USS Simpson sailors and members of the Moroccan American Volunteer group pose for a picture in front of the Moroccan flag at the Bennani Center for Girls during a recent port visit to Casablanca, Morocco.  Photo: Florida Times Union

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* “I am very pleased Simpson was given another opportunity to visit Casablanca and operate with Royal Moroccan Navy…When we share ideas and learn to operate together, we become twice as strong and capable of delivering a more secure world for our children to enjoy.”

— Chris Follin, commanding officer, USS Simpson *

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Logistics Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Jacob McLeod with his new friend Zineb El (member of Moroccan American Volunteer Group) at Bennani Center for Girls. Florida Times Union

Florida Times Union, by Lt.j.g. Julie Rosa,USS Simpson PAO (Casablanca, Morocco, March 19, 2014) — Guided missile frigate USS Simpson (FFG 56) recently conducted a 4-day port visit to Casablanca, Morocco during its deployment to the 6th Fleet area of operation.  Simpson’s multi-purpose visit to Morocco provided great strides in strengthening the relationship between our two countries, re-enforced our foreign cooperation, and provided a liberty opportunity for the crew which continued to promote trust in America and its citizens. Prior to mooring in Casablanca, USS Simpson and the RMN Hassan II exchanged opportunities to hone their Maritime Interdiction Operation skills in the execution of an underway exercise flawlessly designed and coordinated by the Royal Moroccan Navy.  Both countries’ Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) teams deployed utilizing their own organic assets to practice compliant boardings and conduct personnel and space searches.  “Overall it was an enlightening experience to compare tactics and techniques with a proficient VBSS team from a foreign country.  Both teams gained a fresh look that yielded significant impressions responsible for delivering new ideas and experiences that will improve our manner of approach; and we look forward to working with the Royal Moroccan Navy again” said Ensign Andrew Hahn, Simpson’s Boarding Officer.

Additionally, the Moroccans designed a series of ship maneuvers responsible for close control of all assets and safely transitioning them through a series of synchronous tactical formations.  These events were so well designed with the use of Allied Publications that neither ship required a face-to-face planning conference or brief prior to conducting the events.  The communications, exercise organization documents, and professionalism of Hassan II ensured the exercise was conducted with superb ship handling skill and safety. Upon completion of the at sea exercise, Simpson moored in the busiest commercial port in Morocco and immediately opened the brow to awaiting visitors.  Several crew members participated in interviews and tours with many Moroccan press representatives.  Simpson’s 1st Lieutenant Ensign Arabia Littlejohn fielded questions on the pier while the Combat Systems Officer Lt. John Bear led the group on a tour. After taking on supplies Simpson’s off duty crew members were able to enjoy some liberty.

US Commander Chris Follin talks with Rear Adm. Mnarek Dakhni, Royal Moroccan Navy during Simpson’s reception onboard in Casablanca. Florida Times Union

Sailors practiced their bargaining skills visiting the Old Medina where hundreds of vendors sell their wares.  Many returned from liberty with various Moroccan items such as, hand carved wooden pieces, rugs, and other decorative items.  Other places of interest were the Moroccan Mall and Anfa Point where Sailors were able to do enjoy more shopping, try traditional Moroccan food, and soak up the local culture.  Rick’s Café was also a place that Sailors frequented.  It is the restaurant made famous by the classic American love story Casablanca starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. The highlight of the visit came on day two.  More than 30 Simpson Sailors volunteered to visit the Bennani School for Girls to lend a hand gardening, baking, teaching, and playing several games and sports with the residents.  The Bennani School houses orphaned or disadvantaged girls ranging from age 7 to 18.  The community relations participants volunteered alongside local college students from the Moroccan American Volunteer group who were able to help translate and explain the various projects or games taking place during the day.  “I couldn’t be more proud of this crew’s unselfish dedication to our Navy’s mission as demonstrated by their volunteer work conducted at the Benanni Center Girl’s School,” said  Cmdr. Chris Follin, Simpson’s commanding officer. “This event was a major highlight of their port visit that will never be forgotten by our Sailors or the bright faces of the school children.”

[Continue Reading at the Florida Times Union…]

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Sailors from guided-missile frigate USS Simpson (FFG 55) participate in chant with students at Bennani Center Girls’ School, as part of a scheduled port visit to Casablanca to continue the US 6th Fleet’s efforts to strengthen maritime partnerships and enhance regional stability.  US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Tim D. Godbee

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Moroccan performers on March 21st will compete in the Génération Mawazine semi-finals. Photo: Naoufel Cherkaoui

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Magharebia, by Naoufel Cherkaoui (Rabat, Morocco, March 20, 2014) — Young Moroccan musicians will find out Friday, March 21st if they will stay in the 2014 Génération Mawazine competition. Out of 28 rap, rock, electronic and other music bands that began try-outs in February, ten advanced to tomorrow’s semi-finals in Rabat. The band or singer that wins the final round on March 28th will perform in the annual Mawazine World Rhythms festival, alongside high-calibre stars such as Justin Timberlake, Nancy Ajram, Stromae and Souad Massi.

“What distinguishes this round is the high level of participants in rock music, as compared to rap music participants, unlike previous rounds,” jury chairman Ahmed Aidoune told Magharebia. “We’ve also noticed a new indicator of the openness of serious youths who deal with criticism scientifically and objectively, unlike previous generations of musicians,” he added. “Current musicians also have that sort of self-criticism in case they’re unlucky when they take part in a contest.”

He added, “Moroccan youths are creative whether there are means or not, and this in itself is a source of optimism.” One such group is Rebellion Clinic. The young rockers told Magharebia, “We’ve taken part in the Génération Mawazine contest because we have great confidence in our abilities.”

“To us, this contest is like a bridge to cross to the world of professionalism. For the time being, we’re concentrating on local contests, but we don’t mind taking part in international contests if we have a chance. We hope to set sail from our country,” they said. “Our ambition is to move together as a band towards success and brilliance, that way we’ll have that desired self-realization,” the group added. “We also want to promote rock music in Morocco, where this genre of music has unfortunately not been given the true standing it deserves. We hope to be a part of a process to reinstate that music although we sing in the Moroccan darija.”

In her turn, Zoubida Fennich told Magharebia, “Génération Mawazine is the only hope for me to change my condition and join the world of professionalism. I’ve been practicing music since I was 15 years old. I’m very optimistic, and I aspire to produce songs and go on tours inside and outside Morocco.”

Meanwhile, Experience band, which didn’t reach the semi-finals, told Magharebia, “We founded our band in Khemisset in 2005. We sing Funk Rock music, and our goal behind our musical productions and participation in contests is fun rather than money.” They explained, “We’re university students who love music. We give concerts using on our own means, and the only thing we get so far is the amusement of young people in town.”

“Our goal is to improve our level,” the band told Magharebia. “We also want to show the excellence of Moroccan music across the world. In spite of obstacles facing youths, they have to be optimistic about the future and to work and develop their capabilities so their country can be proud of them. Music can help with that.”

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La Mamounia is truly one of the most exquisite hotels I have ever been to and experienced. With its alluring Hispano-Moresque architecture, the setting is intimate, and yet it’s a very grand hotel. Vanity Fair

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* “Can you say ‘Moroccan heaven?’…This place is so beguiling it may give a whole new meaning to Arabian Nights.” *

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Vanity Fair, by SunHee Grinnell (Marrakech, Morocco, March 21, 2014) — I must admit, La Mamounia is truly one of the most exquisite hotels I have ever been to and experienced. With its alluring Hispano-Moresque architecture, the setting is intimate, and yet it’s a very grand hotel. The environment is regal—every detail, small to large—and the interior design is so tastefully executed that it feels incredibly intoxicating just to be there. This place is so beguiling that it may give a whole new meaning to Arabian Nights

Located near the center of Marrakech, it’s only 10 minutes from the airport by car, and once you are swooped past its grandly lined walls and gate, you may not even miss what awaits you outside the property. Upon arriving, you are greeted with a traditional Moroccan welcome—a cool glass of almond milk and a platter of tender dates, for you to relax with. La Mamounia is beyond five stars—if it could be given a few more stars. Everything is stellar—from the beautiful rooms to breakfast by the pool, to the bar and the restaurants with superb cuisine, to walks on the grounds and through the gardens. They even have a dedicated ice-cream bar along the walkway from the hotel. And then there’s the Spa La Mamounia, and what a sight it is! Encompassing 27,000 square feet of sheer decadence, it is a place of true respite.

