*’Rabbinate of Morocco was extraordinarily creative dealing with Jewish law and application to modern times.  They had a certain boldness intellectually and a freedom of thought that was remarkable.
And they used it to keep their community together.’*

MAC (Washington, DC, May 15, 2013) — As part of its video series marking Jewish American Heritage Month, Morocco on the Move interviews Rabbi Joshua Maroof of the Washington, DC-area Sephardic synagogue Magen David to learn more about the history of Moroccan Judaism.

“The Rabbinate of Morocco was extraordinarily creative dealing with Jewish law and application to modern times,” said Rabbi Maroof.  “They had a certain boldness intellectually and a freedom of thought that was remarkable.  And they used it to keep their community together.”

Listen to the full interview to learn more.  See above or click here.

Washington-DC area synagogue Magen David Sephardic Congregation

World Economic Forum selects Moroccan-born Soulaymane Kachani, vice dean of Columbia Engineering, as a 2013 Young Global Leader.

Columbia University, Fu Foundation School of Engineering & Applied Science, by Melanie Farmer (New York, NY, May 14, 2013) — The World Economic Forum has inducted Soulaymane Kachani, vice dean of Columbia Engineering and a professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, into its 2013 class of Young Global Leaders. The new class of nearly 200 individuals represents top leaders under the age of 40 who hail from 70 different countries and a wide range of sectors, including business, government, civil society, arts and culture, academia, and media. Kachani, a Morocco-born academic, is one of six academics selected this year.

“I am thrilled to join this distinguished group of individuals,” says Kachani, “and excited to represent Columbia and further promote and raise awareness about important educational issues, particularly global collaborations in higher education and the future of online education.”

The World Economic Forum, an independent international organization, is perhaps most widely known for its Annual Meeting in Davos-Klosters. Through the years, numerous business, government, and civil society leaders have made their way to the Swiss Alpine resort to consider the major global issues of the day and to brainstorm on solutions to address these challenges. Every year, the World Economic Forum reviews thousands of nominations to select the most accomplished and inspiring young leaders to comprise the latest Young Global Leaders community to contribute to this ongoing dialogue. The nomination process is rigorous and ultimately screened by a selection Committee headed by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

As part of this impressive class, Kachani, who will serve a five-year term, is expected to participate in the Annual Meeting in Davos as well as the regional conferences of the World Economic Forum, and research and initiatives, representing the views and interests of young leaders.

At the Engineering School, he has a proven track record of successful leadership. As vice dean of the School, Kachani oversees academic programs including undergraduate, master’s, and PhD programs. He is leading initiatives to build undergraduate study abroad opportunities and dual MS, BS/MS, and executive programs with top universities and governments in Asia, Europe, and South America. He also oversees Columbia Video Network, the online/distance education arm of the Engineering School.

This semester, Kachani spearheaded a University-wide effort to offer three engineering courses as Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) via Coursera.org. The engineering courses offered achieved a combined enrollment of more than 120,000 students. Kachani is actively involved in discussions about the future of online education at Columbia, as well as the opportunities and challenges new technologies and platforms have on higher education and its future.

Kachani joined Columbia in 2003 and served as the director of master’s programs and the director of executive education at the Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research. Prior to that, he worked as a senior consultant at McKinsey & Company. He holds a Diplôme d’Ingénieur in applied mathematics from Ecole Centrale Paris and a Master of Science and a PhD in operations research from MIT.

His additional honors and awards include the Columbia Engineering Alumni Association Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award, the Avanessians Diversity Service Award, the Kim Award for Faculty Involvement, and the Egleston Distinguished Service Award.

Oum – Moroccan singer, writer, composer.

Patriotic Vanguard, Sierra Leone’s News Portal (May 19, 2013) — Oum is the first word of moroccan first name Oum El Ghaït, which means ”Mother of relief “, and that used to be given to baby girls born in the desert in a rainy day or night. Oum wears well her name; her music generously brings in its flow feelings, dreams, and stories inspired by her own vision of the world.

Her singular voice, at the same time soft and powerful succeeds in combining the elements of her original culture, and those of a universal musical heritage whom she investigates.

Oum sings “Soul of Morocco” – Click on photo to play video

Singer, writer and composer, Oum begins by singing an eclectic soul in her first album Lik Oum which mixes pop, hip-hop and rhythm and blues, before moving on three years later, with Sweerty, a thirteen tracks in which she asserts her talent of melody maker inspired of new soul, and jazz, and her ease as bilingual lyric writer because she writes her songs in darija (moroccan dialect) and in English.

Playing with words between poetry and metaphor, she sings about love, hope, freedom, men and women…about life. Humble and humanist, she looks through the writing to bring a message of love.

Having conquered the heart of Moroccans, and seduced by her presence the audience of several stages in Europe and the Arab world, Oum gets ready to enchant the international musical sphere with “Soul of Morocco.”

This project arose from her desire to reveal the wealth and the cultural diversity of Morocco while conjugating it to the rhythms and to the sounds of other musics of the world. A dozen pieces played by a quartet double bass, percussions, guitar and flute / saxophone, with – on some songs – a line of Oud as well as the participation of renowned musicians such as Jean-Luc Oboman Fillon, Alain Debiossat ( Sixun) and Karim Ziad.

Imlil is a small village located in Atlas Mountains of Morocco. It is one of Berber villages along the way, and lays about 1,700 meters above sea level, thus making it the center of mountain tourism.

VENTURES AFRICA (Imlil Valley, Morocco, May 19, 2013) – Imlil is a small village located in the Atlas Mountains in the Kingdom of Morocco. It is one of the Berber villages along the way, and it lays about 1,700 meters above sea level, thus making it the center of the mountain tourism in Morocco. Imlil relies mainly on terraced agriculture and the brownish Berber villages make a harsh and beautiful contrast to the green terraces.

Imlil is located in a valley where flowing icy water comes from the melting of snow during winter, which is then deposited on the tops of the mountains. This water is very well used by locals for agriculture. To this end, the people of this village have developed elaborate irrigation systems to water their fruit trees and fields.

The site offers tourists from all over the world several routes to follow. Imlil is also the starting point for all those who want to climb Mount Jbel Toubkal. Mount Toubkal being the highest mountain of Morocco is ranked in the eight highest peaks in Africa.

The easiest way to drive to Imlil is travelling from Marrakech. From this city, take the road leading to Asni and Tahenaout to get through. Road is fairly good until you reach Tahenaout. Beyond Tahenaout, it is always advised to walk because the road has suffered a lot of damage caused by rain. One needs to be careful and remember, driving and riding are the best means of transport to get to Imlil.

Imlil relies mainly on terraced agriculture and the brownish Berber villages make a harsh and beautiful contrast to the green terraces.

After crossing the gorge of Asni, picturesque village known for its weekly market on Saturdays, the route continues along a green valley where the mountains and impressive natural bastions play with colors.

The people of Imlil are big entertainers who welcome you on their land with a big smile. Tourism in this part of North Africa is largely increasing because people feel safe all the time, get to experience real life lessons from the natives. There are always people willing to help you visit the most interesting sites and the native Moroccan guides make sure you capture and keep only good memories of their culture.

You will find Imlil mountain guides in the area to assist you in the ascent of Toubkal and many other excursions. The guides are not all graduates, but most of them are native to the valley and the mountains. They know all the ins-and-out of the valley and, most importantly, teach you about the climate and the region’s history.

Finally, accommodation in Imlil is not a problem. You will find, in this small village, a variety of inns, guest houses, small hotels, rooms for rent, etc. It is up to you to choose the ideal accommodation package, according to your budget and the luxury you are looking for, to soak up the Moroccan culture and the Imlil’s way.

Kasbah du Toubkal … model for tourism benefiting communities in Morocco’s High Atlas mountains. Photograph: Alan Keohane

Aline Mayard French Editor, Wamda

Wamda, by Aline Mayard (May 20, 2013) — “We’ve never seen competition like this in Morocco.” These are the first words MarocAnnonces founder Tajdine Filali said to start our interview. He goes on to explain that he once counted 250 different classified websites, of all sizes and quality in Morroco. But the main arena features 3 competitors: a Moroccan-born website and two European giants.

The stakes are high in the Moroccan classifieds market. Avito, the market leader in terms of pageviews, claims that their website’s transactions will represent 2% of Morocco’s GDP in 2014! The national market has been building momentum over the past 2 years, and we should expect to see continued growth as the number of Moroccan Internet users climbs over the next few year; 39% of households have internet access today. “Most of the people we meet don’t know what a classified is,” confesses Sammy Ben Abla, Avito’s marketing manager for the MENA region.

So is there a limit to how much these websites can grow?

A booming market

At the time of writing, Avito.ma is leading the market with 3.2M unique visitors per month, a total of 500,000 hours spent on the website and an expected 16B Dh (US $2.11B) worth of transactions in 2014. The website is also the second most visited website in Morocco, just ten months after its launch in July 2012. It comes as no surprise when you look at its roots; the Avito brand was launched in 2007 by two Swedish entrepreneurs and is now the 5^th most visited website in Russia.

