Rabat – The former coach of Morocco’s national under-17 football team was born in Casablanca in 1956.

He will be buried in Casablanca today.

Madih also served as a coach for several other Moroccan football teams, including Olympique Khouribga (2006-2007), AS FAR (2007), and Hassania Agadir (2011).

The football icon made several achievements during his football career. He won several titles, including Throne Cup and Moroccan football championships.

Madih also drove his players to the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.

He also served as the coach for Qatari football club Al Wakrah  (2009/2010).

The post Moroccan Renowned Coach Mustapha Madih Dies at 62 appeared first on Morocco World News.

Rabat – ITFC, which is a member of the Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB), signed an agreement with Morocco to develop bilateral and regional cooperation.

ITFC CEO Hani Salem and Morocco’s Secretary of State for the Ministry of Industry Rokia Eddarham signed the agreement during  the first meeting of the Governing Board of ITFC’s Arab Africa Trade Bridges (AATB) program in Rabat on November 1-2.

The agreement aims to support trade infrastructure via a set of programs, including AATB, according to Saudi Gazette.

The convention also seeks to facilitate funding and the development of international trade.

Salem, according to the Saudi news outlet, said that the agreement will foster cooperation between ITFC and Morocco and will include several programs to enhance trade in the member countries.

He also emphasized Morocco’s role in the organization’s commitment to contribute to the development of Africa.

Eddarham said that Morocco has been supporting AATB and “will continue to work together towards strengthening economic partnerships between Arab countries and African countries.”

Eddarham said that the agreement, which supports Morocco’s strategy to increase trade between Morocco and other African countries, will reinforce this partnership.

Launched in 2017 under the patronage of King Mohammed VI, the AATB program is a 3-year regional trade promotion program that was designed with the ultimate objective of leveraging new trade partnerships, strengthening existing ones, and increasing trade flows between the Arab and African regions, according to ITFC.

The program also aims to develop trade and investment across the two regions.

The post Morocco, ITFC Sign MoU to Enhance Trade, Investment Cooperation appeared first on Morocco World News.

Rabat – The first phase of the campaign, according to a statement from the foundation, was launched on November 3 in the Midelt region in central Morocco.

The initiative aims to provide humanitarian assistance to regions affected by the cold weather. The Foundation carried out a medical campaign in the town of Boumia, which is located in the Midelt Province in the Drâa-Tafilalet region.

The  campaign will offer medical services, including general medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, maternal health, dentistry, ophthalmology, biology, radiology, and screening for physical disability in order to manufacture the appropriate equipment, according to the statement.

The operation will also raise awareness and warn citizens in the region about cold weather-related diseases, including chronic illnesses, respiratory diseases, and rheumatism.

In its medical caravan, the foundation is carrying seven fully-equipped medical units and pharmaceutical supplies in order to provide the necessary care and meet the demands of the populations under the best conditions.

The statement added that social workers, volunteer doctors from the approved associations, as well as the staff of the regional health delegation are participating in this solidarity operation.

The operation was also organized with the support of local associations in Boumia, the Royal Gendarmerie, the Auxiliary Forces, local authorities, and the Ministry of Health.

The medical campaigns program was launched in 2003 to promote equal opportunities in access to basic health care for disadvantaged populations who do not have access to health facilities due to geographical remoteness and/or lack of social coverage. They also aim to provide care to as many people as possible.

Since its launch in  2003, a total of 894 campaigns have been conducted, benefiting 1,066,608 people, added the statement.

The cold weather caused the foundation to provide necessary aid to mountainous regions under royal instructions annually.  The foundation distributes aid, including blankets and foodstuffs, in mountainous areas where isolation and cold temperatures can pose problems.

The post Cold Wave: King Mohammed VI Orders Preventive Medical Campaign in Central Morocco appeared first on Morocco World News.

