Algiers, where a handful of Egyptian businesses were ransacked, and in the French port of Marseille as tensions spilled over. In and around Cairo itself, there were also incidents with 12 Egyptians and 20 Algerians injured - some of the latter being wounded after their bus was stoned. That's been a familiar theme, with some Algeria players saying the match should not have gone ahead after their bus was attacked by Egyptian youths on Thursday.

"Allowing this game to go ahead was recklessness," said midfielder Khaled Lemmouchia, one of three players who reported injuries. "In our side, some players were pallid; others were effectively paralysed before the game. We played with injured players. I had three stitches on my scalp and nobody asked me if it was of any discomfort."

Just hours before, Egypt's World Cup grip was hanging by a thread, so too was Nigeria's. Trailing Group B leaders Tunisia by two points before the game, the Super Eagles were kissing the World Cup goodbye with just seven minutes left in Nairobi and the score locked at 2-2. Kenya's Dennis Oliech and Allan Watende had cancelled out strikes from Martins and Yakubu, but then Martins hooked in a close-range second to spark wild celebrations across Nigeria.

Yet the hard-fought win would have been academic had Tunisia triumphed in Mozambique, but the under-performing Carthage Eagles lost their first qualifier since June 2008 as they went down 1-0 in Maputo. Dario Monteiro was the local hero as he rifled home after 83 minutes to fire Mozambique to their first Nations Cup since 1998.

It meant the Super Eagles, who had contested three straight World Cups before missing out in 2006, topped Group B with 12 points, one more than a stunned Tunisia - although many Nigerian fans were in similar disbelief.

"We were determined to make Nigerians happy (and) I am proud to be part of this victory," said John Mikel Obi, who broke down in tears afterwards along with Kanu and Joseph Yobo.

The twists-and-turns of Nigeria's and Egypt's fortunes mean Cameroon's qualification, thanks to a 2-0 win in Fes, seems mundane in comparison. But in reality, the Indomitable Lions worked their magic in September, when twice beating Gabon to go from bottom to top of Group A in the matter of five days.

Against a dispirited Atlas Lions side, Achille Webo opened the scoring before superstar captain Samuel Eto'o doubled the lead shortly after half-time - Cameroon's fourth straight win ensuring they finished on 13 points, four clear of second-placed Gabon. It capped a marvellous five months for French coach Paul Le Guen, who revitalised the campaign of an African giant that had also missed Germany 2006.

Now the former Lyon and PSG boss is hoping for a contract extension from the Cameroonian federation, who had given him a short-term deal with a brief to reach South Africa. "I would like to continue," he said. "And if this is also the sentiment of Cameroon football leaders, then I will. It is very likely."

In the remaining Group A tie, Floyd Ayite made sure of Togo's Nations Cup place when his goal beat Gabon 1-0 in Lome - the Togolese finishing five points ahead of Morocco, who failed to register one win in the group. That just left the small matter of who would make the Nations Cup from Group E, which Ivory Coast had won long ago. And the Elephants ended unbeaten when thumping Guinea 3-0 in Abidjan, Siaka Tiene wrapping up the scoring after Gervinho's brace.

The Guineans thus finished bottom with three points, one less than Malawi who are celebrating a first Nations Cup since 1984 - despite losing 1-0 in Burkina Faso, where Moumouni Dagano's 12th qualifying strike separated the sides.

"I am proud to be a Malawian!," said Malawian fan Lawland Suzgo Mwale in an online celebration. "We can do much better than rich countries like the 2010 World Cup hosts. We salute you boys and keep on making us proud!"

With Group D's various qualifiers having been decided last month, World Cup-bound Ghana fielded some Under-20 world champions in the 2-2 home draw with Mali. Over in Khartoum meanwhile, Sudan's hapless campaign ended with a 2-1 defeat at home to Benin, meaning the Sudanese's solitary point was eight fewer than their nearest rivals. Ghana won the group with 13 points, Benin came second with 10, while Mali boasted nine.

For the record, the 14 teams joining defending champions Egypt and hosts Angola at January's Nations Cup are Cameroon, Gabon, Togo, Nigeria, Tunisia, Mozambique, Egypt, Algeria, Zambia, Ghana, Benin, Mali, Ivory Coast, Guinea and the Flames of Malawi.

From soccernet.espn.go.com.

Be among the first to visit the new La Mamounia hotel in Marrakech

2009-11-17T14:57:00.000+00:00

This legendary hotel in Marrakech, closed for three years for refurbishment, has finally re-opened its doors to the public to reveal the marvels within.