Their closest competition is Bikhir, part of the Norwegian Schibsted Group, the classified leader in Europe that owns LeBonCoin.fr in France, Blocket.se in Sweden, subito.it in Italy, segundamano.es in Spain, and several others across Europe. Bikhir was soft launched in June 2011, before officially launching in September 2013 with the opening of a local office. Though the Norwegian Group won’t disclose any figures, general manager Larbi Alaoui Beirhiti says that Bikhir is validating 5,000 new listings per day.

In the face of these two classifieds giants, the more established, and self-funded, classified website Marocannonces.ma, which was launched in 2000, makes for a true David vs 2 Goliaths story. Despite the steep competition, Filali remains optimistic as their number of listings remains unchanged at 3,000 a day.

All 3 websites have at least one thing in common: they’re not afraid of putting in time and money to reach the number one spot. “It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. It’s a long battle,” says Beirhiti.

For Moroccans, by Moroccans?

“We sell anything from camels to cars,” jokes Ben Abla. The three websites offer a similar free service for people to buy or sell anything they own in person (anything legal that is).

They also strive for the same image: being seen as a local brand close to people. This image is easier for MarocAnnonces, which has been present in the market for 13 years and has never received an outside investment from anyone.

Avito and Bikhir’s managers both believe they have already reached that goal thanks to their entirely Moroccan team. Having a local team is a necessity, “You really have to understand the Moroccan user, understand where he’s at in his use of the Internet and support him,” says Beirhiti. The two services are also being discrete on their international origins.

Each platform has it’s own formula for for making sure it’s the best. Avito’s says its team goes through listings 24/7 to and validate the best ones. Beirhiti brags that the 15 people validating listings at Bikhir are really strict to avoid any fraud or illegal sales. “We’d rather refuse listings and have less choice but better quality.” Filali from Maroc Annonces says their 13 years of local experience and his “secret recipe” make the difference.

As people begin to trust these platforms more and more, these three players will need to focus on other ways to differentiate their strategies.

A powerful name vs. intensive marketing

Avito.ma and Bikhir both believe that the only way to keep the market’s momentum is to educate consumers in Morocco through expensive advertising.

Both Avito.ma and Bikhir’s parent companies are ready to invest in their Moroccan branch to help them take the lead. Avito.ma recently launched a TV ad campaign, and has signed a partnership with Haja El Hamdaouia, a popular Moroccan pop singer.

Bikhir likewise is capitalizing on mediums besides internet to promote their brand: “Mass-media campaigns, like TV or radio, could be happening soon” says Beirhiti.

Their large budgets are also being put to good use to differentiate elsewhere. Bikhir has developed a new mobile app, while Avito.ma is investing in partnerships. Thanks to their deal with Voituresmaroc, the #1 car sale classified website in Morocco, Aviot.ma and Voituresmaroc.com’s car classified listings will be posted on both websites.

Maroc Annonces can’t compete with the other guys when it comes to marketing. But Filali says their trusted name and word-of-mouth is enough to get the results they’re looking for. “Today, everybody knows MarocAnnonces, the name speaks for itself,” he says. But MarocAnnonces’ transactions have stayed relatively flat. Filali might pretend that he’s content with that, but it doesn’t seem viable, and definitwely not scalable, in the long term.

What’s next: buyouts and closures?

Avito.ma and Bikhir are in no hurry to break even. “The most important thing to us is to continue investing and making sure the market reaches a mature state. Once we reach that point, we’ll start thinking about breaking even,” says Ben Alba.

But can a smaller and less aggressive company like MarocAnnonces survive Avito and Bihkir’s aggressive user acquisition campaigns?

Last March, a rumor spread that Maroc Annonces was going to be sold to Avito.ma for 15M Dh (almost $1.7M). Avito.ma denied it. “For the moment we’re not interested in acquiring one of our competitors,” clarified Ben Abla, adding that “this deal was never discussed and will not happen for now.” But Filali is definitely keeping his options open for MarocAnonces; he mentioned possible offers to be acquired and that he is looking into fundraising.

Smaller company Souqaffaires.ma may be raising money currently, and regional Dubai-based platform Dubizzle once considered Morocco. Dubizzle tried to enter the market but “had decided not to pursue it – stopping all activities there about a year ago,” as cofounder J.C. Butler explained to me.

Both of these major players admit that their larger goal is reallt to reach Africa. Avito launched in Egypt under the name Bekam in December 2012 where it faces fierce competition from Dubizzle. When asked if Bikhir will launch in other countries, Ben Abla replied with a non-committal “we’ll see”. Their parent company, the Norwegian Schibted Group, has already taken the jump as they launched beta classified sites in Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt and Nigeria.

Aline is French Editor at Wamda. After having worked as the Online Marketing and Community Manager at French startup Buzzcar, she moved to the Middle East. She writes about traveling and culture in the Middle East on her blog yallabye.eu. You can follow her on Twitter  @aline_myd and @yallah_bye, connect with her on LinkedIn, or reach her at aline[at]wamda[dot]com.

From top left: Habiba Msika, Zohra El Fassia, Leila Mourad, Raymonde Abecassis, Line Monty.

*They scorched the stages of Algeria and Tunis, in Casablanca and Baghdad, and also in Berlin and Paris. Upcoming concert is occasion to recall these artists who were honored in Morocco & elsewhere in the Arab world, but in Israel, not so much.*

Haaretz, by Tsafi Saar (May 20, 2013) — They scorched the stages of Algeria and Tunis, in Casablanca and Baghdad, and also in Berlin and Paris. With bobbed hair − a daring style for the time − a thin cigarette in a holder between their fingers, they were among the leaders of the musical and cultural scene in their countries and even became international stars. They are the great Jewish female musicians and singers who were active in North Africa and the Middle East in the mid-20th century: Leila Mourad, Faiza Rushdi, Zohra El Fassia, Habiba Msika, Louisa Tounsia, Reinette L’Oranaise, Line Monty and Raymonde Abecassis. Msika, a Tunisian Jew, was an actress in the Arab world’s most prominent theater. El Fassia, a Moroccan Jew, was the first woman from that milieu to release a record album. Like many others, she too wrote the lyrics and music of the songs she performed.

Abecassis, the last of the giants of that generation, will be appearing Thursday with the Mediterranean Andalusian Orchestra of Ashkelon in a concert titled Ki Kolech Arev ‏(For Your Voice is Beautiful‏), conducted by Tom Cohen. The concert, which will be part of the Heart at the East Festival in Tel Aviv, will be dedicated to the women who were singing stars in Arab and Maghreb countries.

Why were Jewish female singers so prominent among the pioneers of modern Arab music? And how did it come about that in Morocco and other places, they are engraved in the collective memory and remembered with esteem − yet most Israelis never heard of them?

Shira Ohayon. Photo by David Bachar

Shira Ohayon, the education director of the Mediterranean Andalusian Orchestra and a prominent Mizrahi feminist researcher and activist, conceived and produced the concert. She is researching the singers’ histories, has written essays about them on the Cafe Gibraltar website and plans to publish a book containing her findings. She says she started researching their stories when she started wondering why there were no female singers in the Andalusian Orchestra in Israel. Her father, who was born in Morocco, told her about the great singers of the past. The discovery that there were quite a few Jews among them surprised her. “I asked myself, Why Jewish women, specifically? After all, I know the conservative Moroccan Jewish way of life from home,” she says.

It turns out that the picture is a complex one. “Our knowledge here about Jews in Islamic countries is nourished by Zionist stereotypes that spoke about absorption by modernization, and portrayed the Jews who came from those backgrounds as coming from the back of beyond,” says Ohayon. “But of course, they didn’t all come from the same mold. They went through profound processes of secularization starting in the 1920s. Our history doesn’t start at the moment the Zionist movement discovered that it needed ‘natural workers’ and population distribution,” she says.

New ideas

“These processes affected the women a great deal. Women began to study. In 1886 the first Alliance school for girls was established in Tetouan, the city my mother came from. The legal age at which girls could marry was raised. The development of colonialism at the time strengthened the financial position of the Jews, many of whom were merchants and had connections overseas, and increased their openness to new ideas.”

It was in this atmosphere of mixed cultures and languages that the female singers appeared. Their successful appearances in Europe also exposed them to the feminist ideas of the period, says Ohayon.

“Habiba Msika became a legend. She was an admired artist, a hot subject of conversation during the 1920s in the Maghreb, France and the Middle East,” musicologist Mohammed Emskeen writes in an essay published in honor of the Atlantic Andalusian Music Festival held in Essaouira, Morocco last October. The festival was dedicated to the female singers and their contribution to Jewish-Arab music and culture. Msika was the first Arab woman to perform onstage, in 1911. She appeared throughout Europe and the Maghreb, living and loving freely. Coco Chanel described her as having “a fiery temperament under her Eastern graces.” She met a tragic end: In 1930, a jealous lover murdered her by setting her ablaze. Books were written and films made about her life.