Rabat – On Saturday, Wydad Fes, commonly known as Wydad Athletic Club de Fès (WAF), surprised the football community by eliminating the reigning champions, Raja Club Athletic (RCA).

After a few failed attempts to score the opening goal, Raja Casablanca striked first by its veteran left winger, Abdelilah Hafidi in the 19th minute of the game.

Wydad Fes leveled the score following a counterattack by the substitute Azeddine Baala in the 75th minute.

The match regulation time ended in a tie, as did the extra time, taking both teams to a penalty shootout.

Raja’s striker Mouhcine Iajour was the first to miss, but then Raja’s goalkeeper gave them hope by blocking WAF’s next penalty.

But Raja’s Omar Boutayeb’s penalty shot went wild, allowing WAF to reach its very first Throne Cup final where they will face Nahdat Berkane (RSB).

RSB reached the final by defeating the reigning CAF Champions League winner Wydad de Casablanca (WAC).

WAF is currently playing in Morocco’s second division, ranking 14th out of 16 teams. The club was founded in 1948 in Fes.

The post RCA’s Surprise Defeat Leads WAF to its First Throne Cup Final appeared first on Morocco World News.

By Ryan Kirk

Rabat – I had the chance to interview Naelle on a train between Casablanca & Mohammedia and hear about her experiences growing up in Morocco, her decision to start a YouTube channel, being bullied in high school while dealing with racist comments, and whether she could see herself living in Morocco again full-time.

Born in South Korea, Naelle describes herself as a “mix of everything”.  She has lived in the U.S., Canada, Morocco, Kenya, and is now back in South Korea.  Her diverse upbringing is reflected in her YouTube channel’s name: “Moonwha Jjambbong,”which is a Korean phrase that means “Culture Mumbo-Jumbo” or “Melange of Culture”.  (Jjambbong is a noodle dish in Korea that is a mix of many things).

She started her channel in February 2018 at the urging of friends.  “Lots of people were saying, ‘Why don’t you do YouTube?’, so it was the nudge of other people that got me started,” she said.

Within a couple of months, she was known across Morocco, especially among young people who listen to K-pop and love Korean culture.  Fans spread her channel through Facebook groups and some of her videos were viewed as many as 140,000 times.

“I did not expect this many followers…I thought maybe 2,000 at the most.  I don’t know where all you guys came from!  It was mind-blowing.  I think I got lucky.  Thankfully, I hit a spot where Moroccans were really wanting to hear a Korean person talk about Morocco.”

When asked why she thinks Korean culture has become so popular in Morocco, she points to the entertainment industry:  “People start off with Korean music or Korean dramas, whatever entertainment content Korea has produced, and you just get hooked.  It’s very predictable, but very addicting.  So if you’re hooked on one area of a culture, then you just get interested in their languages and customs, so I think that’s what happened in Morocco.”

Naelle’s most popular videos focus on her interest in Moroccan food, culture, and language.  “From my observation, people are more interested in me speaking about Moroccan culture rather than me introducing Korean culture to them.  They already know all the words in Darija and the cultural ideas, but they’re really entertained that’s it me saying it.”

Despite all the popularity, not all of Naelle’s experiences in Morocco have been positive.  “Growing up in Morocco, to be completely honest, wasn’t very nice.  Back then Koreans were far more rare, and kids were very intrigued by my face and my cultural background.  Junior high kids are not always the nicest when it comes to expressing their interest, so they would say a lot of ‘interesting comments’ that would be considered racist today.”    

In many ways, Naelle’s channel has brought a lot of redemption to her relationship with Morocco.  “I’m really thankful that people have gotten more interested in Korean culture – I’m thrilled that people are interested in my culture.  I’m really grateful.”  She now has fans across the country and is planning an event to meet them all in December in Casablanca or Rabat.  The event will include storytelling, photo-taking, and even some musical performances. 