After three long years of work and a whopping 120 million euros invested in returning its splendour to the iconic hotel in Marrakech, La Mamounia reopened its doors at the end of September 2009. The only things that remain almost unchanged are the pink building itself and its almost twenty acres of garden, hedged by the Almoravid walls that surround the old sector of the "red city". Inside this oasis, which lies just a stone's throw from the bustling activity of the Jemaa el Fna square, not the smallest corner of a single room has been left untouched.

The art-deco style, brought in with the 1986 refurbishment, is history; everything, from the furniture to the paintings to the magnificent old chinaware, was put under the hammer last June in an unprecedented "everything-must-go" auction. Today, La Mamounia, has returned to its origins as an authentic Arab-Andalusian palace where the elegance of real Moroccan tradition is combined with the audacious touch of the star decorator Jacques Garcia, whose previous work includes such heralded reforms as the Costes and Beaux-Arts Hotels in Paris and the Chateau du Champ de Bataille. Now, Garcia has returned its true essence to this great hotel built in the Twenties and set in the grounds that, in the eighteenth century, the Sultan Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah presented as a wedding gift to his son Mamoun.

Around one and a half thousand craftsmen have used all their various skills in the remodelling and refurbishment of this "great lady" of the hotel world, which, since its original opening, has been the gateway through which celebrities of all sorts have passed to explore the mysteries of Marrakech. Today, the new La Mamounia radiates all the mystery and sensuality of the East. Recognising its role as showcase of the best of Morocco, no expense has been spared, no detail overlooked, to envelop guests in a living evocation of the Thousand and One Nights, brought, as if by some magic genie, into the twenty-first century with confidence and decisiveness but without unnecessary fanfare or fussy ostentation. A scenario designed to seduce, not overwhelm.

La Mamounia is on track to become one of the five best hotels in the whole world, but at the same time not to seem like a hotel, rather a private residence. You should forget about conventional hotel elements such as room signs and arrows pointing to the reception desk; although these may appear discreetly, they will rarely be necessary as there are a score of people on hand whose sole mission is to attend to the needs of guests.

After being met at the airport and taken to the hotel in a Jaguar, as guests cross the threshold, it's as if the dazzling Marrakech light had been switched off; newcomers are greeted in a dim and peaceful room and welcomed with dates and almond milk, in the tradition of true desert hospitality. The delicate scent of cedar wood, a fragrance created exclusively for La Mamounia by the prestigious 'nose' Olivia Giacobetti, pervades this central space, which is dotted with intimate couches and from which unobtrusive lifts, upholstered in tooled leather lead to the rooms.

Teams of up to fifty craftsmen have worked on the decor of each of the bedrooms. Everything, from the stucco of the walls and the painted wood of doors and ceilings, to the mosaics that combine with marble and carpets to cover the floors, each last detail has been carefully fashioned by hand. The 27,000 square metres of zelij - the traditional tile work with which the whole building has been faced - is the main "culprit" for the three years it has taken to complete this extraordinary refurbishment project in which nothing has been left to chance.

Picquot Didier, former manager of hotels including the Ritz in Paris and the Pierre in New York, has been brought in to orchestrate the whole affair. In the kitchen there are consultants of the calibre of Jean-Pierre Vigato, from the Apicius restaurant in Paris, and Don Alfonso, of the eponymous temple of gastronomy on the Amalfi Coast. Both chefs, with two Michelin stars, have designed the menu. Respectively, they are responsible for the French and Italian restaurants at La Mamounia. There is also an exquisitely decorated Moroccan restaurant, as well as the Pool Pavilion, where the lunch buffet - complete to the last detail - is set to become, as it was in the past, the usual rendezvous for the creme de la creme of Marrakech.

A glass gymnasium, tucked in among the palms, olives and orange trees in the ancient gardens, and an exclusive spa that pays homage to the traditional hammam, complete the facilities of this hotel with more than 200 rooms and suites. There are even three independent riads for those who can afford the luxury of staying in their own private palace within La Mamounia.

But even ordinary mortals can experience the new-look La Mamounia. Non-guests in the hotel can book a table at one of the restaurants, or, as long as a certain dress code is maintained, you can visit the fabulous gardens, savour the delights of the tea room or the bakery alongside the pool. Come the evening, you can enjoy a drink at the Italian bar, while a fine jazz trio performs live, or at the famous Churchill Bar. The latter is the only part of the hotel that has barely changed since the British statesman drank there and Josephine Baker, Edith Piaf, Orson Welles and the whole army of incomparables added their grains of sand over the decades to make La Mamounia the myth it is today.