Another superstar was Leila Mourad, the daughter of a well-known Jewish family of cantors and liturgical poets. “To the Egyptians, she’s an Egyptian in every way, a cultural icon, alongside other stars of Arab music such as Umm Kulthum and Asmahan,” says Ohayon. The Jewish community distanced itself from Mourad when she converted to Islam to marry the well-known actor Anwar Wagdi. Other Jewish stars in Egyptian film and theater such as Raqia Ibrahim, Camelia ‏(Liliane Levy Cohen‏), Nagma Ibrahim and Nagwa Salem also won recognition from the musical establishment and the audience, even though they remained Jewish and some even expressed solidarity with the State of Israel and the Zionist movement.

Ohayon says that in addition to these stars, “in Iraq there was Salima Pasha, a hugely popular star, who was the wife of Iraq’s greatest singer, Nazem al-Ghazali. There was Maya Casabianca, a native of Morocco, who was the wife of Farid al-Atrash. We can wonder how that could happen. After all, she was a Jewish woman who went with a Muslim man. In those communities, families sat shiva for women who did that, mourning them as if they had died. But these women had a different status. They were already deeply involved in Arab life, and here, too, they crossed boundaries.”

There were also Line Monty, “the Algerian Edith Piaf”; Reinette L’Oranaise, a rabbi’s daughter who became blind and became a virtuoso oud player; Louisa Tounsia and others.

Immigration tragedy

But Zohra El Fassia was fairly well known in Israel, if only because of the poem by Erez Biton lamenting her fate here.

El Fassia, who died in 1994, is a cultural heroine in Morocco.  In the Atlantic Andalusian Music Festival in Essaouira, an evening was held in her honor, says Ohayon. “Among the Muslim leaders of culture in Morocco, she was seen as an integral part of Moroccan culture and collective memory, and her contribution to folk music ‏(the chaabi and malhun styles‏) is held in high esteem there.

[Continue Reading…]

The Heart at the East Festival takes place May 19-24 in Tel Aviv.

The US International Religious Freedom Report identified countries of particular concern in 2012.

Voice of America/VOA News (Washington, DC, May 20, 2013) – “Countries of particular concern” are countries that are considered to commit “particularly severe violations of religious freedom.” The United States said the right to global religious freedom was challenged last year, with governments often creating a “climate of intolerance” leading to hatred and violence.

In an annual report, the State Department said Monday government officials worldwide are often allowed to act with impunity while violating the religious rights of their countrymen. It said there often is uneven enforcement of religious freedom laws and introduction of new restrictions.

Secretary of State John Kerry said religious freedom is “the birthright of every human being,” but is often restricted.

The chief U.S. diplomat said religious freedom throughout the world is a national security concern for the U.S.

“When countries undermine or attack religious freedom, they not only unjustly threaten those who they target, they also threaten their countries’ own stability.

And we see that in so many places,” said Kerry. “Attacks on religious freedom are therefore both a moral and a strategic national security concern for the United States.”

He said the State Department found a “troubling” increase in anti-Semitism and named a new aide to monitor the problem. The report cited abuses in several countries, particularly in Venezuela, Egypt and Iran.

Kerry said there is a growing number of blasphemy and apostasy laws that often violate religious freedoms and are applied in a discriminatory manner. The report singled out Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Iran and Eritrea for its pursuit of cases against individuals accusing them of blasphemy.

The report called Christians “a leading target of societal discrimination and abuse” in some parts of the world. But it also said Muslims, especially minority branches of Islam, also suffered, especially if they were considered by the majority to be “heretical or foreign.”

The U.S. law on religious freedom calls for naming other countries it considers to be committing “particularly severe violations of religious freedom.” Under the law, the State Department two years ago named eight nations as “countries of particular concern” – Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Uzbekistan.

The report said the respect for religious freedom declined in China and Iran in 2012 and stayed the same in the other six countries.

Jean R. AbiNader, Exec. Dir., Moroccan American Trade & Investment Center

MATIC, by Jean R. AbiNader (Washington, DC, May 22, 2013) — This has been a fun week already. At the MATIC office, we just hosted a delegation of four professionals from Morocco via the State Department international visitor leadership program. They represent the Moroccan Agency for Investment Development (AMDI), the Competition Council (similar to the Federal Trade Commission minus subpoena powers), the Moroccan Association for Scientific Innovation and Research (MASCIR), and CDG Capital, one of the premier project development groups in Morocco. All of them spoke English, were well-traveled, quite interested in talking about their work and potential collaboration, and wanted to make sure that Americans understand that Morocco is changing and getting better, and not just for business.

To bring their comments full circle, earlier, I spoke with Mohamed ElHajjam, the driving force behind the Moroccan CEO Summit 2013 to be held in Arlington, VA next week. He talked about the other side of the coin, how Morocco-Americans are becoming more integrated into American society, and are more than able as business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals to offer a great deal to both to the US and to Morocco. “We are not the Moroccans of 20 years ago,” he said, “and Morocco should see us as Americans who care about Morocco and can do a lot to help both countries become better partners.” It was a declaration of independence wrapped in a deep pride in his heritage and his new home.

The goal of the Summit is to bring together Moroccan-American businessmen and women to give them tools to build their companies, specifically by learning how to utilize programs offered by federal and state government agencies. Announced speakers include senior leaders from the Virginia Department of Business Assistance and the Port Authority, the Washington Board of Trade, the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Bank of America, and BMCE Corporate Bank (Morocco).

As Moroccan-American businesses build a stronger common voice in their communities, they will have a greater impact on bilateral trade and investment promotion, as well as contributing to the overall strength of the US-Morocco relationship.

This is where the delegation visiting from Morocco can play an important role in alerting their organizations back home about the importance of staying in contact with Moroccans abroad, not just as emigrants, but as potential sources of expertise and skills to accelerate Morocco’s growth. In fact, this role for diaspora, recognized as a primary driver in the rapid IT growth in India and South Asia, is now being promoted across the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region.

The Aspen Institute recently convened two events focusing on the role of the diaspora in North Africa (April 16, 2013) and globally (May 13, 2013). The purpose of the programs was to discuss concrete steps for fostering an eco-system for promoting diaspora human and capital investment in heritage countries. There is a strong feeling among MENA diaspora that for too long their role has been minimized to sending remittances and building retirement or family homes. The Moroccan-American community wants to play a more useful role, and the organizer of the Summit believes that his community will not wait on the sidelines for an invitation. As its economic clout builds, it can be a sustainable channel for all types of relations between the US and Morocco.

Mr. ElHajjam’s passion was more than matched by his peers from Morocco – who are the up-and-coming generation tasked with broadening and deepening the business culture of the country.

AMDI is the go-to group for economic information on Morocco. Their office in New York works hard to provide useful and up-to-date information on opportunities in the kingdom.

The Competition Council is an initiative of King Mohammed VI to reduce barriers to competition in the economy. He mentioned its importance in his speech launching the 2011 Constitution, and the organic law establishing its investigative powers is wending its way through parliament.

MASCIR is perhaps the most eye-opening group, with an English language website showcasing the work of the more than 140 researchers and technicians in the fields of microelectronics, bio-technology, and nanotechnologies. MASCIR showcases the investments Morocco is making in its future.

CDG is one of the most dynamic project developers in Morocco across an array of sectors from tourism and real estate to manufacturing and high technology industries. It continues to build partnerships with companies and investors from around the world.

All of these young leaders on both sides of the Atlantic are committed to the bilateral relationship and to propelling Morocco into the dynamic hub for regional economic development. Getting to know these young leaders in Morocco and the US, it is clear that the benefits of that trajectory are just beginning.

Jean R. AbiNader is Executive Director of the Moroccan American Trade and Investment Center

Co-published with Fair Observer (www.fairobserver.com)

African Development Bank (AfDB) has its annual meeting in Marrakech, Morocco May 27-31, with a theme Structural Transformation in Africa, against a backdrop of praise for Africa’s ‘economic boom.’

“In a decade of seismic shifts in the global economy, Africa has defied the pessimists and experienced significant growth. That economic growth must now translate into real economic transformation, which will bring jobs and opportunities to its citizens.”

–Donald Kaberuka, President of the African Development Bank

World Policy, by Scott B. MacDonald (May 21, 2013) — At the end of May 2013, the African Development Bank (AfDB) is holding its annual meeting in Marrakech, Morocco.  The central theme of the meeting, the AfDB’s 48th since its founding, is “Structural Transformation in Africa.” This comes against a backdrop of recent media coverage praising Africa’s “economic boom,” much of which strongly suggests a break with its past of misconceived and poorly executed macro-experiments and consequent socio-political upheaval.

Over the last 10 years, Africa has witnessed a curtailment of political violence and wars, economic growth has proliferated throughout the region, and the continent is now more integrated into global trade and investment networks than ever. A number of African countries have also been able to obtain credit ratings and issue bonds in international capital markets, including Ghana, Rwanda, and Senegal. What is significant about the upcoming AfDB meeting is that the region is actually on the right track and there is a broad consensus of what needs to be done to keep it that way.