Of course they offer an array of services, and I opted for the traditional Moroccan experience: the Hammam treatment. It started with a relaxing moment in the steam room, and then the famous Moroccan black soap was applied all over my body to prepare the skin for a scrub with a special exfoliating glove called a kessa. After showering off, a rhassoul wrap (of mineral clay) was applied all over. The one-hour treatment was then followed by a deeply calming massage with argan oil. Can you say “Moroccan heaven?” To top it off, there’s the Paul-François Matraja salon, for all your hair needs afterward. What more could you ask for?

[Continue Reading at Vanity Fair…]

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While you are in Marrakech: The Maison du Kaftan is a must-visit; be sure to see Majorelle Gardens, a destination revived by Yves Saint Laurent himself; and have dinner before it gets too dark at Sir Richard Branson’s place, Kasbah Tamadot, to take in the Atlas Mountains. Vanity Fair

The post A Must-Stay-and-Experience: La Mamounia Hotel and Spa, Marrakech, Morocco – Vanity Fair appeared first on Morocco On The Move.

Visitors ride out of the desert in the morning after spending a night in Berber tents among the sand dunes in Erg Chebbi, Morocco. Photo: Zeroual Hssain/Kasbah Hotel Tombouctou

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* “We climbed up the dune in the darkness, then sank back into the softness of the sand. Shooting stars arced across glittering black sky. We were both freezing, but we stayed until the sun rose once more to light the dunes, tents, camels, and great, broad valley below.” *

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Todra Gorge Morocco Africa. Photo: Robert Fried/Alamy

THE WASHINGTON POST, by Carol Huang, Travel (March 20, 2014) — An enormous pile of sand was not our intended destination when we flew to Morocco over the winter. Instead, we were supposed to spend a week luxuriating at one of Marrakesh’s top riads, where a friend was to celebrate a 50th birthday.  But as sometimes happens with lavish affairs, things got complicated.  Rather than fuel the drama, we decided, somewhat romantically, to go somewhere to see the sun rise over the desert.  A glance through the guidebooks sold us on Erg Chebbi, an area of 400-foot-high sand dunes on the edge of the Sahara.  The 350-mile journey there would take us through a southern region of the country known as the Valley of 1,000 Casbahs. These earthen castles and fortified villages of mud and clay were built by the sheiks and powerful families who ruled various regions of Morocco through the centuries. Though many casbahs have disintegrated, the remote oasis valleys and undeveloped deserts south of Marrakesh abound with the soaring walls and towers of those that remain.  First, however, we had to cross the snow-covered peaks of the High Atlas mountains.

The riad staff loaded our luggage onto a little donkey named Cous Cous and escorted us out of the medina by foot. At an exterior intersection, my husband haggled with a line of taxis until he settled on a price of around $150. Soon we were driving across a broad, flat plain toward a line of snowy peaks. Thought to have been formed by the same geological shifts that created the Alps and the Pyrenees, the High Atlas include North Africa’s tallest peak, Toubkal; its most dramatic waterfall, Ouzoud Falls; and the Tizi n’Test pass, where the road narrows to a single lane in places as it traverses switchbacks and blind curves nearly 7,000 feet above sea level. In the winter, the Tizi n’Test can be blocked by snow and avalanches. There are rock falls and rains year-round. Because we were going East rather than South, we headed toward the Tizi n’Tichka, a pass described as “marginally safer.” As the road grew steeper, I saw there were no guardrails. The temperature fell at the snow line and continued to drop as we climbed. Our driver, who looked to be in his 40s and was wearing only a light jacket, pulled his collar higher.

Taourirt Kasbah in Ouarzazate, Southern Morocco. Photo: Mark Hannaford /John Warburton-Lee Photography Ltd

“Could you turn up the heat?” my husband asked. The driver fiddled with the knobs and shook his head. We burrowed deeper into our coats. The road twisted and turned. We passed mountain streams that plunged from narrow crevasses and tiny villages tucked in deep ravines. We drove through cloud mists and shadowed passages where the only light was what fell on the white peaks overhead. As the daylight diminished, I saw that the road had no lights. Conversation in the car dwindled in the coming darkness and ceased altogether as we focused on the winding road. Thankfully we began our descent before nightfall, but it was dusk when we passed Ait Benhaddou, Morocco’s most famous and widely photographed casbah. Located on a river in the foothills of the High Atlas, Ait Benhaddou served as a backdrop in “Lawrence of Arabia” and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. We didn’t get a good view in the dark, but it was just the first of many casbahs to come.  Our taxi left us in the first town we reached, Ouarzazate, a former stop for African traders that has become Morocco’s movie capital. Since the making of “Lawrence of Arabia” in 1962, filmmakers from around the world have used Ouarzazate as a base while shooting scenes in the surrounding desert. The region’s list of movie appearances includes “The Last Temptation of Christ,” “The Mummy,” “The Man Who Would Be King,” “Gladiator” and “Babel.” Perched on a high, wind-blown plateau with broad, dusty streets overlooking the desert, Ouarzazate has the vibe of a frontier outpost.

[Continue Reading at The Washington Post…]

Carol Huang is a former Reuters journalist.

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Visitor rests after arriving by camel from village of Merzouga, where most tours originate. Camel ride from Merzouga to dunes takes 90 minutes to two hours. Photo: Carol Huang

The post Heading for Morocco’s Erg Chebbi, through the Valley of 1,000 Casbahs – The Washington Post appeared first on Morocco On The Move.

Chefchaouen, Morocco. Photo: Ambroise Tézenas

* View Slide Show of Medinas in Morocco |10 Photos  *

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The New York Times, Sunday Magazine, Julie Bosman/Ambroise Tézenas photographs (March 23, 2014) — In the early 1930s, when the writer Paul Bowles first visited Tangier, Morocco, where he would end up living for more than a half-century, he described its medina, or old city, as “ancient, its passageways were full of people in bright outlandish costumes, and each street leading to the outskirts was bordered by walls of cane, prickly pear and high-growing geranium.”

Tangier, Morocco. Photo: Ambroise Tézenas

Today Morocco’s medinas are much the same. The photographer Ambroise Tézenas visited medinas in the Moroccan cities of Tangier, Tetouan, and Chefchaouen, which is known for its striking buildings painted bright blue. They “aren’t just tourist playgrounds like you have in downtown Paris,” Tézenas says. “What I was interested in is the fact that it’s not just nice and pretty.  You still have people working in little shops.  It’s like stepping back in time, and nothing has changed.”

Number of Morocco’s nine UNESCO World Heritage sites that are medinas:

Four

When Tetouan was added to the World Heritage sites list:

1997

When Chefchaouen was founded:

15th century

The post Portals to the Past: Medinas in Morocco – The New York Times Magazine appeared first on Morocco On The Move.

Lalla Essaydi’s work, centering around her childhood in Morocco and Saudi Arabia, will be displayed in 17 locations worldwide this year. Courtesy of Lalla Essaydi

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* “I believe that it is very important to display a Muslim artist’s work on this campus for the university to get a broader perspective on Muslims and of course, Muslim women.” *

—Mavra Ahmed, JMU alumna, 2012

The Breeze, by Rachel Kenney (James Madison University, Virginia, March 23, 2014) — Prepare for the East to be brought to West Campus: Lalla Essaydi, the world-renowned Moroccan multimedia artist is coming to Sawhill Gallery today. In the Western world there exists a particular preoccupation with women of the East and the traditions they adhere to, most specifically the adornment of the hijab, or veil. The West often sees this tradition through a singular, narrow lens that depicts this custom as oppressive and damaging to the women who wear them.