So how has her life changed since starting her channel? “Honestly it hasn’t.  I just go to the grocery store and get my milk and do my editing… nobody really recognizes me at all in Korea. I’m a very, very ordinary person.”

When asked if she could foresee herself spending more time in Morocco in the future, she commended that “it would be very difficult for me to move here, all the way, but if this goes on and it gets bigger, I definitely see myself coming here a lot more often.” 

Tens of thousands of young Moroccans are really hoping that’s the case!

The post Korean Youtuber Becomes Moroccan Sensation appeared first on Morocco World News.

Rabat –  A week after his disappearance, a group of inhabitants in the region of Taza found the body of Hamid Baali buried in the snow.

A video has gone viral on social media that shows the shepherd dead, frozen, and covered in snow.

The shepherd had gone to the mountain to save his flock from the snowstorm. Citizens who noticed Baali’s absence called the authorities to search for the shepherd.

Social media users strongly condemned the death of the shepherd and lack of a quick response to save his life.

Internet users widely shared the shepherd picture, mourning his death and criticizing the lack of snow removal equipment to search for the missing shepherd.

One of the Facebook users expressed surprise and anger, saying that it was shocking to see civil protection members “borrowing crutches from local citizens to look for the shepherd. When they lost hope, they stepped back, while citizens continued to search for him until they found him dead, frozen in the snow.”

Some Moroccan Facebook users claimed that Royal Gendarmerie members and authorities had not started searching for the shepherd until the sixth day after his disappearance.

Morocco’s mountainous regions have been experiencing low temperatures and large snowfalls since October.

Snowfalls reaching 1700m were reported on the reliefs of the High and Middle Atlas and peaks of the Rif Mountains in the end of October.

Every year, freezing weather causes discomfort and mass suffering in mountainous regions across Morocco.

Every year, King Mohammed VI instructs the government and the Mohammed V Foundation to mobilize its teams and offer humanitarian assistance to the inhabitants of the region affected by low temperatures.

Yesterday the foundation released a statement to announce the launch of a preventive medical campaign to face temperature drops in Morocco.

The first phase of the initiative was launched on November 3 in the Midelt region in central Morocco.

The post Moroccans Mourn Death of Shepherd Found Stuck in Snow appeared first on Morocco World News.

New York – The conference, held at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York, brought together noted theologians, representatives of the U.S. State Department, analysts, and others for two days of open discussions on a variety of subjects central to Muslims, Christians, and Jews.

Morocco figured prominently in the discussion, and Dr. Abdelhak Azzouzi, professor of international relations and political science, spoke on the panel about the polemic of cultural hegemony between moderation and extremism. Morocco, which is at the helm of fighting ideological extremism in Africa, has much contribute to the discussion of how a culture of integration, tolerance, and respect can guard against infiltration by extremists—violent jihadists and Muslim Brotherhood ideologues—who seek to hijack the discussion on intercultural differences. It can do so through preventative outreach, guarding the mosques against jihadist influence, and offering opportunities to vulnerable populations targeted by radical groups like ISIS.

Diverse Muslim Communities in the United States Suffer Due to Lack of Platforms for their Voices

Today’s political climate does a tremendous disservice to peaceful, law-abiding Muslims in the United States, as well as Muslims residing in other countries. Unfortunately, the Islamists who work to sow divisions between Muslim communities and non-Muslims in the West, contribute to the emergence of extreme ideas and ideological threats. For that reason, the conference was a good way to bring all players together to better understand the bigger picture: there is a vibrant discussion within Muslim religious communities about various issues, as well as the direction and the future of these communities, similar to other religious communities.

Furthermore, while the Muslim world is diverse, much of that does not come through in the type of sensationalist information that reaches the average American, who is ignorant about these communities beyond what these massive organizations and their spokespeople have to say. The way to combat these misunderstandings is to assist individual communities with forming their own representative organizations that will reflect their values. At the same time, working with diverse communities to create a centralized system, carefully monitored and free from politicized influences will ensure transparency, bring more and different types of people to the table, and perhaps work to discourage bad-faith actors from hijacking the discussion.