Africa’s future will be shaped by how the current and next generation of policy makers and their colleagues at the AfDB tackle a number of problems, one of the most challenging being how to deal with massive infrastructure needs. According to the AfDB, those infrastructure needs are around $390 billion in the medium term and trillions in the longer term. As Uganda’s Daily Monitor observed on May 3 of the centrality of infrastructure in the African context: “Transport infrastructure is critical to move inputs to farms and products to market; irrigation is essential for increasing yields and crop quality; energy is a vital input, particularly for value-added food processing; and telecoms are critical for farming, market, and weather information.”

AfDB’s annual meeting in Marrakech will explore new ideas and set out concrete actions to help transform Africa’s economic boom into sustainable and inclusive growth. AfDB

Considering past disasters with excessive foreign lending and the shallow nature of local capital markets, the AfDB is focused on the better use of natural resources and the promotion of agriculture. As to the former, natural resources play an important role in boosting exports and attracting investment to help upgrade infrastructure. This applies to oil and gas, but Africa has a considerable range of other natural resources that it exports, including copper, cobalt and diamonds.

As for agriculture, the AfDB correctly observes that this sector should be promoted as it “employs the vast majority of Africa’s population, and provides direct inputs to the agro-processing value chain, supplies food to urban areas, and is a source of household savings for investment.” This potentially allows Africa, a region with considerable arable land (especially in the sub-Saharan parts) and water resources to play a role in dealing with the looming global food security issue. Indeed, a recent World Bank study observes that Africa has the potential to create a $1 trillion food market by 2030.

Other priorities acknowledged by the AfDB that require attention are the promotion of the private sector, technological innovation, and governance. It is the last-mentioned that probably counts the most in creating a better investment environment. Africa faces many challenges—ethnic/religious cleavages, weak political institutions, official corruption, and accelerating urbanization. Africa’s cities, accounting for 40 percent of the population in 2010, are projected to hold 50 percent of the population in a generation and 65 percent by 2060. While urbanization can be a driver of consumer demand and economic growth, out-of-control urbanization can breed lawlessness, frustration, and poverty.

The idea of a more urban Africa is central to any “new” Africa, encompassing such trends as the continent’s demographic youth bulge (most young people are not going to stay on the farm), the need to have a more productive agricultural sector to feed the urban sector, and the shift away from agriculture as the main economic driver to the development of services and manufacturing. Down the road, urbanization will be increasingly linked to the slowdown in birth rates (already evident in some countries) and the need to create retirement programs.

If governments are corrupt and unable to deliver such social goods as personal safety, education, and sanitation to the public, then the path to an African “economic miracle” is not in the cards. This also applies to better accountability on the part of African governments, especially when it comes to transparency and disclosure in the state’s spending, budgetary process, and statistics.

One other issue that the AfDB must face is that economic progress in Africa is uneven. According to World Bank data and taking only sub-Saharan Africa into account, 21 African countries are considered “middle income” and 10 more are projected to get there by 2025. At the same time, Africa makes up the biggest numbers of low-income economies ($1,025 per year or less), accounting for 27 out of 36 countries designated as such. Most of the AfDB’s North African members are considered middle income. Moreover, World Bank data does not necessarily take into consideration regional socio-economic disparities within countries, something that comes into play in countries such as Mali and Nigeria.

The AfDB has been around for close to five decades.  It has seen Africa’s fortunes rise and fall several times, a fact the multilateral development bank’s leadership is keenly aware of. In the run-up to the annual meeting, Donald Kaberuka, President of the African Development Bank, stated: “In a decade of seismic shifts in the global economy, Africa has defied the pessimists and experienced significant growth. That economic growth must now translate into real economic transformation, which will bring jobs and opportunities to its citizens.” So as the members of the African Development Bank arrive at the end of May in Marrakech to celebrate 48 years of being in business, they have a lot to be proud of with Africa’s development in recent years. In the face of daunting challenges, gradual improvements have been made in health, education and per capita income. Now comes the hard part: locking those gains in place and making new changes that will take the continent to the next level in a broader and more equitable fashion.

Scott B. MacDonald is a Senior Managing Director of MC Asset Management Holdings, LLC and his most recent book is When Small Countries Crash (co-authored with Andrew Novo). 

[Photo courtesy of Shutterstock]

Watchtower of Morocco video by cinematographer Leonardo Dalessandri. Click photo or here to view.

The Huffington Post, by Hunter Stuart (May 23, 2013) — Oscar Wilde once wrote that a cigarette is the perfect kind of pleasure because “it is exquisite, and it leaves one unsatisfied.”

If Wilde were alive today, he may have said the same thing about cinematographer Leonardo Dalessandri‘s short film “Watchtower of Morocco,” which knits together beautiful but brief scenes of daily life in a few of Morocco’s historic cities.

From henna-tattooed women riding buses through the countryside to the fruit sellers, carpet makers and fishermen crowding city markets, this three-minute video paints a vibrant portrait of Morocco.

Yet Dalessandri’s filmmaking style here is a little turbulent: Watching the video, you feel as if you’re being whisked abruptly from scene to scene.

That effect is accomplished by a combination of camerawork and video editing, Vimeo Senior Curator Sam Morrill told The Huffington Post via instant message on Wednesday.

“If you end one shot on a quick tilt or pan, and start the next shot on a similarly quick tilt or pan, you can stitch [the shots] together pretty easily,” Morrill explained.

The music in the video is a part of “Grand Pianosa Music” (1982) by composer John Adams.

Mawazine music festival: World of sounds, both modern and traditional. Middle East Online

*Festival will seek to entertain its large audience with world of sounds, both modern, traditional, to bring a moment of festivity, celebration to all Moroccans.*

Middle East Online (Rabat, Morocco, May 23, 2013) – At the heart of a world in motion, the 12th edition of the Mawazine Festival – Rhythms of the World is going once again to spotlight stars and new international and Moroccan talents. For nine days, from May 24th to June 1st 2013, thanks to an open and diverse program, Mawazine will bring together millions of festival goers around 7 emblematic stages. Each will be dedicated to a particular music style. At this international gathering of music, Rabat is also expected to experience an artistic exuberance with brass bands and troupes which will animate streets from morning to night.

Strong with its unique history, Mawazine builds on the success of previous editions. This year, the Festival will seek to entertain its large audience with a world of sounds, both modern and traditional, to bring a moment of festivity and celebration to all Moroccans.

The 12th edition presents a wide-ranging program and will feature many international celebrities, including pop and R&B icon Rihanna. The main artists performing on OLM Souissi Stage will be the Jackson Five, David Guetta, Deep Purple, Jessie J, Mika, Sexion D’assaut, Loreen, Enrique Iglesias, Ceelo Green and Taio Cruz.

From around the world, many big name stars will perform in Mohamed V National Theater namely, Georges Benson and the Royal Symphonic Orchestra, Sara Tavares, Bond girls, Toto La Momposina, Ana Moura, Sandra Nkake, El Gusto, Lotfi Bouchnak as well as the renowned Moroccan star Abdelouahab Doukkali.

The Renaissance will spotlight great figures of the Moroccan, oriental and Maghrebean music. Morocco will be represented by Abdelwahed Tetwani, Abdesslam Sefiani, Fattah Ngadi, Laila Lamrini, Haj Youness, Amir Ali & Rachid Zerwal. Algeria will be represented by Bariza Staifia, while artist Ziad Gharsa will indulge the audience with a flavor of Tunisian music. From Egypt, Imane Abdelghani will perform alongside the Palestinians Jihad Akl and Alaa Azzam as well as Loubna Salama.

Nahda stage will be dedicated to the Oriental genre. The biggest names on the Arab music scene will be performing on this stage. The opening will be marked by the performance of Walid Toufic as well as the Rai prince Cheb Mami, Sherine Abdel Wahab and Assi El Hellani.

One of biggest names on Arab music scene

Rich with a three-decade artistic career, Egypt’s The King, Mohamed Mounir, will also be present. Other participating artists include Tamer Hosny, the Emirati diva Ahlam, and Najwa Karam. The Moroccan song will be represented by the talented Hoda Saad.

In order to showcase the young Moroccan artists, the novelty of this edition is that each first part of the concerts will be animated by young singers: Mohsine Salahdine, Bouchra Khalid, Rabab, Abed, Zakaria Ghafouli, Chada Hassoun, Hatim Ammor, Leila Al Maghribya and Ahmed Chawki.

The festival goers will also have the opportunity to discover the great voices of the national repertoire on the stage of Sale. In the program: Chaabi, Gnawi ambiances, ghiwani anthems and hip hop with Don Bigg, Chaht Man, M.Boy, H-Kayne, Barry, Casa Crew, Kasri Hamid Said Mouskir, Ghiwan Salwan, Jil Ghiwan Jalal, Siham, Aouatif, Mohamed Anbari, Fatim Zahra Laaroussi, Numedia, Atika Ammar, Mallal, Izenzaren Abdelhadi, Mohammed Iskandar, Rachid Lamrini or Mountassir Orchestra and the legendary Najat Atabou.