However, Essaydi, whose works will be exhibited this year in 17 different locations worldwide, including JMU’s own Sawhill Gallery, uses her paintings and photographs of veiled Arab women to shatter these stereotypes of Muslim women and their traditions. “Images of the harem and Odalisque [Turkish concubine] still penetrate the present, and I use the Arab female body to disrupt that tradition,” Essaydi said in her artist statement, which is titled “Disrupting the Odalisque.”

Essaydi’s work subverts misconceptions of Islamic traditionalism by applying calligraphy and henna to women’s bodies. Calligraphy is a form of art historically reserved for men, while henna is a tradition performed solely by women on women’s bodies. Just as Essaydi gives a voice to Arab women, the exhibition of her work on campus helps shed light on a culture that is oftentimes underrepresented in the JMU community. “As a former student from JMU, I was one of the few Muslim women at the time as a minority on campus,” JMU alumna and former officer of the Muslim Student Association, Mavra Ahmed (’12), said. “I believe that it is very important to display a Muslim artist’s work on this campus for the university to get a broader perspective on Muslims and of course, Muslim women.” The fact that the art to be featured was made by a Muslim woman dispells these stereotypes in more ways than one, through both the art and the artist.

[Continue Reading at the Breeze…]

Contact Rachel Kenney at kenneyra@dukes.jmu.edu.

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With ‘Horses of God,’ Moroccan director Nabil Ayouch presents an accurate, real-life portrayal of how extremists coax lost youth into explosive-laden vests in the name of God. The film showed at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, at the Renaissance Palm Springs Hotel on Jan. 4, 2014. Photo: Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times / January 4, 2014

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* “Militant strands permeate the struggle between moderate and conservative Islamists over how deeply religion will shape public life. In Syria, Egypt and across the hinterlands of Tunisia, extremists remain determined to impose a harsh interpretation of God’s law. They are a fringe but dangerous voice, and the power of Ayouch’s film is that they are not caricatures.” *

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Los Angeles Times, by Jeffrey Fleishman (March 24, 2014) — In a slum where soccer balls skitter and poverty is deep, coaxing voices lead young men and boys to terror. Talk of God turns to incantations on holy war and the youths, who have been promised martyrdom and paradise, slip on backpacks of crude explosives and march toward the glare of the corrupt city. “Horses of God,” a film by Moroccan director Nabil Ayouch, is set amid the welter of metal shops and clattering houses at the edge of Casablanca. It is a parallel world of stinging dust and compressed rage, where boys, whose dreams and dignity vanish before they’re men, turn into malleable recruits for extremists holding the Koran in one hand and fused gunpowder in the other.

The film is an imagining of the disappointments and twisted enticements that in 2003 inspired 12 suicide bombers from the shantytown of Sidi Moumen to attack a tourist hotel, Spanish restaurant, Jewish community center and other targets.  Forty-five people, including the bombers, were killed in the blasts, which came two months after the US invasion of Iraq and emboldened Islamic radicals across North Africa and the Middle East. “How do 10-year-old boys grow into suicide bombers? I wanted to grab the truth from them, to get deeply inside them and away from stereotypes,” said Ayouch, who largely relied on nonprofessional actors. “I don’t buy that poverty makes suicide bombers. Otherwise, there’d be billions of them. These boys and young men feel they’re [shunned by] the world. They are not connected to progress. The slums are open-air prisons. There’s no way out.”

“Horses of God” was Morocco’s foreign language Academy Award entry and was shown at the Palm Springs International Film Festival in January. Its US theatrical release is set for May in New York, where it will be introduced by director Jonathan Demme, who has championed it as “thought-provoking cinema.” The Arabic-language film is expected to be shown across the country. Demme, who won the best director Academy Award for “Silence of the Lambs,” said he saw Ayouch’s film in Marrakech, Morocco, “and it just blew me away. It’s Scorsese quality.” He added that “Horses of God” brings depth and understanding to radicalism much the same way that “City of God” offered a visceral portrait of poverty and crime in the Rio de Janeiro.

[Continue Reading at the LA Times…]

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Rabat played host to a seminar on civic groups March 21st-22nd. Photo: Hassan Benmehdi

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* Goal is to create “a legal arsenal that can guarantee the freedom to create organizations” and ensure the “independence of civil society activity and governance.”

—El Habib Choubani, the Minister for Parliamentary Relations *

Magharebia, by Hassan Benmehdi (Casablanca, Morocco, March 25, 2014) — After a year of brainstorming and discussions, Morocco’s civil society dialogue is ready to translate words into action. An array of Moroccan and international institutional figures attended the latest event, a 2-day forum that wrapped up in Rabat on Saturday, March 22nd.

The kingdom was “heading towards the legislative phase, which will mark the end of this year-long process of consultations with all organizations,” El Habib Choubani, the Minister for Parliamentary Relations said on the sidelines of the meeting. The goal is to create “a legal arsenal that can guarantee the freedom to create organizations” and ensure the “independence of civil society activity and governance,” Choubani told Magharebia.

A new panel to oversee the process will be headed by the Prime Minister. Ismail Alaoui, the chairman of the National Committee for Dialogue on Civil Society, said that the initiative was succeeding. “The main aim of this national dialogue is to come up with a participatory joint vision of the new role to be accorded to civil society, as part of the societal plan mapped out by the new constitution,” Alaoui said.

According to community activist Jamal Moussaoui, “the discussions have made it possible to create new prerogatives that civil society workers, as partners of public policy, must exercise.”

“People’s opinions were very carefully considered during the various regional meetings with NGOs,” committee member Maria Cherkaoui noted.

Rebbal Hamid, a journalist, said that the legislative framework was crucial to transforming Moroccan civil society into a creative driving force capable of supporting major socio-economic and political projects. The representative of the Council of Europe, Anne-Marie Chavanon, highlighted the need to encourage a public exchange founded on trust.

Fabian Seiderer, a World Bank representative in Morocco, said that this experience would help to establish participatory diplomacy. Moroccan citizens agreed that they needed a voice in public policy.  ”This national dialogue on civil society is necessary, to bring order to the associative fabric on one hand, and to give sense to associative action on the other,” Casablanca taxi driver Hicham Sabiri said.

Monia Nazil, a social worker, said she hoped that civil society groups would be treated on an equal footing without discrimination.  ”The national dialogue offers civil society a new face of activism committed to various human and just causes concerning Moroccans,” commented Abdellah Belmoula, a banker.

The recent Rabat conference recommended adopting a “National Charter for Participatory Democracy” to reinforce the cultural values of solidarity, cohesion and social volunteering. According to the national dialogue rapporteur-general, Abdelali Hamieddine, the project offers an historic opportunity to strengthen the partnership between government and civil society.

The committee in the last year held 18 meetings that drew nearly 10,000 people. More than 140 organizations offered their visions for legislation governing the activity of NGOs.

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Morocco’s King Mohammed VI Photo: MAP

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Maghreb Arab Press (Kuwait City, Kuwait, March 25, 2014) — HM King Mohammed VI addressed a speech to the participants in the 25th Arab Summit which is being held in Kuwait on March 25-26.

Here follows the full text of the speech, which was read out by head of government Abdelilah Benkirane.

Full Text of Remarks by King Mohammed VI:

“Praise be to God; May peace and blessings be upon the Prophet, His Kith and Kin

Your Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al -Sabah, Emir of the State of Kuwait, Chairman of the Summit,

Your Majesties,

Your Highnesses,

Your Excellencies,

Mr. Secretary-General,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It gives me great pleasure to extend my sincere thanks to my brother, His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al -Sabah, the Emir of the State of Kuwait and to the Kuwaiti people for hosting this Summit. I would like to congratulate His Highness on the excellent preparation for this important meeting.

I also wish to commend my brother the Emir of the State of Qatar, Chairman of our previous Summit session, for his efforts to promote joint Arab action.