Muslim Brotherhood Fronts Have Coopted Representation of Islam in the United States

In the past, the American government supported Muslim Brotherhood front organizations, such as the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), Islamic Society of North America (ISNA,) Islamic Relief, and others, which have monopolized the discussion on Islam and issues affecting Muslims to the detriment of all other voices. These organizations have used their platforms to shut down all other voices within the diverse Muslim communities in the United States, presenting American Muslims as monolithic supporters of political Islam.

Rather than addressing issues central to the interests of individual communities—education, access to services, understanding US history and government, and outreach to other organizations and communities—these self-appointed spokespeople have focused the discussion on creating a grievance culture and centering foreign agendas at the forefront of the discussion.

CAIR and  ISNA are unindicted co-conspirators in the Holy Land trial, which brought down a network of charities laundering money for terrorist organizations. Islamic Relief is under investigation for its alleged links to the Muslim Brotherhood, which funds a number of terrorist organizations in the Middle East.  These organizations have become dominant voices in the media, discrediting all other groups as “fringe” and presenting themselves as the only legitimate and mainstream representatives of Islam in the United States.

As a result of these efforts, many American Muslims have become disenfranchised from both political process and community organization. When wealthy lobby groups, such as those affiliated with these Muslim Brotherhood fronts, hijack discussions with members of Congress and administration thanks to high level networking, generous campaign donations (often from suspect foreign sources), and flashy PR, what hope is there for independent community organizations which do not rely on Muslim Brotherhood donations for support?  

Giving media platforms only to one type of practicing Muslim ignores the diversity of voices from across the religious spectrum, which engage in internal theological discussions and debates throughout the many communities in the United States. By presenting a monolithic view of Islam to the American public, Islamist organizations have ensured that a certain stereotype of Muslims as dishonest in their political intentions will be perpetuated among those who get the bulk of their news about Islam from news stories about terrorism.

The US Should Work Closely with Allies in the Muslim World—Inside and Outside the Country—to Address Common Interests

To that end, the United States should also be working with other countries, its Muslim allies, who are likewise dedicated to eradicating extremist ideologues, and supporting peaceful, constructive, and forward-looking conversations within their local and global communities. Conferences, such as this one, are a good start, but there is also room for smaller working groups, practical skill building workshops with different communities, with the US embassies, and immigration staffers, and joint activities which facilitate humanization, and understanding of everyone involved.  

During the course of the conference, individuals like Evangelical pastor Bob Roberts from Texas spoke about working to create welcoming, apolitical environments for Christian pastors and imams to interact and share the message of inclusion with their congregations.

Moroccan Americans in New York (MANY), led by Simo Elaissaoui, is a local community organization inclusive to Moroccans of all faiths, which has been hosting joint dinners with members of the American Jewish community in relaxed, social settings devoid of political agendas and oversight. The Muslim Americans Leadership Alliance (MALA), headed by Zainab Khan, and represented by Chief of Staff Jean Schindler at the conference, engages young Muslim Americans of assorted background in cultural activities, and engages and humanizes its audiences through representation of individual Muslim American experiences and stories.

These organizations have worked in tandem with other organizations, such as the American Sephardi Federation, headed by Jason Guberman Pfeffer, who spoke about the Sephardic experience in building bridges between the East and the West, for joint cultural programming and understanding of each other’s histories, interests, and ways to work together to promote good relations.

How Morocco Can Contribute to Future Endeavors

Perhaps in the future, Morocco will share the wealth of its successful experience in interfaith and interethnic understanding—such as its tolerant imam training program—by sending a graduate of its seminal imam training center as a model for future such efforts among other participants.