On Bouregreg stage, the whole African continent will be celebrated through the performance of the much awaited Drummers of Brazza and Tinariwen, Seun Kuti, Osibisa, Jupiter & Okwes, Amadou & Mariam, Blitz the Ambassador et Gnawa Diffusion, whose first act will be performed by Africa United, winners of Generation Mawazine 2010.

Street shows

Street shows, a real highlight of the Festival, will animate the city of Rabat all along the 12th edition. The streets of the capital will host quirky parades and amazing meetings between the public and groups coming from different countries. The festival goers will also enjoy the performance of the Moroccan breakdance group and Africa champion Halla KingZoo, and a theatre company Nomade which show Cigognes features giant marionettes with Morocco colors. The program also includes: Overboys, Moroccan percussion band and Eclats de lune for evolutive parade “Azalai”.

Coming from Brazil, the music band Dudu Tucci & Brasil Power Drums will offer the festival goers a show inspired directly from the Afro-Brazilian tradition of Bahia. Straight from the Balkans, brass band P4 will perform Tzigane, an electrified music full of creativity, humor and energy. Fanfarai, the brass band that is most atypical to the Maghreb, will blend traditional music of the region by confronting them with Latin and Afro-Cuban influences, while the Tapha N’Diaye Rose will make the audience, from the eldest to the youngest, travel with the sounds of the best rhythms of Senegal.

More cosmopolitan than ever, the 12th edition of Mawazine offers to the stage of Chellah a program dedicated to the unique musical adventure La Route de la Soie “the Silk Road”, the network of trade routes that linked, for centuries, Asia to Europe. Presenting eight teams, this exceptional creation offers a unique scenography within the exceptional environment of the Chellah.

In order to immerse the festival goers in a magical journey through Europe and Asia, the stage will be decorated with an abstract map of countries crossed by the Silk Road, as well as a set of monumental mirrors which will impress the spectators with silk patterns mingled with carpets.

Whether they come from Japan, Uzbekistan, Turkey or Italy, the invited groups are all representing different cultures and regional styles: Patrizia Laquidara (Italy) Aynur (Turkey), the trio Zabit Nabizade (Azerbaijan), Homayoun Shajarian (Iran), Yulduz Turdieva (Uzbekistan), Sharmila Sharma (India) Ensemble Dragon (China) and the duo Shunsuke Kimura & Etsuro Ono (Japan).

On Mohammed V National Theatre stage, the major figure of jazz and soul music, George Benson will perform alongside the Royal Symphony Orchestra Saturday, May 25th, 2013. In addition to his greatest hits, George Benson will pay a special tribute to the legendary crooner Nat King Cole.

Meetings between public and artists

Mawazine Festival strives to reveal and showcase the cultural diversity of Morocco and the rest of the world. The rich program of this 12th edition, within the same spirit, will dedicate the best part to the meetings between the public and the artists through many initiating workshops.

The drummers of Brazza invite the festival goers to discover the music of Congo-Brazzaville. At the rhythms of the Congolese tribes and under the influence of decidedly modern drummers, this incredible group will offer the spectators a music lesson where sounds, dances and colors intertwine giving a universal message of peace, freedom and brotherhood.

Since its inception in 2002, the Mawazine Festival has been constantly promoting cultural diversity through Moroccan and international programming, encouraging creation and sharing through innovative artistic events, and promoting the discovery of new talents. Building on the success of previous editions, the 12th Mawazine Festival asserts its place amongst the most renowned global cultural events.

Today, the Festival is a unique celebration in Africa and the Arab world, an essential showcase of Moroccan music and the demonstration of the country’s know-how in the organization of large-scale public events.

The schedule of the 12th Mawazine Festival – Rhythms of the World, held from May 24th through June 1st 2013, reflects the attractiveness of the event for music stars who have made Rabat an important stop in their worldwide tours.

Rihanna is performing in Morocco tonight! Diamond World Tour comes to Rabat: Rihanna, R&B superstar, 7-time Grammy winner, headlines opening night at this year’s Mawazine festival.

UPDATE — Click here for full Mawazine program

Mawazine Festival (Rabat, Morocco, May 24, 2013) — Music superstar Rihanna is performing tonight to headline opening night at the 12th Edition of the Mawazine Festival, Rhythms of the World, on the stage at the OLM Souissi in Rabat. The R & B and pop icon’s performance before an estimated crowd of more than 70,000, is part of her Diamonds World Tour, which is currently on tour in North America.

Winner of seven Grammy Awards, Rihanna is currently dominating worldwide charts with the new title Diamonds, and the single from her seventh album Unapologetic has helped Rihanna win the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for the 12th time.

She currently holds the record for the best-selling digital artist of all times, and Forbes magazine has named Rihanna #1 worldwide on social networks, with more than 2.9 billion pages viewed on YouTube / Vevo, more than 63 million fans on Facebook, and over 27 million followers on Twitter.

Rihanna performed in Bob Marley tribute at 2013 Grammy Awards on Sunday (Feb. 10) in L.A.

Each spring in May, the Mawazine Festival has rocked Rabat to the sounds of music from the four corners of the Earth, including exceptional artists such as Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Shakira, Mika, Sugababes, Stevie Wonder, Kylie Minogue, LMFAO, Pitbull, and Alicia Keys.

Rihanna won her 7^th Grammy award at the 55th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, for Best Short Form Music Video, with “We Found Love.”

Rihanna in her music video for “Diamonds.”  NY Daily News

Mawazine this year will take place from the May 24th to June 1st.  Below is a list of the performers confirmed for the various Mawazine venues. 

For more details on the program, go to the Mawazine website.

International stars in OLM Souissi stage:

Rihanna will open the festival as a part of her (Diamonds World Tour), then Jessie J (Nice to Meet You Tour), MIKA, Sexion d’Assaut, The Jacksons (Unity Tour), David Guetta, Deep Purple (Now What? World Tour), Enrique Iglesias during his (Enrique Iglesias India Tour) feauturing the Moroccan-Swedish pop star Loreen, the international k-pop icon PSY is the opening act for the last night of the festival and finally rumours for AbdelMounaim Benakki, Taio Cruz the last date is still to announce.

Arab stars in Nahda stage:

Mouhcine Salahdine, Sherine Abdel Wahab, Farid Ghennam, Bouchra Khalid, Mohamed Mounir, Rabab, Cheb Mami, Abed, Najwa Karam, Zakaria Ghafouli, Assi El Hellani, Mourad Bouriki, Shada Hassoun, Ahlam, Hatim Ammor, Hoda Saad, Leila Al Maghribiya , Ahmed Chawki, Tamer Hosni.

Moroccan scene in Salé stage:

Siham, Jil Ghiwan Jalal, Ghiwane Salwan, LooNope, Jbara, Mjid Bekkas, Aouatif, Mohamed Anbari, Fatim Zahra Laaroussi, Atika Ammar, Numedia et Mallal, Izenzaren Abdelhadi, M.boy, Barry, Casa Crew, Hamid Kasri, Chaht Man, H-Kayne, Don Bigg, Ben Moussa, Hajib, Rachid Lamrini, Mohammed Iskandar , Najat Atabou, Tarik Laamirat,Said Mouskir, Hamid Hadri.

Other stars other stages:

Haj Youness, Amir Ali, Leila Lamrini, Tinariwen, African United, Gnawa Diffusion, Amadou & Meriem, Blitz The Ambassador, George Benson, Bond Girls, Sandra Nkaké, Lotfi Bouchnak, Abdelwahab Doukkali, Patrizia Laquidara, Ensemble Dragon.

Singer Rihanna performs during concert at Mawazine Festival in Rabat, Morocco, Friday May 24. She began with Morocco’s biggest music festival to start European leg of her Diamonds World Tour. A.Bounhar/AP

*Her performance at Mawazine Festival — in Morrocan capital of Rabat — marks beginning of international leg of Diamond World tour.*

*Click here for concert reviews by Hollywood Reporter & MTV*

*Video of Rihanna (from audience) singing ‘Stay’ & ‘Diamonds’*

Rihanna arrives in Morocco. Instagram

Before the concert, Rihanna posted an Instagram marking her arrival in the North African nation, with the R&B/pop icon posing against a wall made of carved wood in the purest Moroccan tradition.

As soon as she appeared on stage, she shouted “It’s been 5 years, I missed you Morocco” (since her 2008 concert in Casablanca), and the concert’s hour-late start was half-forgiven. The evening’s performance got back the rest, winning over the crowd with a dazzling array of video screens, fire-pots, lasers, sinuous dancers, strong musicians, and Rihanna herself, decked out in a stunning black and white outfit, with a voice that delivered with silk and style.

Rihanna in concert at Mawazine festival in Rabat, Morocco, May 25, 2013.

She opened with “Mother Mary” from her last album, followed by “Phresh Out of The Runway,” “Birthday Cake,” and a rendition of “Talk That Talk” that got people dancing and moving with the mood.