Your Majesties,

Your Highnesses,

Your Excellencies,

Amid the swift regional and international changes affecting the world, there have been important developments with regard to the Palestinian cause, particularly the recognition by the United Nations Organization of the State of Palestine, granting it non-Member Observer State status, as well as Palestine’s admission to UNESCO as a full-fledged member.

Furthermore, thanks to the untiring efforts of the U.S. Administration, the Palestinian and the Israeli sides have returned to the negotiating table with a view to reaching an agreement that covers all final status issues.

In this respect, I should like to emphasize that the Arab Peace Initiative remains a realistic proposal for the achievement of comprehensive peace, which would benefit the region and the world.

Our strong commitment to support the United States’ efforts and ensure the success of the negotiations, together with the keenness of the Arab delegation from the follow-up committee to the Arab Peace Initiative to closely follow the negotiations and support the Palestinian position in these negotiations clearly show how committed we are not only to the option of peace, but also to its process which guarantees the right of the Palestinian people to establish their own independent, viable and geographically contiguous state, with Al-Qods al-Sharif as its capital, living side by side with Israel, in peace and security.

As Chairman of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s Al-Qods al-Sharif Committee, I was keen to convene the twentieth session of the Al-Qods Committee, which was held in Marrakech and which I chaired in person. For the first time ever, the Committee meeting was attended by a fine group of eminent representatives of the UN Secretary-General, the five permanent members of the Security Council, the European Union and the Vatican.

The meeting provided a suitable opportunity to emphasize, once more, that there can be no peace without determining the final status of East Jerusalem—the core issue of the conflict in the region—and that the responsibility for achieving the desired peace lies with the entire international community.

I also underscored the importance of acting on the ground, through the Bayt Mal Al Quds Al Sharif Agency, in order to support the steadfastness of the inhabitants of Al-Qods on their own land, and to oppose the Judaization policy applied by Israel in the holy city.

However, given Israel’s continuing aggressive policies, I call for full and close coordination between the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. This will enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of our initiatives and endeavors, in addition to increasing our ability to muster our energies and resources with a view to upholding this just cause.

Just as I insist on closing Arab and Muslim ranks, I call on our Palestinian brothers to rise above their differences and to achieve genuine national reconciliation that strengthens the Palestinian negotiating hand. I wish to reiterate my continuing support for the efforts exerted in this regard by my brother Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine and President of the Palestinian National Authority.

As we are nearing the agreed end-of-April deadline for reaching a final status agreement, I should like to insist that any extension of the negotiation period should lead to the formulation of a new approach that puts an end to the occupation, results in to the establishment of the independent Palestinian state and comes up with consensus-based solutions to all issues, using a specific timetable.

In this regards, we utterly refuse that Israel should be allowed to use the extension to buy time, change things on the ground or impose a fait accompli.

Your Majesties,

Your Highnesses,

Your Excellencies,

The Arab world has seen far-reaching developments which have led, in some countries, to changes of varying degrees.

In other countries, because the spirit of dialogue and compromise was not embraced, because narrow considerations were permitted to prevail over higher national interests and because sectarianism was allowed to expand and grow, peoples’ hopes and aspirations for freedom, dignity, progress and democracy have, regrettably, been thwarted.

I wish to refer, in particular, to the tragic situation experienced by our brothers in Syria. The humanitarian tragedy gripping them is calling out to our conscience as Arabs and Muslims, and, beyond that, to the conscience of the international community as a whole.

In this regard, the first thing to keep in mind is what the UN Secretary General said when he indicated that what is happening in Syria is the greatest humanitarian crisis facing the world.

It is truly a humanitarian tragedy, a dark, shameful chapter in the history of mankind. It is also a dangerous, unacceptable situation which the international community should address and in which it is called upon to bear its responsibility in full.

In this regard, I wish to stress the need for the Security Council to continue to work effectively for the implementation of the first Geneva Conference declaration, to put an end to the suffering of the valiant Syrian people and to enable them to achieve their legitimate aspirations for unity, democracy, development and dignity.

Your Majesties,

Your Highnesses,

Your Excellencies,

The Arab world is currently going through a sensitive stage, with heightened political tensions, worsening economic and social conditions, growing sectarian strife and a tendency towards extremism and terrorism. All of these are testing our will to promote joint Arab action.

It has become imperative that Arab countries turn our organization into a more effective bloc that is able to keep up with those changes and developments. We therefore need to adopt a new approach in our joint action based on trust, dialogue, good neighborliness, responsibility and a will to put our inter-Arab differences—the real ones as well as the fabricated ones—behind us and look to the future when dealing with Arab issues.

Our best course of action, in this respect, is to make the most of the tremendous potential for unity and complementarity, and to avoid divisions and disagreements.

We also should be more aware of our own resources and boost our self-confidence in order to fulfill the legitimate aspirations of our peoples. This can be achieved provided we believe in the common good and serve Arab citizens, particularly young people, and uphold their right to development, democracy, security, serenity and stability.

Such lofty objectives can only be attained by our Arab countries through the integration of Arab nations into strong regional blocs which command respect for their legitimate interests at the regional and the international levels.

In the Maghreb region, we still have not achieved the integration we yearn for. The regrettable hurdles faced constitute an unjustifiable squandering of development opportunities for the five Maghreb countries. By contrast, I see the Gulf Cooperation Council as an example of successful regional integration. I therefore call for the GCC to be further protected and to enable it to rise to the temporary challenges it may be faced with.

The Kingdom of Morocco, which concluded a multidimensional strategic partnership with this major Arab bloc in 2011, is keen to ensure it remains a model of Arab regional integration, given the achievements made through a commitment to common denominators shared by its Member States, and the respect for its founding principles and values, particularly when it comes to safeguarding the security and unity of its members and combating external interferences that seek to undermine its stability.

Your Majesties,

Your Highnesses,

Your Excellencies,

In previous Arab Summits, we made a number of important decisions aimed at serving Arab citizens. With the profound changes affecting the Arab world, we need to adopt innovative ideas and appropriate mechanisms to meet our peoples’ aspirations for further progress and prosperity.

In this regard, I have always firmly believed that homogenous, integrated regional blocs within the larger Arab family can make the Arab house even stronger and further enhance its solidarity and efficiency.

While Arab endeavors in the past laid special emphasis on strengthening political relations between Arab countries, today we know for sure that cooperation with countries from the South, on the basis of efficiency, productivity and credibility, is one of the best means for achieving economic growth and sustainable human development, both from the human perspective as well as from the economic and investment angle.

In this respect, I call for capitalizing on the human, spiritual and historical bonds between the Arab world and Sub-Saharan African countries, in order to establish economic cooperation relations with African regional groupings. Morocco is keen to build on its experience and special relations with these countries to forge effective solidarity-based partnerships.

Your Majesties,

Your Highnesses,

Your Excellencies,

The Kingdom of Morocco, which believes in all the factors Arab countries have in common, which is convinced that we share a common destiny and which is keen to lay the foundations for effective and innovative Arab cooperation, has spared no effort to serve common Arab interests.

Given the tremendous human and material potential available to Arab countries, I think it is imperative to embark on a sincere collective effort to build a solid, cohesive Arab space, where there is no room for disputes and dissension—an Arab platform for the promotion of trust, solidarity, mutual assistance and shared interests, for the well-being of our peoples.

To conclude, I pray that Almighty God grant us success and guide us for the benefit of our Ummah, its unity and dignity.

“And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude Allah’s favour on you; for you were enemies and He joined your hearts in love.”

True is the Word of God.”

The post Morocco’s King Mohammed VI Addresses Remarks to Arab Summit in Kuwait – MAP appeared first on Morocco On The Move.

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* “Morocco is setting the pace by showing how African countries which are prosperous can be responsive to African countries which are in the process of becoming prosperous.”