Meanwhile, the message of the conference was clear: there may be many misunderstandings, and communication could use a great deal of improvement, but everyone who was in the room was committed to open dialogue, learning from one another, and implementing specific advice towards the kind of changes that can bring even more people looking to share in the relationship and community building in the near future.

Learning from successful historical precedents—such as Morocco’s long-standing relationship with the United States—can only benefit both countries and shape a more optimistic outlook towards shaping the narrative and the vision for future relationship between the United States and the Muslim World.

The post Morocco’s Recipe for Success: Integration and Interfaith appeared first on Morocco World News.

The Juventus player is linked with a move to join Leo Messi’s team as Barcelona is looking forward to reinforcing its defensive line.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Napoli’s Raul Albiol, and Lokomotiv Moscow’s Benedikt HOwedes and Vedran Corluka are all included in Barcelona’s shortlist.

Benatia, who is also the captain of the Moroccan national team, has already attracted the interest of big clubs, including l’Olympique Marseille, Arsenal and AC Milan.

Benatia, 31, has spent most of his career in Italy, where he has played for Udinese, AS Roma, and Juventus. He joined the Old Lady on loan from German football giant Bayern Munich in 2016. After his one-year season with Juventus, the Italian football giant converted Benatia’s loan to a permanent deal. In 2017 Juventus signed the Moroccan player a three-year deal worth €17 million.

Earlier this year, Benatia was voted best Maghreb player in 2017 by France Football, ahead of Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez and Morocco’s Hakim Ziyech.

The post Morocco’s Mehdi Benatia Linked with a Move to FC Barcelona appeared first on Morocco World News.

Rabat – The government council validated Benrazzouk’s appointment when it met Thursday, November 1.

OMPIC is responsible to protect industrial and commercial property, such as brands, patents, and industrial designs.

Benrazzouk will take over from Adil El Maliki, whom King Mohammed VI appointed governor of Essaouira province in August.

Benrazzouk has been the director of Maroc PME, formerly the national agency for the promotion of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), since 2014.

During his time within Maroc PME, Benrazzouk concluded a new contractual framework between the state and Maroc PME for 2013-2020.

Since then, Benrazzouk has supported SMEs by scaling up the agency’s flagships programs Moussanada and Imtiaz.  

The Moussanada program aims to improve the productivity of 500 SMEs per year and improve their competitiveness in terms of cost, time, and quality.

The Imtiaz program aims to finance 50 development projects presented by SMEs with high growth potential to facilitate access to bank credit and support the most successful companies to make higher revenues and be more profitable.

Maroc PME also has several ambitious objectives to fund small and medium-sized enterprises.

Larbi Benrazzouk graduated as an engineer from Rabat’s Mohammedia School of Engineering. He also holds a specialized graduate studies degree in patrimonial and financial management from Montpelier University.

The post Morocco Appoints Larbi Benrazzouk as New Head of OMPIC appeared first on Morocco World News.

Rabat – The early cold wave and snow have taken Morocco by surprise, especially in relation to the government’s plans to handle the consequences of the weather.

The early snowfalls beginning late in October in the Atlas Mountains towns and cities of Azrou, Midelt, Boulemane, Taza, El Hajeb, Imouzzer, and Ifrane brought joy to many Moroccans.

But a week of rain has flooded cities like Casablanca, and 1.2 meters of snow has isolated people in the mountains of Ouarzazate, Boulemane, Azilal, Haouz, and Beni Mellal.

Many Moroccans on social media expressed relief that the first week of heavy rain coincided with the fall school break who were spared from going to school in severe weather.

Yet, meteorologists have forecasted more rain and low temperatures for the week ahead.

While floods caused traffic disruptions in Casablanca and Rabat, snow has blocked the highways and roads leading to Azrou and Timahdite in Ifrane province for hours, according to Alyaoum24.

Read Also: Cold Wave: King Mohammed VI Orders Preventive Medical Campaign in Central Morocco

The cold wave also preceded the full implementation of the government’s winter plan for remote areas.