From hellomagazine.com.

Pörner of Vienna signs contract with refining company SAMIR to construct a new Biturox-plant

2009-11-17T14:11:00.000+00:00

A contract between the Moroccan refining company SAMIR and Pörner Ingenieurgesellschaft GmbH for the planning and construction of a new Biturox plant for the production of bitumen, including storage tanks and HGV filling station, was finalised and signed. With the conclusion of this deal, SAMIR will become the thirty-eighth worldwide recipient of a Pörner licence for a Biturox plant.

Pörner Group will, as general contractor, construct this plant in Mohammedia, Morocco as a "Lump sum turnkey” project. This means that Pörner will not only erect the plant but also include all deliveries and services required for the project within its scope of responsibilities.

Beginning with the granting of a licensing franchise and financial support, Pörner Group has shown its responsibility for project management, from basic and detail engineering including structure/steel construction, MSR and electrical engineering, piping, purchase and supply of equipment, structure and erection on-site up to and including the commissioning.

The plant will have a production capacity of 270.000 t/a of road making bitumen of grade 40/50. Two tanks of 5,500 m³ capacity are included in the scope of the plant for storing the bitumen. Following the project start in January 2010, the plant will be completed and handed over to SAMIR by summer 2011.

About Pörner Group: Pörner Group is a unique network of mid-size engineering companies in Central Europe situated in Vienna.

Pörner engineers and builds process plants for Refineries, Petrochemical industry, Chemical industry, Power generation and environmental technology, Pharmaceutical industry.
Source: MEsteel.com.

More migrants should become homeowners, Dutch government says

2009-11-17T13:53:00.000+00:00

Amsterdam - Immigrants in the Netherlands should purchase a home there rather than in their native countries, the Dutch government said in a new integration policy mission statement released on Tuesday.

Some 40 per cent of Moroccan and 26 per cent of Turkish immigrants are homeowners, compared with 60 per cent of native Dutch nationals.

Immigrants should make a "conscious choice" to invest in a home and future in the Netherlands, the mission statement said.

Integration Minister Eberhard van der Laan (Labour) acknowledged he cannot "force immigrants to stop saving money for a home in their native countries."

"But it is our explicit wish that people should not focus their lives on their return, but on their future in the Netherlands."

The minister said he also had an "uncomfortable feeling" about the idea immigrants often save money for a home in their native countries while local Dutch authorities and publicly subsidised housing corporations spend millions in renovation and maintenance work in neighborhoods populated by immigrants.(dpa)

From topnews.

BORDEAUX WAIT ON CHAMAKH

2009-11-16T20:06:00.000+00:00

Bordeaux president Jean-Louis Triaud admits he remains in the dark about whether Marouane Chamakh will sign a new contract.

Chamakh's current deal expires at the end of the season and the Morocco international has been offered terms to stay with the French club.

He recently revealed that he would not rush into a decision over his future amid speculation he could move to the Premier League next summer.

Arsenal, Sunderland and West Ham have all shown an interest in the 25-year-old in the past, while Manchester United have recently been linked with a bid.

Triaud confirmed there have been no developments regarding Chamakh's future and acknowledged it is up to the front man whether he stays with the French champions.

"There is nothing new on that case so far," Triaud told Le Quotidien du Foot.

"Am I confident? I must admit I don't know what to say.

"Our improved contract offer is still valid. Now, it depends on him, rather than on me.

"You will have to ask him the question. It is up to him to make the decision."

By Patrick Haond sportinglife.

HM the King inaugurates craft training center

2009-11-15T23:38:00.000+00:00

Fez - King Mohammed VI inaugurated, here Saturday, a craft training center, marking the launch of the 12th national campaign for solidarity that runs from November 15 through November 25.

The 36 million dirham- (4.7 million U.S. dollars) facility aims at providing vocational training for youth to facilitate their socioeconomic integration by providing training sessions for craftsmen in the field of management, marketing, NTIC, quality, hygiene and security.

Built on 5,150 m², the centre will also encourage and support project holders during the process of setting up their businesses and marketing their products.

The 12th national campaign for solidarity confirms the choice to make training a key aspect in the implementation of the projects and programs carried out by the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity.