—Ambassador Michael Battle, US ambassador to the African Union. *

Joseph K. Grieboski (left), chairman of the Institute on Religion and Public Policy, moderates a Feb. 28 discussion at the National Press Club hosted by Morocco’s ambassador to the United States, Rachad Bouhlal. Photo: Washington Diplomat

The Washington Diplomat, by Misato Nakayama (Washington, DC, March 2014) — As Morocco’s King Mohammed VI drums up support across the continent for greater pan-African cooperation, his emissaries in Washington are promoting the same message here — highlighting the country’s African heritage at every opportunity. The king recently took an 18-day trip through four French-speaking West African nations: Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea and Gabon. That tour was the focus of a Feb. 28 panel discussion at Washington’s National Press Club. “King Mohammed’s four-nation Africa tour delivered on Morocco’s commitment to help build a strong, united and prosperous future for the continent,” said Edward M. Gabriel, a former U.S. ambassador to Morocco. “In deeds as well as words, Morocco and its partners have shown they are serious about ‘Africa working with Africa’ to overcome its challenges and chart a bright new course forward together.”

During the trip, Morocco signed more than 80 bilateral cooperation agreements in agriculture, manufacturing, housing, banking, vocational training and telecommunications. In Guinea alone, the king and President Alpha Condé presided over the signing of 21 such accords, while in Gabon, he and President Ali Bongo Ondimba established a new strategic partnership to boost food security in Africa by producing fertilizer adapted to different regional ecosystems. While in the Guinean capital of Conakry, King Mohammed inspected a military field hospital set up by Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces to provide advanced medical care; he also inaugurated a new €30 million flour mill that will create hundreds of jobs.

Ambassador of Gabon Michael Moussa-Adamo participates in a discussion on Morocco’s effort to improve relations with its African neighbors. Photo: Washington Diplomat

Rachad Bouhlal, Morocco’s ambassador in Washington, said his king is demonstrating leadership in an unstable region. “A pioneer in inter-African cooperation under the personal engagement of King Mohammed VI, Morocco puts its expertise and the trust it enjoys with its partners at the service of stability, security and shared prosperity of the African nations. They have operated political, economical and diplomatic strategies for promoting sustainable development in Africa and have built a global network for fostering investment in the continent over many years.  If anything, “the situation in Africa is now completely different than that in the early 1900s,” said J. Peter Pham, director of the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center. He pointed to the end of various civil wars that have plagued Africa for decades, and to recent advances in technology that have helped farmers boost food production. “Cooperation with the international community can make Africa a solution for the world, not a problem,” he said.

[Continue Reading at The Washington Diplomat…]

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People ride on camels through the Morrocan desert between Er Rachidia and Ouarzazate, southern Morocco, on January 3, 2006. Photo: AFP Photo/Damien Meyer

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Peter O’Toole on February 17, 1981 at Heathrow airport in London. Photo: AFP

Agence France Presse/AFP, by Omar Brouksy (Ouarzazate, Morocco, March 28, 2014) —Ouarzazate in southern Morocco was once dubbed the “Mecca” of the film industry for its studio facilities and the stark beauty of its locations, with many Hollywood blockbusters shot there. “Laurence of Arabia” (1962, Peter O’Toole, Omar Sharif), “The Sheltering Sky” (1990, Debra Winger, John Malkovich), “Kundun” (1997, Martin Scorsese), “Gladiator” (1999, Russell Crowe, Oliver Reed) and “Babel” (2006, Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett) — all of them feature scenes shot at Ouarzazate, which lies at the foot of the scenic High Atlas Mountains. But that was then and this is now. Its film industry is in the doldrums, needing fresh winds to get it moving again. The famous town lost its appeal to international film-makers as economic crisis and the turmoil of the Arab Spring swept across the region.

As the North African winter ends, and some snow still graces the mountain peaks, a small group of people attends a casting call at Studio Atlas, one of the town’s largest.  Ouarzazate’s lengthy affair with showbiz has life in it yet. “I began going to the cinema in 1967,” says Larbi Agrou, who was in “Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra” in 2000. “For the past three or four years there’s no longer been a rush by producers to get their films shot. Most people who work in films here also have other trades to keep them going — farmers, blacksmiths, carpenters. But without tourism and the cinema, Ouarzazate would be dead,” he says.

Ouarzazate was once dubbed the “Mecca” of the film industry for its studio facilities and the stark beauty of its locations, with many Hollywood blockbusters shot there. Photo courtesy: AFP

Agrou says the first encouraging signs of a revival appeared last year, and that 2014 “is starting rather well.”  Ouarzazate is known for attracting big-budget historic epics with large casts, and already Nicole Kidman and Tom Hanks have visited since the beginning of the year.  “Let’s hope it lasts,” says Aziz, another hopeful at the casting call, rubbing his hands. “There are already four films in production here.” And that means work for hundreds of people in Ouarzazate. In 2005 alone, mega-productions such as “Indigenes” (Days of Glory) by Rachid Bouchareb, and Robert Dornhelm’s “The Ten Commandments” were filmed there.

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[Continue Reading at AFP…]

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A view of Tetouan, in northern Morocco. ANSAmed

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* Wide variety of Italian debuts, tribute to Gianni Amelio *

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ANSAmed (Rome, Italy, March 28, 2014) — Medfilm Festival has resumed its ‘journey south’ with the Tetouan Mediterranean Film Festival, which will open on March 29 and run through April 5. Medfilm will be back in Rome from July 4-13 to celebrate its twentieth anniversary, just as the Italian six-month EU presidency begins.

Medfilm, the first festival focusing on dialogue between the northern and southern Mediterranean, is inaugurating its 2014 calendar in Morocco for the sixth consecutive year with a wide selection of Italian films, many of which first or second works shot in 2013. Taking part in the official competition of the Moroccan festival (one of the most important cinematic events in North Africa, and one which focuses exclusively on film in the Med area) will be Valeria Golino’s debut film ‘Honey’ and the Italian-Iraqi co-production ‘It’s About to Rain’, by Haider Rashid (Medfilm Festival 2013). Among the documentaries will be ‘Un Homme Médiocre en Cette Epoque de Prétendus Surhommes by Angelo Caperna, while among the short films in competition will be Antonio De Palo’s ‘Faces’ project, recited by a mixed cast of both disabled and non-disabled actors.

This year’s Tetouan festival will focus on Cinema and Human Rights and will pay homage to Gianni Amelio through a screening of his ‘L’Intrepido’. Jury members include Caterina D’Amico, head of the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, in the Official Competition jury, and filmmaker Mario Brenta on the Documentary Competition jury. ”We are going back to Tetouan convinced of the need to follow through on what we say,” said longstanding Medfilm director Ginella Vocca. ”One of the aims of Italian politics in these days is the development of relations with countries in the southern Mediterranean, and films are a highly effective tool for understanding and contact – indispensable preludes to the development of strong relations, including in the trade sector.” Alongside representatives from over 40 nations, she said, ”we have built a unique space by bringing together and documenting the constant dialogue over the past 20 years between the northern and southern parts of a Mediterranean Sea that, in our view, unites.”

[Continue Reading at ANSAmed…]

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Beneficiary of the Lalla Fatima Zahra Alaazizia Complex that supports women survivors of violence, connects them with hospitals, courts and other services and provides them with vocational training for the workplace. Fez, 2012. Photo: UN Women.

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* “Morocco is one of the leading countries in the field of gender-responsive budgeting,” said the UN Women Regional Director of the Arab States, Sameera al-Tuwaijiri, hailing the country’s efforts to bridge the gender gap. *

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UN Women.org (March 27, 2014) — The needs of women and girls are increasingly being reflected in how governments spend in Morocco and a new finance law passed in December 2013 has cemented gender throughout the budgeting process. “Before I was housewife and was in charge of domestic work. One day I decided to change my life and I joined classes. For two years, I learned to read and to write. I also learned Arabic, calligraphy and plastic arts. Today, I create my own paintings and with the other women in my course, we decided to create a cooperative to better market our products,” says Fadma.

Fadma is a beneficiary of a program being implemented by the Department of Literacy in Morocco—one of five pilot departments that have adopted a results-based approach,  and is integrating gender-responsive planning and budgeting by using performance indicators that take gender and women’s need and concern into account.