Last year, winter snowstorms prevented travel on 38 national roads and shut down almost 900 rural schools. The weather prompted the government to launch an “exceptional mobilization” mission to open the roads to areas isolated by snow.

The mission was set to benefit about 514,000 people in 22 different provinces under the supervision of departments from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, the Royal Gendarmerie, and the Auxiliary Forces and Civil Protection.

At the time, Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani noted the insufficient number of available snowplows despite the government’s efforts.

Not much has changed this season. Moroccans have denounced the lack of snow removal equipment following the death of a shepherd in Taza who had been missing for a week. The shepherd was found frozen on Sunday.

Read Also: Moroccans Mourn Death of Shepherd Found Stuck in Snow

One Moroccan on social media also noted that the civil protection members borrowed “crutches from local citizens to look for the shepherd.”

“When they lost hope, they stepped back, while citizens continued to search for him until they found him dead, frozen in the snow,” the Facebook user alleged.

In response to the suffering of people in the mountainous areas, like every year, King Mohammed VI has given instructions to the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity to mobilize and provide the necessary care.

The post Morocco’s Early Snowfall Delights Some, Burdens Others appeared first on Morocco World News.

Rabat – When students return from the fall break on Wednesday, November 7, they will follow the traditional time-table for school for half a week, the ministry said in a statement.

Public schools usually open at 8 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. with a 2 hour-lunch break from 12 noon to 2 p.m.

Beginning Monday, November 12, students will follow the new-time table that the government set on November 1.

The new time-table was the second to be announced in the space of seven days. When the ministry announced the newest time-table would take effect November 12, the public wondered what time-table to follow this week.

Read also: Morocco’s Education Ministry Gives School Kids 2-Hour Lunch Break

The new-time table

The new-time table stipulates that primary schools will start at 9 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. with a two-hour lunch break between 1 and 3 p.m. from Monday to Friday. The time-table concerns schools with one teacher per classroom.

For schools with two teachers per classroom, one group of students will start at 9 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m. with a two-hour lunch break between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

The other group will start at 11:30 a.m. and end at 5:30 p.m. with a two-hour lunch break between 1:30 and 3.30 p.m.

The two groups will go to school on Saturday as well.

For schools in rural areas, students will start at 9 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. with a 30-minute lunch break from Monday to Friday.

For rural schools having two teachers per classroom, one group of students will start at 9 a.m. and end at 1:30 p.m. while the other group will start at 1:30 p.m. and end at 6 p.m. The two groups will go to school on Saturday, too.

Middle and high school will start at 9 a.m. and end at 6 p.m. with two options for their two-hour lunch: between 12 noon and 2 p.m or between 1 and 3 p.m.

Schools will go back to the traditional time-table in the spring.

The post Education Ministry: Schools to Follow Traditional Time-Table November 7-10 appeared first on Morocco World News.

Rabat- Overcast, rainy weather is expected in Tangier, Saiss, Essaouira, the Rif region, the Mediterranean, Phosphates Plateau, the Oriental region, Oulmes, and the High and Middle Atlas mountains.

Foggy weather and low clouds are expected in the Phosphates Plateau and the central regions of Morocco. Moderate to strong wind is forecasted in the northern and southern coasts, while strong wind is expected in the Mediterranean, the Rif, the Oriental, and the southeastern regions.

The temperature lows are between 0 and 5 degrees Celsius in the Atlas and the eastern highlands; 6 and 11 degrees Celsius in the Rif; and 11 and 16 degrees Celsius in the Mediterranean, Souss, northern, northeastern, and southern provinces.

Read Also: Morocco’s Early Snowfall Delights Some, Burdens Others

The temperature highs are between 5 and 11 degrees Celsius on the reliefs; 11 and 17 degrees Celsius in the Saiss, Mediterranean, Oriental, Abdaa, Atlantic coasts, Oulmes, and Phosphates Plateau; 17 and 23 degrees Celsius in the Tadla, Rahamna, Souss, southeastern and northwestern provinces; and between 24 and 30 degrees Celsius in the far south of the country.