The campaign helps raising funds from Moroccan citizens and institutions to finance social projects across the north African country that are aimed to fight poverty and exclusion.

On this occasion, the sovereign handed commemorative plaques to princesses Lalla Aicha and Lalla Malika for their precious financial contributions to implement the Foundation’s projects.

The Monarch also decorated several donators that have financially contributed to the implementation of the projects of the Foundation.

As part of the support that the Foundation provides to NGOs, the Sovereign donated 2.5 million dirhams to several NGOs and cooperatives partners of the Foundation and working in the craft industry.

From MAP.

Authenticity and Modernity Party strongly denounces comments of Aminatou Haidar

2009-11-15T23:13:00.000+00:00

Rabat - Secretary General of the Authenticity and Modernity Party Mohamed Cheikh Biadillah strongly denounced, on Sunday, the statements of Aminatou Haidar, describing her "provocative act" as "treason against the Nation."

"Despite the fact that she travels across the world to undermine the territorial integrity of Morocco, and to offend the patriotic sentiments of the Moroccans, Aminatou Haidar was, and is still, a Moroccan citizen," which is a truth she can't deny, Biadillah told MAP.

The political leader noted that everyone knows that the "intelligence of a neighbouring country is behind Aminatou Haidar and her likes," who take advantage of the climate of freedom in the north African kingdom to achieve "personal objectives that have nothing to do with human rights."

Biadillah accused Haidar of taking part in a campaign of false allegations, which is being led by the enemies of Morocco’s territorial integrity and other European parties, who ignore the reality of the region.

The Moroccan political parties representing the government and the opposition have unanimously denounced the comments and behaviour of Aminatou Haidar, accusing her of treason and of being supported by foreign parties.

Haidar, who holds Moroccan ID card and passport, refused, Friday morning upon arrival in the airport of the southern town of Laayoune, to fill in the embarkation form, and denied her Moroccan identity.

She also supported the theses of the Algerian-backed Polisario separatists, who lay claims to Morocco's Southern Provinces, the Sahara, a Moroccan territory that the north African kingdom had retrieved after Spain pulled out in the mid-Seventies.

From MAP.

IMF: Morocco's growth remains solid despite global recession

2009-11-15T23:02:00.000+00:00

Economic growth in the North African state of Morocco remains solid even in the face the global economic downturn, the international Monetary Fund (IMF) has disclosed.

In 2009 Morocco is expected to register an almost equal real GDP growth with what it achieved in the preceding fiscal year.

'Despite the world economic slowdown, Morocco's economic performance has rem ained solid,' said Mark Lewis, leader of an IMF mission that visited Rabat from November 2-13, 2009.

Real GDP growth was 5.6 per cent in 2008, and it is expected to be around 5 per cent in 2009, sustained by strong domestic demand and exceptional agricultural production, according to an IMF press release received by PANA in Addis Ababa on Sunday. 'Consumer price inflation will drop to less than 2 per cent in 2009, reflectin g, among other factors, the decline in world commodity prices,' the press release quoted a statement by the IMF mission to Rabat. 'The current account deficit is expected to improve, assuming that the recent signs of a rebound continue in the last part of the year.'

The IMF mission was in Rabat for more than a week for 'Article IV' consultat ion with Moroccan authorities. Article IV is part of the Articles of Agreement of the IMF adopted in July 1944. It states Obligations Regarding Exchange Arrangements.

Usually Article IV consultations with member countries take place once a year and most of them are published as IMF Article IV Staff Reports.

"In the context of the 2009 Article IV consultation discussions, the mission reviewed recent economic developments and the authorities' strategy for mitigating the impact of the global crisis on Morocco, and discussed policies to boost economic growth, income, and employment,' the mission said in statement it issued at the conclusion of the visit.

The mission met with Moroccan ministers, senior government officials, Governor of the Central Bank, as well as with representatives from the private sector and labour unions.

The mission also stated that the country's fiscal policy will appropriately loosen in 2009 and 2010, reflecting in good part the authorities' counter-cyclica l measures.

'Over the medium term, fiscal policy should aim to gradually bring the budget deficit below 3 per cent of GDP, without jeopardizing the economic rebound,' it said. 'Important reforms in the public finance area are ongoing, including tax reforms, and efforts to gradually replace the current system of subsidies by targeted measures to assist the low-income segments of the population.'

According to the IMF, Morocco's Central Bank has responded appropriately to the evolving economic and financial conditions through its interest rate policy and liquidity management tools.