Gender responsive budgets ensure that the allocation of public resources benefits women and men equally. Gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) determines how public funds are spent and who benefits from them. It takes into account the different needs and contributions of women and men within existing revenues and allocations and calls for adjusting budget policies in a way that contributes to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment. The Department of Literacy now conducts budget planning of its programs based on its “targets” which are largely women, who now constitute 85 per cent of the beneficiaries of such literacy programs in Morocco.

This approach, which began in 2009, has allowed the Department to better adapt to the needs of its beneficiaries. As a result, several different programs are also being developed according to age (15-24; 25-45 years and 45+), as well as employment status (employee or looking for employment). UN Women’s efforts on GRB focus on highlighting best practices and adopting collective approaches, working closely with finance ministries and civil society. A testimony to Morocco’s commitment to GRB, a gender budget statement or gender report has been drafted annually in the country since 2006 and presented as an annex to the Finance Bill. The report was the result of a partnership between UNIFEM (one of UN Women’s predecessor organizations) and the Government, aimed at incorporating a gender perspective into the national budget reform process. The report reinforces accountability to meet the Government’s commitments on gender equality.

“Morocco is one of the leading countries in the field of gender-responsive budgeting,” said the UN Women Regional Director of the Arab States, Sameera al-Tuwaijiri, hailing the country’s efforts to bridge the gender gap. Ongoing efforts have resulted in GRB being progressively anchored in Morocco’s budget reform process, with five pilot line ministries applying GRB programming and 27 ministries taking part in the preparation of the gender report. Since 2011, the gender report has also included an analysis from multiple sectors which measures progress made by Morocco towards implementing international human rights standards and obligations.

UN Women Executive Director Michelle Bachelet visits high school in Rabat to marks International Women’s Day, March 8, 2012. Photo credit: UN Women/Karim Selmaoui

Other results of advocacy are also evident. Experimentation with results-based and gender-responsive public finance management for more than 10 years in Morocco also resulted in the adoption of a new organic law of finance (akin to a financial Constitution), approved in December 2013, which legally institutionalizes gender equality throughout budget processes.

Taking the GRB processes a step forward, the new legislation explicitly mentions that gender equality must be taken into account in the definition of objectives, results and indicators of performance of the line budgets. The new organic law also institutionalizes the Gender Report as an official document that is part of the annual Finance Bill – an important achievement.

The work on gender-responsive budgeting is firmly anchored in the country’s new Constitution in July 2011, which was a breakthrough, and included provisions on gender equality and access to decision-making bodies. Article 19 explicitly enshrines gender equality in the enjoyment of civil, political, economic, social, cultural and environmental rights. The constitutional changes also expanded the role of Parliament and civil society in public policy processes and enshrined the supremacy of international human rights instruments over national legislation.

Following the adoption of Morocco’s new Constitution, in November 2012 UN Women supported meetings such as the high-level conference in Marrakech, which brought together nearly 250 participants from over 30 countries. At the meeting, the UN Resident Coordinator in Morocco, Bruno Pouezat, highlighted the success of the Moroccan experience in GRB and the greater impetus it has within the new Constitution. He also underlined the UN’s support of countries’ efforts to integrate the gender approach in their budgets, considering this to be an essential mechanism to foster the principles of transparency in public policies.

The post Budgets Respond to the Needs of Women in Morocco – UN Women appeared first on Morocco On The Move.

U. of New England’s main academic building on its Tangier campus. UNE students’ inaugural semester in Tangier balances language and cultural enrichment with laboratory sciences to stay on track in their academic majors. Faculty includes UNE and Moroccan scholars who teach physics and chemistry, as well as basic Arabic and Moroccan history and society. Photo: Courtesy UNE

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* The University of New England welcomed 23 students at its new Tangier, Morocco campus on January 10, 2014.  “UNE couldn’t have chosen a better location to build its first campus overseas,” said UNE Vice President of Global Affairs Anouar Majid.  An inaugural celebration will be held in Tangier on April 22.*

Click here to watch video on UNE’s new Tangier campus

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Portland Press Herald, By Kelley Bouchard, Staff Writer (March 28, 2014) — The University of New England has opened a campus in Tangier, Morocco, and Gov. Paul LePage plans to attend an inaugural celebration there on April 22, in part to explore trade opportunities for the state of Maine. UNE welcomed its first 23 students at its Tangier campus on Jan. 10, less than two years after entering into a formal agreement with the American School of Tangier, making it the only American higher education institution in the North African country, according to a news release.

Students arrive at dormitory on UNE’s Tangier campus. Photo: Courtesy UNE

UNE President Danielle Ripich said the new campus reflects “UNE’s commitment to advance the internationalization of higher education, create truly global citizens, and open new windows of opportunity not only for UNE students, but also the entire state of Maine.” LePage noted that Morocco has aggressively developed its infrastructure to become a gateway to North Africa and the European Union.

“There are excellent opportunities for Maine companies to expand foreign investment in our state,” LePage said. “To keep creating jobs here at home, we are doing everything we can to reach new customers for Maine-made products abroad. I applaud President Ripich and her team for advancing higher education to the new Moroccan campus, which creates an educational partnership that will expand educational opportunities for UNE students and provide a Maine presence in the global trade economy.” The university has invited dignitaries and representatives from Morocco, the city of Tangier, UNE’s global education partners, and the state of Maine. Recently appointed U.S. Ambassador to Morocco Dwight L. Bush Sr. also is expected to attend.

[Continue Reading at the Portland Press Herald…]

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Rooftop view of Tangier, Morocco, situated on the Mediterranean at the Strait of Gibraltar. Tangier is experiencing extraordinary economic growth and cultural development, with its bustling TangerMed deep-water port and new 5-year economic development plan launched by Morocco’s King Mohammed VI to transform the historic city into a dynamic metropolis. Photo: Courtesy UNE

Kelley Bouchard, Portland Press Herald kbouchard@pressherald.com

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Fondation Pierre Bergé–Yves Saint Laurent’s “Berber Women of Morocco,” on view through July 20, 2014, unveils a wealth of North African cultural artifacts. Photo: Luc Castel

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* Yves Saint Laurent worked in Paris for most of his adult life, but he was famously enthralled by Morocco.  A new exhibit, “Berber Women of Morocco,” by the Fondation Pierre Bergé–Yves Saint Laurent features more than 200 items, including gorgeous textiles, jewelry, and ceramics from Berber culture.*

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Architectural Digest, by Chantel Tattoli, photography by Luc Castel (March 27, 2014) —Yves Saint Laurent worked in Paris for most of his adult life, but he was famously enthralled by Morocco. He and his partner, Pierre Bergé, owned a series of homes in Marrakech and began collecting regional art and textiles there in the 1960s. For its new exhibit, “Berber Women of Morocco,” the Fondation Pierre Bergé–Yves Saint Laurent, which occupies Saint Laurent’s former haute couture house in Paris, features more than 200 items, including gorgeous textiles, jewelry, and ceramics, on loan mostly from the permanent collection of the Musée Berbère, a museum of Berber culture Bergé and Saint Laurent founded in Marrakech.

The exhibit features historical photographs and documentary films. Photo: Luc Castel

Berber history spans thousands of years across much of North Africa. This exhibit focuses specifically on Berber women from the Rif Mountains in Morocco’s north to the Sahara in the kingdom’s south and examines how their mastery of traditional arts such as weaving, jewelry, and basketmaking has helped sustain an ancient culture that is uniquely African and Mediterranean.

The exhibit includes kaleidoscopic Beldi carpets, wedding blankets, and haik wraps; silver headdresses and necklaces and cuffs made of amber, coral, glass, and shell; and a series of kohl eyeliner pots and tagines, as well as archival photographs and ethnographic films of traditional Berber women. Items in the main salon are niched in terra-cotta-orange displays. Overhead, a black ceiling inset with small round lights glitters like a starry night high up in the Atlas Mountains.