Her second set was 100% Reggae, exploring the Barbadian singer’s Caribbean roots with “You Da One” and “No love Allowed,” then her hits “Rude Boy” and “Man down.”

The concert kicked into high gear with people swaying and singing to a mix of some of her most popular songs, including “S&M,” “What’s My Name,” “Don’t Stop The Music,” “Where have you been,” and the classic “Umbrella.”

The crowd was on fire and Rihanna’s performances were almost flawless.

She saved her best for last, belting out her two Top 10 Billboard songs, “Stay” and “Diamonds,” which closed the show with an uplifting message and powerful finale.

As she left the stage, the singer said, “Thank you Morocco for making this night so special.”  The feeling was mutual from an appreciative and diverse crowd that ranged from families to groups of teenagers.

Along with her exquisite singing and dancing, Rihanna delivered attitude and stage presence that connected with the audience in Rabat.  Only 25 years old, Rihanna can boast of an enviable career that has seen success after success over seven years.

Last night, she gave Mawazine an outstanding opening concert that sent people home with big smiles on their faces and set the bar high for the rest of the festival’s performers.

“Thank you Morocco for making this night so special.” — Rihanna

Full Set List (from Hollywood Reporter):

Mother Mary Intro
Phresh Out the Runway
Birthday Cake
Talk That Talk
Pour It Up
Cockness
Numb
You Da One
Man Down
No Love Allowed
Rude Boy
What’s My Name?
Jump
Umbrella
All of the Lights
Rockstar 101
What Now
Loveeeeee Song
Love the Way You Lie (Part II)
Take a Bow
Cold Case Love
Hate That I Love You
We Found Love
S&M
Only Girl (in the World)
Please Don’t Stop the Music
Right Now
Where Have You Been
Stay
Diamonds

Wamda, by Aline Mayard (May 27, 2013) — Famous Moroccan city guide Made in Medina has now expanded to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Beirut and now Bruxelles, Belgium. So how did a content company launched in Marrakech manage to build a global brand?

In 2005, Stéphane Gandibleux was a young entrepreneur building his web agency, Maroc Création, in Marrakech when he decided to create a city guide, named Made in Marrakech, as a side-project with some of his colleagues. In 2007, Gandibleux decided to take his website to the next level by having a dedicated full-time team and by selling ad space to local shopkeepers. The company took its time, went step by step, and made a name for itself. Two years later, the website was profitable.

At that time, in 2009, major players began to take notice, and Patrick Chassany, a French entrepreneur and business angel known in North Africa for launching Yala Music, invested in the startup. Thanks to the new cash influx, Gandibleux had enough funds to spin the media business off from his web agency, and launch it as a national portal named Made in Medina.

To start with a bang, the MiM team launched eight websites at once in eight Moroccan cities, hiring a freelancer or an employee in each city to write local reviews, tips and articles, while a head office in Marrakech managed marketing and development.

To gain viewers, they focus on creating quality, SEO-friendly content that could rise to the top of search results, while also building a following on the ground by sponsoring major local events, such as the Marrakech du rire de Debbouze, and the Festival du film d’Essaouria.

Expanding with a franchise model

As the website built steam in Morocco, the team didn’t waste time expanding. In 2011, they launched in Tunisia, and followed with sites in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Beirut in mid-2012. In 2013, they re-designed the website, and expanded into Europe with their launch in Bruxelles; each new venture has been funded with existing revenues.

It’s a big leap for the company, which began in a relatively unsaturated Moroccan market, with only a few competitors, like BestRestaurantsMaroc, or hotels.com and Maroc Origines for trip bookings, to enter crowded markets like Dubai and Beirut. Both cities have go-to city guides like TimeOut for events and Zomato for restaurants.

None of the three newest websites seem to get much traffic, but this may be intentional. Gandibleux’s strategy is to take a year to create good content and build his SEO. Once they get to a comfortable level, the team plans to begin sponsoring events. But will it be enough to accelerate traffic? Perhaps Made in Medina is betting on its sleek, modern interface, and unique information such as B2B and B2C suppliers.

In the future, Made in Medina plans on opening a new city every two to three months, in the Arab world or around the globe, under a franchise model. In fact, the company also plans to convert all of its current cities to franchise ownership. “We’ll only keep our flagship city in Marrakech, and manage marketing, design and technology,” explains Gandibleux.

Testing new revenue streams

To generate revenue, Made in Medina sells banners to local shopkeepers as well as global buyers, while offering premium registration for the local shopkeepers that want to be on top of the list.

The team is now testing out new services, such as a real estate portal in Marrakech and Casablanca that offers listings from real estate agencies, in the context of local restaurants, shopping facilities, and events. To differentiate themselves from the aggressive and successful slew of classified websites in Morocco, they want to offer higher quality listings.

A new event calendar-related service and a mobile app will also boost their avenues for reaching customers; now the company will simply have to ensure that its franchise model can scale successfully and maintain quality across the globe.

Aline is French Editor at Wamda. After having worked as the Online Marketing and Community Manager at French startup Buzzcar, she moved to the Middle East. She writes about traveling and culture in the Middle East on her blogYallabye.eu. You can follow her on Twitter @aline_mydand @yallah_bye, connect with her on LinkedIn, or reach her at aline[at]wamda[dot]com.

Kasbah du Toubkal — High in the Atlas, the Kasbah is reached only by foot or mule.  Forbes

Forbes Magazine, Ann Abel, Contributor (May 28, 2013) — “Dreams are only the plans of the reasonable,” reads the placard by the entrance to Kasbah du Toubkal, a dreamy alpine retreat in the High Atlas Mountains about an hour’s drive from Marrakech.

It’s a slogan that prepares guests for the magical, out-of-time, out-of-place experience that unfolds inside its stone walls and atop its carpet-strewn terraces.

It also explains the thinking that led British brothers Chris and Mike McHugo to buy a ruined Kasbah, the home of a local chief during Morocco’s French occupation, in the early 1990s and turn it into a charming small hotel with a strong sense of place.

Mike first fell in love with Morocco on a 1973 jaunt around the country, and started doing business with his adventure travel company in the Imlil Valley in 1978. He connected then with a young local mountain guide, who would later become a partner in purchasing the Kasbah—a decision the brothers made in 1989, when the government made outside investment in the tourism industry easier and they wanted to save it from being turned into an expensive private home or luxury hotel.

Representative Michael Grimm (R-NY), co-chair of Congressional Morocco Caucus, & Morocco’s Ambassador to the US, Rachad Bouhlal, at House Visitors Center to mark launch of Caucus.

*The Congressional Morocco Caucus is “a bipartisan group of Members committed to deepening the economic and strategic relationship between the United States and Morocco.”*

MACP (Washington, DC, May 28, 2013) — Just two weeks after President Barack Obama personally telephoned Morocco’s HM King Mohammed VI and invited him to visit the United States, members of Congress gathered at the House Visitors Center in Washington on Wednesday, May 22 to celebrate the launch of the Congressional Morocco Caucus for the 113th Congress.

Co-chaired by Representative Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), Representative Michael Grimm (R-NY), Representative Bennie Thompson (D-MS) and Representative Joe Wilson (R-SC), the Caucus “will be a bipartisan group of Members committed to deepening the economic and strategic relationship between the United States and Morocco,” according to a letter sent to Members of Congress.

“I know the tremendous work you are doing in this country and the tremendous work you are doing for the friendship between Morocco and the United States—the longest ally and friend of the United States,” said Morocco’s Ambassador to the United States, Rachad Bouhlal, to an audience of dozens of Members of Congress and Congressional staff.

Representative Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) and Morocco’s Ambassador to the US, Rachad Bouhlal

“You will be proud of what we will be doing for the friendship between the Unites States and Morocco.”

In his opening remarks at the event, Congressman Grimm explained that the relationship between the two countries “sets a marker for the rest of the world to follow.”

Morocco is America’s oldest friend and ally, having been the first nation to recognize the independence of the American colonies in 1777.

The two countries signed the Morocco-US Treaty of Friendship and Peace in 1786, which was ratified by the US Senate in 1787 and remains the longest-standing treaty of its kind in US history.

Morocco is also one of the few non-NATO US allies in the Middle East and North Africa region, and last year, Morocco entered into a formal Strategic Dialogue with the US to address the changes shaping the region.

King Mohammed VI welcomes African Development Bank’s annual meetings in Morocco. “Inclusiveness and sustainability—which have been identified as top priorities by the Bank—are key elements for the achievement of a meaningful structural transformation of African economies.”

“The long-term strategy adopted recently by the African Development Bank answers the imperative need to increase support for African countries. We welcome this strategy and hope it will promote inclusive growth and facilitate a smooth transition to the green economy.”

Maghreb Arab Press, AllAfrica (Marrakech, Morocco, May 30, 2013) — Full text of the message addressed by HM King Mohammed VI to participants in the opening session of the 48th annual assemblies of the African Development Bank held in Marrakesh this May 30-31. The message was read out by Royal advisor Omar Kabbaj.