The mission, therefore, noted that the Bank has the necessary tools, resources, and analytical framework in place should monetary policy evolve to an inflation targeting framework.

'The banking sector remains solid, and has largely been untouched by developments in international financial markets,' according to the mission's statement. 'Given the rapid credit growth in recent years, the Central Bank continues to pay close attention to credit quality.'

Nevertheless, the IMF warns that strong and sustained economic growth in Morocco will depend on reforms aimed at increasing the productivity and competitiveness of the economy and boosting the country's ability to compete on external markets.

The authorities are therefore undertaking a wide range of reforms, including in the sectors of justice, agriculture, energy and education, IMF acknowledged.

'Success in these efforts will raise investment and output and help address key social challenges, including youth unemployment," the statement said.

Addis Ababa - 15/11/2009

Pana afriquejet.

Marrakech Festival a boon for local cinema

2009-11-15T14:08:00.000+00:00

The Marrakech Film Festival, to begin its ninth edition on December 4, has been a boon not just for the fledgling Moroccan/African cinema industry, offering an effective platform for their directors, but also for the city’s tourism. Funded entirely by the country’s ruling monarchy with Prince Moulay Rachid (King’s brother) presiding over the nine-day run (though the management is with a French public relations firm, Le Public Systeme.), the Festival pumps excitement into the city’s innumerable hotels and wayside eateries.

The marketplace, known as Souk, comes alive with the local cuisine spicing up the screen. Hotels go full, and the Souk looks like a mela with the Festival crowds taking a breather between movies tucking in street food or haggling over the prices of curios. For an Indian, the place is a virtual paradise for pirated DVDs of the country’s latest blockbusters that can be had for a song.

These bustling street scenes or the expansive vistas or the awesome palaces, intricately designed and decorated in Islamic style, in Morocco have played a part in cinema. They have provided fabulous locales for both Moroccan and foreign films. Ridley Scott and Oliver Stone among others have used the country to shoot their works. A part of Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Babel is set in Morocco.

The African nation that still has an unmistakable French flavour once transcended cultural barriers, especially in times of geopolitical crisis, through Michael Curtiz’s 1942 classic, Casablanca. That it was never shot in Casablanca is another story, but Morocco has since then extensively used its Moorish art, décor hotels, winter sun and celebrity pull to carve out a niche for itself on the global movie map.

While the Marrakech Festival screens some of the world’s best cinema, it has also been making efforts to help the local cinema industry take the place of the now sinking – but once flourishing - Egyptian show business. As Bruno Barde, Marrakech’s Artistic Director and head of the Le Public Systeme, once told me “the Festival is a great opportunity for Moroccan directors and scriptwriters to learn how to fish”.

The Moroccan monarchy is keen on promoting cinema. The Prince is extremely knowledgeable about this art, I am told, and would like films to showcase the country’s open culture and society. There rigid Islamic laws are not enforced. Women need not cover their heads, and many of them can be seen in daring Western wear.

Though a tiny producer with about 25 movies or so a year, Morocco is undoubtedly far ahead of others in Africa, such as Tunisia or Algeria or Lebanon or even Egypt. The nation’s transparent culture, Barde quips, is not to be found even in Dubai, and its seeds were planted by the King a decade ago when he envisaged the Marrakech Festival. A kingdom that is ruled with the help of a Constitution and bicameral legislature, Morocco seems all set for great cinematic times.

Gautaman Bhaskaran, Hindustan Times.

Six Senses Spa to open at The Baglioni Marrakech, Morocco by 2011

2009-11-15T14:05:00.000+00:00

Morocco’s first Six Senses Spa is scheduled to open by late 2011. The spa having an area of 1,500 sq mt will be a centrepiece of The Baglioni Marrakech — a boutique five-star hotel set within 34-acre parkland resort and residential development.

The Six Senses Spa at The Baglioni Marrakech will have indoor treatment rooms including two couple’s rooms with sunken bath for half day and full day package getaways. The special feature of the spa will be the traditional hammam heat experience, which will offer hammam journeys for individuals, couples and small groups.

The extensive spa facility will comprise eight single treatment rooms set around ponds, an outdoor terrace for group treatments, a 60 sq mt gym, sauna, experience shower and a floatation pool.

The spa will offer a consultation room and a roof-top yoga pavilion ideal for corporate wellness conferences and programmes. The spa will service The Baglioni Marrakech guests, resident owners and private members only.

By HBI Staff.