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[Continue Reading at Architectural Digest…]

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With items ranging from elaborate jewelry to handwoven carpets, the collection demonstrates how traditions were passed down by Berber women over generations. Photo: Luc Castel

The post A New Exhibition Celebrates Berber Jewelry, Textiles, and Art – Architectural Digest appeared first on Morocco On The Move.

Max Boutfathal’s Madonna 207, outside the Badi Palace. BBC News.

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* “History is in the making now, and it looks as if Marrakech is taking up the challenge.” *

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Amine Kabbaj says Marrakech is at a cultural crossroads. BBC News

BBC News, by Sylvia Smith (Marrakech, Morocco, March 30, 2014) — Earlier this month the Marrakech Biennale drew a sizeable crowd to its opening in the magnificent remains of the 16th Century Badi Palace, Morocco’s most popular tourist destination.  With France’s former Culture Minister Jack Lang in attendance, there was a sense the international contemporary art event had reached a significant turning point.

Marrakech Biennale 5 was a moment to take stock, and for executive vice-president Amine Kabbaj the key to its future success lies partly in the city’s location. “We lie on a crossroads between the Western world, the Islamic world and the African world,” he said. “We are a modern society that values its traditional culture, but we are also evolving rapidly.”

Art infrastructure

Art curator Simon Njami says: “History is in the making now, & it looks as if Marrakech is taking up the challenge.” BBC News

During the 10 years of the Marrakech Biennale, this hip and chic North African city has seen the opening of a film school, a large museum of photography and visual arts and numerous galleries. A private museum of contemporary African art is also under construction. Within a matter of years the art infrastructure of this medium-sized city is likely to challenge some of the continent’s largest.  Simon Njami, a leading African contemporary art curator, feels the current Marrakech Biennale should be viewed as the first.  ”The previous editions were mere rehearsals,” he says. “This is a big step forward. The start of something different.”

[Continue Reading at BBC News…]

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StartupYourLife is a community of young Moroccan entrepreneurs created to develop an environment of sharing knowledge and ideas, and to invigorate the Moroccan startup community. Wamda

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* “The networking process is essential in creating any community, especially entrepreneurs community in Morocco. It also helps us mix competencies. In union, there is strength.” *

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Wamda, by Ali Senhaji (Casablanca, Morocco, March 31, 2014) — On the 7th of March, more than 150 entrepreneurs, investors, developers, designers, and members of the Moroccan startup community attended a biannual meeting held by StartupYourLife at the Bikhir.ma offices in Casablanca. StartupYourLife is a community of young Moroccan entrepreneurs created to develop an environment of sharing knowledge and ideas, and to invigorate the Moroccan startup community.

This event has several roles. According to Mohamed Attahri, the meetup helped review “what [has] changed and developed, new startups and ‘dead’ ones.” It also helped de-mystify successful entrepreneurs by demonstrating that everyone starts from somewhere. According to Majzoub Zouhair, who currently works on AmanPay, “the networking process is essential in creating any community, especially the entrepreneurs community in Morocco. It also helps us mix competencies. In union, there is strength.”

Many entrepreneurs, full of energy and having mastered the art of presentation, pitched their startups. Below, a selection:

• The Anou, founded by Dan Driscoll and Tom Counsell, is a project that aims at revolutionizing the e-commerce system by offering an easy-to-use platform for illiterate craftsmen.
• KipinTouch, founded by Saad Jenane, is a platform to exchange virtual business cards.
• MySportner, founded by Kenza Bennani, is an application targeting the U.S. market that helps athletes find the ideal partner to practice sports. During the pitch, Kenza presented her design and the user experience.
• CARE, founded by Omar Madi, is a fashion e-commerce website with a simple concept (similar to that of the super-successful Toms shoes): for each purchase, the same product is offered to a person in need.
• iMote, founded by Ali Lakrakbi, is a universal remote control for iPhone and Android that can be attached on your keychain. Each iMote can be configured from an app to command up to 13 different actions as activating your phone flashlight, remotely playing music, or calling your lost phone.

[Continue Reading at Wamda…]

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Star Wars planet Tatooine. CraveOnline

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* Are we on our way back to Tatooine? *

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CraveOnline, by Jason Kobely (April 2, 2014) — We know Star Wars: Episode VII is set to beginning filming in about a month and we were told that would include interior shooting at London’s legendary Pinewood Studios. But according to a new report, that’s not where filming on the new trilogy will actually start.

As Badass Digest reports — in a dispatch picked up by Crave movie site /Film, Episode VII shooting starts May 14 — in Morocco.  The story also found the Morocco shoot could be followed by a stop in Tunisia, a strong indication we could be preparing for yet another return to Luke and Anakin Skywalker’s home world of Tatooine.

While there’s no official confirmation from Disney or director J.J. Abrams, it’s a reasonable bet that some — if not all — of our production and casting rumors will be addressed on the unofficial Star Wars holiday of May 4th, especially since it’d only be 10 short days ’til production Day 1.

[Continue Reading at CraveOnline…]

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Planet Tatooine, with Star Wars cast members.

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Rapper Draganov, shown at left with his DJ, won the Génération Mawazine competition in Rabat on March 28th, 2014. Photo: Naoufel Cherkaoui

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Magharebia, by Naoufel Cherkaoui (Rabat, Morocco, April 2, 2014) — The wait is over for Moroccan singers who took part in the annual Génération Mawazine talent contest. Of the four contestants who made it to the final last Friday (March 28) in Rabat, rapper Draganov made the biggest impression on the jury.

Draganov (real name Adnan Mahyou) began his career in 2008. Winning the prestigious Moroccan talent search will open new doors for the Oujda native. “This award is the real beginning of my art career,” Mahyou told Magharebia. “I’ll start by recording a professional album and giving concerts, which is the dream of all young talents.”

“I wasn’t sure about winning, but I was confident about the quality of my performance,” he added. “My DJ friend and I put everything we had into it.” Jury chairman Ahmed Aidoune was satisfied with the results of the competition.

“Draganov’s win is a message from us to rap music talents in particular,” Aidoune told Magharebia. “We rewarded the efforts of a rap singer who tried to present several things focused on feelings and imagination,” he said.  “He also made good use of the stage, and chose a good type of accompanying music, given that his DJ works with a soundtrack mentality,” he noted.

As to the perks of the contest, Aidoune said: “The winner receives a 5-year contract with the event organizer, Maroc-Cultures Association (AMC).”  This includes management of the singer’s career and the release of an album. The young rapper will also perform in the annual Mawazine World Rhythms festival, alongside high-caliber stars such as Justin Timberlake, Nancy Ajram, Stromae and Souad Massi.

“This gives him the chance to sing before a very large audience; something that will help him gain experience and self-confidence. This is in addition to participation as a guest in soirées during the next rounds of Generation Mawazine,” Aidoune added. “However, the most important aspect of this contract is bringing the winner together with professionals in music, production and sound engineering,” he noted.

“Zoubida Fennich” from Rabat and Casablanca rock bands “Rock-Bat” and “Twisted” also made it to the finals.  “When we founded the band in 2013, we didn’t have the intention to take part in such contests,” Rock-Bat told Magharebia. “We reached the final, and this in itself is a major achievement for us.”

The band added, “Participation in such contests is a means to gain experience and fame, which will allow us to take part in festivals and thus increase our popularity.” They also hope to use their new fame to send a message. “We’re working hard to write the lyrics of our songs, which carry calls to youths to renounce all negative trends and go on paths leading to progress and development,” they said.

The post Moroccan Rapper Wins Génération Mawazine – Magharebia appeared first on Morocco On The Move.

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI  Photo: MAP

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* “Africa has become a new hub for global growth – possibly one of the world’s main engines of growth.” *

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Maghreb Arab Press (Brussels, Belgium, April 3, 2014) — Below is the full text of the speech addressed by King Mohammed VI on Thursday to participants in the 4th Africa-EU summit, held in Brussels on April 2-3. The speech was read out by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Salaheddine Mezouar.