Full text of Message from HM King Mohammed VI

African Development Bank Annual Meetings in Marrakech

May 30, 2013

“Praise be to God
May peace and blessings be upon the Prophet, His Kith and Kin
Honorable Heads of State,
Distinguished Governors,
Mr. President of the African Development Bank,
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a real pleasure for me to send this message to the distinguished participants in the Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group, and to welcome them to Morocco, the land of gatherings and fruitful interaction.

I am particularly pleased that your Annual Meetings are being held in Marrakech, a city steeped in history and a symbol of openness and African brotherhood.

To reflect my high regard for this pan-African institution, I was delighted to grant my patronage to this year’s Annual Meetings of the AfDB Group and to invite a number of distinguished Heads of State of sister African nations to grace us with their presence at the opening session.

Africa boasts several significant assets in this regard. First, our continent has a large and fast growing pool of young, increasingly skilled human resources.  It also has abundant natural resources – particularly oil and minerals – vast, fertile expanses of land and significant water resources. Finally, the continent’s potential for economic and social development is enormous; indeed major projects relating to infrastructure, industrialization and social development are either under way or being launched.

For all these reasons, there is tremendous, unprecedented interest in Africa which, today, is a truly attractive option when it comes to partnership and economic growth.

Seen from this perspective, the way seems to be paved for Africa to achieve inclusive, sustainable growth, provided the major challenges confronting our continent are addressed in a bold manner.

The Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank therefore provide a suitable platform to exchange views and seek to develop a pan-African vision for sustainable development. In this respect, I applaud the central theme you have chosen for your discussions, namely, “Africa’s structural transformation”.

It is my hope that the recommendations you will come up with will give substance to a specific vision for the achievement of economic and social development – one that will enable African countries to strengthen their position vis-à-vis their partners and boost development for the benefit of their citizens.

To achieve this vision, we must root out the causes of national and regional conflicts so that peace may prevail throughout Africa. Just as important is the need to launch major projects at the level of sub-regional groupings, and to ensure the sustainability and optimal management of our resources, for the mutual benefit of our populations.

To this end, we should develop a targeted industrialization policy based on the human resources and raw materials available in order to increase business and professional expertise across the production and manufacturing value chain, and not be mere suppliers of raw materials. The success of such a policy requires appropriate infrastructure development that effectively puts us on the map of regional and global trade.

Secondly, it is essential to ensure food security for all our African peoples and to reduce our dependence in this domain through the creation of a common African agricultural market.

Finally, we should promote support and assistance programs to reduce social and spatial inequalities and ensure inclusive, shared growth.

Needless to say, such an ambitious project is complex. However, it can be achieved provided there is strong political will, constant mobilization and civic engagement on the part of the various economic, political and social stakeholders.

The long-term strategy adopted recently by the African Development Bank answers the imperative need to increase support for African countries. We welcome this strategy and hope it will promote inclusive growth and facilitate a smooth transition to the green economy. Inclusiveness and sustainability -which have been identified as top priorities by the Bank – are key elements for the achievement of a meaningful structural transformation of African economies.

In this regard, I wish to call upon the Bank to continue providing valuable support for infrastructure development, and to back the structural reforms needed for the modernization and transformation of our economies.

I also wish to call on the Bank to increase support for the private sector to give it the means it needs to play its role as an engine of growth in Africa by, for example, encouraging public-private partnerships.

Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Under my supervision, Morocco has implemented a proactive policy in export-oriented industries. This has made it possible to develop large investment projects together with international partners in promising areas such as the automotive and aeronautic sectors.

Allow me, in this respect, to express my thanks to the African Development Bank for the confidence it has always placed in my country, making Morocco the Bank’s first partner. The AfDB’s involvement in Morocco is fully in line with the priorities we set in my country’s development policy. To me, the remarkable continuity of our cooperation is testimony to the Bank’s unreserved confidence not only in the relevance of the choices we have made, but also in the manner in which we implement our projects and reforms. It also attests to Morocco’s confidence in the Bank as a solid, reliable and strategic ally for the achievement of economic and social development in my country.

The Bank has made significant contributions to our economic infrastructure projects, to the strengthening of our production capacity and to the implementation of basic reforms in the areas of transport, finance and reform of the civil service. The Bank has also supported Morocco in the implementation of major projects relating to social cohesion, the reduction of inequalities, the development of medical coverage programs, improved access to drinking water, sanitation and rural electrification. These projects are in line with the objectives identified under the National Initiative for Human Development, which I launched in 2005 and which has made it possible to ensure the social integration of vulnerable segments of the population.

The Bank also supports Morocco in ground-breaking projects for the promotion of a green economy. It has thus financed investments in wind and solar energy as well as projects under Morocco’s Green Plan, which are aimed at reducing the Kingdom’s energy and food dependency.

The great ambitions I nurture for my people are closely linked to the lofty goals I wish to see achieved across Africa. The visit I paid, last March, to three countries in West and Central Africa reflects the special importance I attach to strengthening cooperation and public-private partnership relations with sister African nations. It also shows how keenly I look forward to the achievement of advanced regional integration, so that we may ensure Africa’s prosperity and increase its influence around the world.

In this regard, the internationalization of the Moroccan banking sector in Africa is a successful example of regional partnership opportunities. This trend is expected to increase thanks to the development of the Casablanca Finance City, which can become a premier finance center, providing a bridge between international funding supply on the one hand, and national and regional demand, on the other. Greater capabilities in the finance sector would be a key asset for the expansion of current cooperation relations between Morocco and sister African nations in various fields, such as telecommunications, infrastructure, housing, mining and training, and also in opening up new sectors for future growth.

Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

The AfDB Group would not have achieved so much had it not been for the full support it enjoys from its shareholders and the donor countries of the African Development Fund. I commend this unfailing support and wish to call on all donor countries to make sure the next replenishment of the African Development Fund is a success. This would give the Bank the means it needs to expand the many activities it has been carrying out so successfully, especially in low-income countries.

I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to the Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group, its President and the entire staff on the encouraging results they have achieved, despite difficult regional and international circumstances. I invite them to carry on down that road because Africa needs, more than ever, a financially strong and credible institution that can not only provide support to recipient countries at any time, but also adapt to changing needs, which vary from one country to another. Seen from this perspective, it is crucial that the Bank pursue and expand the decentralization of its activities to be even more closely in touch with the realities and needs of target populations.

Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Once again, welcome to Morocco. I wish you a very successful meeting and am sure you will make an important contribution to forging a new Africa.”

Deezer launched in the Middle East in January. Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

*Two home-grown services – Lebanon-based Anghami and Morocco-based Yala Music – have achieved more than 1 million downloads each for their music applications since launch.*

Middle East Real Time – WSJ.com’s inside look at the
intersection of business, economics and politics in the Middle East.

The Wall Street Journal, Middle East Real Time, by Rory Jones (May 30, 2013) — It’s not just the United States and Europe where competition for music streaming is hotting up after the introduction this month of Google’s All Access service to take on the likes of Spotify, Deezer and Rhapsody.

More and more music aficionados across the Middle East are also signing up to pay for the catalogues of tunes from France-based Deezer and nascent local companies trying to take on the international players by establishing an early presence in a market dominated by piracy.

Deezer launched in January across the region and plans to sign up more than 1 million music lovers by the end of the year, while two home-grown services – Lebanon-based Anghami and Morocco-based Yala Music – have achieved more than 1 million downloads each for their music applications since launch. Even Nokia is getting in on the act, having launched its Nokia Music platform earlier this year across the Middle East.

“The market is huge, so competition is not an issue,” says Laurent Billion, chief international officer at Deezer. “Right now we have opened the service in most Middle East countries and the plan is to increase the fan base and find local partners, just like we do worldwide.” In a region still wary of online payments, Deezer plans to tie-up with telecoms operators to help market its service and allow cash payments in-store so customers can access its catalogue of more than 25 million tracks.

Anghami has even more ambitious plans this year to sign up customers to its streaming service and is already marketing its mobile-only application through a partnership with broadcaster MBC. More than 1.5 million people have downloaded the Anghami app since the start of the year, and Elie Habib, the company’s founder, hopes to increase that figure to 3 million by December. Currently, about 20% of downloads have come from outside the region, while 40% are from the Persian Gulf and 40% from the Levant, Iraq and North Africa.

As Sweden’s Spotify is yet to enter the Middle East, Deezer’s catalogue of 25 million tracks is the widest on offer, while Yala Music is marketed as a predominantly Arabic artist-focused platform, having signed deals with a number of Arabic music labels including Saudi Arabia’s Rotana.

Anghami has about 3 million tracks, with about 120,000 of those from Arabic artists, and is also looking to sign licence agreements with French, Indian sub-continent and Islamic labels and independent artists to cater for expat populations throughout the region. “Every country has a totally different usage pattern,” says Mr. Habib at Anghami. “Some of them have the same consumption of international and Arabic, some more. We’re aiming to be all access.”

Battling the wind in his World War I biplane, a French pilot landed on a sandy Moroccan airstrip. Nearly 90 years on, a museum honors the two year stay of the late French author Antoine de Saint-Exupery in Tarfaya, Morocco and the world-renowned book it inspired. AFP

Al Arabiya/Agence France Presse (Tarfaya, Morocco, Friday, May 31, 2013) — Battling the wind in his World War I biplane, a French pilot landed on a sandy Moroccan airstrip. Nearly 90 years on, a museum honors his stay and the world-renowned book it inspired.

“Antoine de Saint-Exupery the writer was partly born here, in Tarfaya, where he spent two years as station manager of Aeropostale,” says Sadat Shaibat Mrabihrabou, opening the doors to the small museum in Morocco’s far south, where the sea and the desert meet.

“It’s here that he began writing his books, under the stars,” he says.

“We’re at the birthplace of a writer known worldwide.”

Saint-Exupery is a name inseparable from his book “The Little Prince,” a series of self-illustrated parables in which a boy prince from a tiny asteroid recounts his adventures among the stars to a pilot who has crash landed in the desert.

Francois D’Agay, nephew of late French author Antoine de Saint-Exupery displays a page of the book “The Little Prince Aviator.” (File Photo: AFP)

First published almost exactly 70 years ago in New York, in English and French, it became one of the best-selling books of all time with more than 140 million copies sold, and has been translated into 270 languages and dialects.

Model airplane outside museum dedicated to Aeropostal service and French writer, poet, pioneering aviator-author of the novel “The Little Prince”, Antoine de Saint Exupery, in SW Moroccan city of Tarfaya.

Prior to his stellar literary achievements, Saint-Exupery was a pioneer aviator posted to Tarfaya in 1927, a wind-swept outpost that served as an important refueling station for the Aeropostale aviation company linking France to its colonies in Africa.

Today, even with new building projects rising from the sands, this sleepy port town formerly known as Cape Juby gives the impression that it’s hardly changed.

In front of Tarfaya stands a derelict fortress built by the British in the late 19th century, and the Atlantic Ocean stretching to the horizon. Behind it lies the Sahara desert.

The former airstrip is five kilometers (three miles) out of town.

Between the two world wars, planes would leave from Toulouse in France and deliver their cargoes progressively further south, in hazardous conditions.

But the biplanes they used could only travel up to 700 kilometers, so the airborne mail company decided to establish a new staging post south of Agadir, at Cape Juby, then under Spanish control.

Cut-out of French writer, poet, pioneering aviator-author of “The Little Prince”, Antoine de Saint Exupery, as visitors tour museum dedicated to him and Aeropostal service, in SW Moroccan city of Tarfaya.

Saint-Exupery packed his bags and flew his World War I-era Breguet 14 biplane to the Moroccan coast to take up his new job, whose duties included negotiating for the release of downed pilots captured by hostile local tribes.

During his 18-month posting in the dramatic isolation of Tarfaya, he wrote his first novel “Southern Mail,” “whose title was suggested by another pioneering French airman, Jean Mermoz,” according to the museum’s curator.

There too was suggested the desert landscape that the Little Prince discovers when he falls to Earth, although that book was written more than a decade later.

Nights of seclusion

In 2004, the Tarfaya museum opened, dedicated to preserving this key episode in the life of one of France’s best-loved writers, whose Little Prince also has a museum in Japan.

Visitor in museum dedicated to French writer, poet, pioneering aviator-author of novel “The Little Prince”, Antoine de Saint Exupery, and Aeropostal service, in SW Moroccan city of Tarfaya.

“This patrimony represents an oral culture that risks disappearing with time. Saint-Exupery’s last mechanic-caretaker died two years ago,” says the museum’s Mrabihrabou.

The life of the celebrated aviator-author is told on the walls of the museum, from his birth in Lyon in 1900 to his mysterious death in 1944 during a reconnaissance mission in the Mediterranean, after having survived a Sahara desert crash in 1935.

“It was at this man’s home that I heard for the first time the name of Saint-Exupery, when I was five to six years old,” he adds.

“I really loved the Sahara. I spent nights in total seclusion. I woke up in this yellow expanse blown by gusts of wind as if at sea,” reads one of the panels.

In the corner hangs an original picture of the Little Prince scribbled by its author.

Jean R. AbiNader, Exec. Dir., Moroccan American Trade & Investment Center

MATIC, by Jean R. AbiNader (Washington, DC, May 30, 2013) — In reviewing comprehensive strategies for closing the gap between education and employment—an unresolved agenda of the Arab uprisings—one area where there is no ready agreement is non-monetary compensation.

Everyone acknowledges that money is the chief incentive for attracting employees, but there is a dilemma when taking a longer view of the “employee value chain,” that is, from graduation to employment to career, what matters for recruiting and retaining good workers?

In looking for possible answers, there are clear differences between countries that have plenty of people and plenty of funding, such as Saudi Arabia, and countries that have plenty of people and limited funding, such as Morocco.

In both countries, young people assert that they want to and are ready to work. Yet in both countries there are wide gaps in expectations between those with secondary and university educations, which preclude a “one size fits all” approach.

In Saudi Arabia, where hundreds of thousands of new jobs are needed annually over the next 5-10 years to fill employment needs of locals under 25, the clear preference is for white collar jobs, even though industrial workers are in high demand throughout the country.

While there has been extensive research on the categories of jobs available to Saudis, the most difficult step—motivating young people to fill the potentially available slots, has yet to be taken.

The kingdom has a three-pronged approach: 1) pushing the private sector to hire more Saudis and provide incentives for companies to have in-house training programs; 2) upgrade government coordinated training programs to enable young Saudi men and women to acquire skills linked to the rising demand centers for employment; and 3) educate and motivate Saudis to take seriously employment as a career. The majority of the general population as well as university graduates are female, who, while seeing a gradually growing number of workplace opportunities, are also facing a dwindling pool of eligible husbands. This fact impacts the career aspirations of both men and women and cannot be overlooked as a normative peg is promoting employment.

Morocco has different challenges since its young people are attracted by both blue and white collar jobs but the labor supply exceeds demand, especially if potential employees are reluctant to relocate.

University graduates who prefer government-related jobs are disappointed in that few are being chosen under the accelerated hiring program of the current government. Since it has limited funding, the government is incentivizing the private sector through subsidies and grants to train in specific sectors. This is especially important since government training facilities are limited in number and unable to carry the full burden of training across a range of jobs. While there is an increasing emphasis on entrepreneurship and start-ups, the overall environment for promoting new businesses is still difficult to navigate. There is a large pool of entrants into blue collar work if they can access effective training programs.

Given the challenges in both countries, another motivational tool is identifying non-monetary incentives that could be part of an effective recruit and retain policy. Offering some ideas are two articles.  McKinsey & Company just republished a seminal article on the topic “Motivating people: Getting beyond money.”  And IESE Insight published “Remuneration Tips for a More Motivated Workforce,” which covers a study conducted by this Spanish economic institute. Both are based on surveys done with a variety of companies, ranging from mid-size to large corporations.

The McKinsey article found that:

“…praise from immediate managers, leadership attention…, and a chance to lead projects or task forces—[are] no less or even more effective motivators than the three highest-rated financial incentives: cash bonuses, increased base pay, and stock or stock options.

The survey’s top three nonfinancial motivators play critical roles in making employees feel that their companies value them, take their well-being seriously, and strive to create opportunities for career growth.”

The IESE Insight article found that:

“variable remuneration schemes, although increasingly widespread, do not always achieve their main objective: to motivate people.”

In these schemes linking benefits to company profits (however measured), the author found that the relationship between variable remuneration and motivation is too complex as “numerous factors that cannot always be controlled influence the equation.”

In the MENA countries, using Saudi Arabia and Morocco as examples, both the financial and non-financial motivators cited in the two articles are not common practice. Yet the McKinsey article noted that “…in developing markets…[respondents] cited employee motivation as a key reason for modifying incentives.”

So where to begin? Promoting one’s initial job as an entry into a career will be a major culture change in how Moroccans and Saudis perceive employment. Too often, either the job in industrial settings has defined limitations, or traditional job security has meant that there was little turnover to allow movement upwards for young, talented employees. Senior management must become committed to integrating their traditional role as benefactor/bureaucrat with a balanced style that demonstrates appreciation for talent, initiative, and loyalty.

Both articles warn that nonfinancial compensation schemes must be fair, objective, and realistic to discourage employees from “gaming” the system by working for the reward and not the overall benefit of the company. Discussions about how to motivate through nonmonetary rewards are a very useful device for engaging employees, if the option for these benefits is available. In addition, until middle management and supervisors also adapt their behaviors to support a corporate culture that recognizes and rewards teamwork and respect for diverse skills, talents, and personalities, any incentive-based motivational program will be eroded by a “do as I say, not as I do” credibility gap.

Jean R. AbiNader is Executive Director of the Moroccan American Trade and Investment Center

Co-published with Fair Observer (www.fairobserver.com)