Full Text of Remarks by King Mohammed VI:

“Praise be to God
May peace and blessings be upon the Prophet, His Kith and Kin

Mr. Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council

Mr José Manuel Durão Barroso, President of the European Commission,

Distinguished Heads of State and Government,

Your Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It gives me great pleasure to address this 4th Africa-EU Summit, which is being held on the initiative of the President of the European Council and of the President of the European Commission. I should like to express my warmest thanks to both of them for convening this important conference that brings together our two continents.

I hope the conclusions of this important meeting will promote the African-European partnership and enhance stability, security and prosperity in both our continents.

Mr. Chairman,

Your Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Our Summit is being held at a time when the world is facing sensitive and singular political circumstances. Such a situation requires us to engage in a deep reflection in order to chart the broad-lines of a better future for our respective populations, meet their legitimate aspirations and fulfill their ambitions.

The Summit also provides a precious opportunity to assess the progress made and to set a new course of action for African-European cooperation, in the light of new regional and global developments.

Such a re-focusing effort should seek, in particular, to achieve better use of our assets and of our forum, and to optimize the Summit’s operational mechanisms so that our peoples may embrace our framework of cooperation more effectively and enjoy its tangible benefits.

In this way, we should be able to lay the foundations of the African-European “Pact for the Future,” which Morocco so fervently advocated during the 3rd Africa-EU Summit, which was held in Tripoli in 2010.

Mr. Chairman,

Your Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Africa is freeing itself from its past once and for all. It is resolutely looking to the future. By doing so, it is gaining in self-confidence without showing any inclination towards reclusiveness.

As I recently pointed out in Abidjan, Africa must become aware of its many assets and of its immense human and material resources.
Since my accession to the throne, I have wanted this to be the defining philosophy of the Kingdom’s Africa strategy.

It is a strategy which capitalizes on the virtues of South-South cooperation and on the need for balanced, sustainable human development.

The result is a comprehensive, integrated approach which significantly expands the scope of cooperation and serves the common interests shared by most African countries. This strategy is characterized by the exchange of experiences and expertise in institutional capacity building, governance and economic empowerment, and also by the consolidation of academic and vocational training programs and capacity building in the banking sector, through equity investment by Moroccan banks.

Finally, this strategy is marked by a significant increase in Moroccan public and private investment in Africa, which enhances the value of local production, revamps the economy and contributes to sustainable job creation.

As a result, more than half of Morocco’s foreign investment flows go to Africa, compared to barely 17% ten years ago.

Beyond the framework of bilateral ties, this proactive strategy seeks to ensure the joint implementation of flagship projects of regional — even continental — significance in such areas as access to electricity and drinking water and the promotion of trade, investment and food security.

Thus, in Libreville, on 7 March 2014, Morocco and Gabon signed a Strategic Agreement to sustainably increase food security – an agreement which is open to African and European partners as well.

The Kingdom of Morocco has been calling for regional integration in Africa, which my country perceives as an effective framework in which to come up with suitable answers to each one of the specific crises plaguing the continent, here and there. Regional integration can also be an appropriate mechanism we may build on to make the most of the complementarities, affinities and specific resources of each sub-region.

In this regard, Morocco has repeatedly called for the emergence of a new Maghreb order that would enable the five countries in the region to achieve their common objective and meet the legitimate aspirations of their peoples for democracy, freedom of movement and shared prosperity – a Maghreb region which can serve as a bridge between Africa and Europe, through increased cultural, human and economic exchange relations.

Moreover, and as a member of the CEN-SAD Community, Morocco has been playing a particularly active part in efforts to revitalize this important organization which is directly involved in the management of Sahel and Saharan issues. My country will have the privilege of hosting the next CEN-SAD Summit.

Concurrently, Morocco continues to strengthen its ties with several African regional organizations, such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC).

Morocco also hosts the headquarters of the Conference of African States Bordering the Atlantic Ocean, a Conference which is full of promise.

The frequent visits I pay to my brothers the African Heads of State target proximity services, mutual aid and the pooling of resources and energies to serve African citizens.

Mr. Chairman,
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

This proactive policy to promote inter-African cooperation as well as African sub-regional integration is not inconsistent — far from it — with the concomitant consolidation of Africa’s mutually beneficial relationship with its numerous partners, especially with the European Union and EU Member States.

In fact, the two processes enrich and harmoniously supplement one another.

Indeed, and given the magnitude of the challenges faced, we cannot but resolutely work together to promote mutually beneficial cooperation and meet the specific needs of each continent.

In this process, security and stability are of paramount importance. In this respect, our partnership is expected, today more than ever, to be actively involved in various sub-regional, regional and international actions and strategies in order to make a distinctive contribution and help pacify our common space, while fully respecting the sovereignty, the national unity and the territorial integrity of our respective countries.

This lofty goal cannot be achieved in full unless we resolutely combat the transnational threats to peace and security, wherever they may be in the continent. Terrorism, acts of maritime piracy, organized crime, networks involved in human trafficking and in drug and arms smuggling call for collaborative, inclusive and concerted responses.

It should be stressed, in particular, that migration-related challenges require collective, balanced and — above all — humane responses. For many African migrants, Morocco has become a destination country in recent years. Guided by a duty of solidarity and in keeping with a longstanding tradition of generous hospitality, Morocco has recently adopted a new migration policy which is unprecedented in the region and which makes it possible for migrants to enjoy their legitimate rights in full.

In the same way, Morocco has called for and has been working towards the establishment of an “African Alliance for Migration and Development” which safeguards humanitarian principles and stresses the duties of origin, transit and host countries.

Since the root causes of threats to security are often found in precariousness and ignorance, human resources must remain at the heart of our concerns and be the central element of our joint action. It is necessary for both our continents to support human development in Africa. Issues relating to education and training, health, access to basic services, women’s rights as well as youth and employment should guide our joint initiatives and provide the backbone of future action plans to be implemented. At the same time, it is essential to promote the ideals of openness and tolerance so as to provide a comprehensive and sustainable response to the threat of insecurity and terrorism hanging over large areas of our continent.

Mr. Chairman,

Your Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Africa has significant natural resources and, given the magnitude of its needs, the potential for sustainable development in the continent is enormous.

Today, African growth is partly driven by domestic consumption and no longer hinges exclusively on the export of natural resources. The business environment has markedly improved and returns on investment in Africa are among the highest in the world. Thus, despite its political difficulties, security issues and environmental challenges, Africa has become a new hub for global growth – possibly one of the world’s main engines of growth.

In this respect, it is gratifying to note that the 5th EU-Africa Business Forum is being held on the sidelines of this Summit, providing stakeholders from all backgrounds who are interested in consolidating and enriching our common space with yet another platform for action. Economic operators should adapt to changes in both continents, make the most of the fresh opportunities available and come up with alternative proposals to assistance-based relationships and simple, basic trade.

These alternative approaches should, instead, focus on the design and implementation of innovative, practical projects in priority areas, from a co-development and shared benefits perspective.

Morocco is aware of the obstacles and their magnitude. However, since action in this respect is bound to be useful and profitable to all, these obstacles can be overcome, provided the political will is there.

Mr. Chairman,

Your Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Throughout its history and thanks to its geographical location, Morocco has always been a bridge between neighboring Europe and Africa. From the very beginning, my country has advocated an innovative, equitable and mutually beneficial partnership between a united Europe and an emerging Africa.

Building as much on its multifaceted, priority actions in Africa as on its Advanced Status with the European Union, Morocco will continue to be constructively involved in advancing the partnership between our two continents. This will be achieved through a comprehensive, integrated and solidarity-based approach rooted in mutual esteem, with a view to promoting peace and security, boosting economic growth and sustainable human development as well as safeguarding the cultural and the spiritual identity of our respective populations.

I do not want to conclude without expressing the hope that our partnership will become more mature and provide a platform for effective transfer of know-how as well as for genuine pooling of expertise and serve as a perfect illustration of successful North-South cooperation. I also hope our partnership will match words with joint actions and give concrete substance to projects and opportunities for development, closer ties and greater exchange relations.

Wassalamu alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh.”

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