A stable sea level is forecasted on the Mediterranean and a moderate to high sea level in the Strait of Gibraltar, Tarfaya, and Boujdour.

The post More Rain Ahead in Morocco Monday appeared first on Morocco World News.

Rabat – Squalli died Monday morning from an incurable disease, Moroccan media reported.

Born in Fez in 1932, Squalli wrote the national anthem in 1969 under the reign of King Hassan II. Before 1969, the anthem was used only in melody.

The idea of writing lyrics to the national anthem came after the Moroccan national football team qualified to participate in the 1970 World Cup in Mexico for the first time.

There are two stories behind the writing of the anthem’s lyrics. One story says that King Hassan II launched a competition to compose the anthem’s lyrics, and Squalli’s lyrics gained royal and popular approval.

َAnother version says that King Hassan II ordered Squalli to write the lyrics for the melody.

Leo Morgan, a French captain and chief of music during the French occupation of Morocco, had composed the national anthem’s melody. The Frenchman wrote the anthem’s music during the reign of Sultan Moulay Youssef.

The melody of the national anthem was in use without lyrics before Morocco’s independence in 1956.

Squalli also wrote numerous books, especially children’s books.

Squalli received a BA degree in literature from Al-Quaraouiyine University in 1951 and later became a professor there.

Squalli joined the Royal Cabinet in 1956, where he was appointed as an advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Then he became an associate professor at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities in Rabat in 1964. The Moroccan author had worked as an inspector general at the Ministry of Education since 1971.

Sakali had also been a member of the Union of Moroccan Writers since 1967.

Throughout his career, Squalli achieved various awards for his literary works, including the Morocco Grand Prize in 1982 and the international prize of King Faisal of Saudi Arabia  for children’s literature in 1992.

The post Ali Squalli, Author of Moroccan National Anthem Dies at 86 appeared first on Morocco World News.

Rabat- Attempts at irregular migration continue to pressure Moroccan authorities and make headlines in Morocco.

In a patrol mission on Saturday, the navy rescued the irregular migrants, Moroccans and sub-Saharan Africans sailing from Nador in northeast Morocco and Tangier together in makeshift boats, reported Maghreb Arab Press (MAP).

The navy units successfully returned the migrants to Ksar Sghir in Tangier and Nador in the Rif region.

Read Also: Morocco’s DGSN Seizes 493,700 Ecstasy Pills at Tanger Med Port

As the Moroccan government continues to fight irregular migration through road and sea to Europe, many Moroccan migrants are persistent in trying to leave the country.

Since September, when a young woman named Hayat died from navy gunfire while on a migrant speed boat, Moroccans have protested the harsh measure and the government has reported on large numbers of intercepted immigrants.

Late in October, the Moroccan navy intercepted four boats carrying 143 migrants off the coasts of Tangier and Nador.

EU officials announced earlier in October they would seek to extend economic and logistic support to help Morocco curb irregular immigration. Authorities also stated that current irregular migration attempts had surged 150 percent along the western Mediterranean route from the levels recorded between 2003 and 2015.

The post Royal Navy Stops 136 Moroccan and Sub-Saharan Immigrants appeared first on Morocco World News.

Rabat – According to a note by the High Commission for Planning (HCP), 122,000 jobs were created: 118,000 in urban areas and 4,000 in rural areas.

The service sector and “industry including traditional industry” generated 98,000 jobs and 19,000 jobs, respectively.

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing generated 9,000 jobs, while construction and public works lost 4,000 jobs.

HCP added that, during the same period, there were just over 1 million unemployed people, down by 64,000 people at the national level since the same period last year.

The unemployment rate in urban areas fell from 14.9 percent to 14.3 percent. In rural areas it fell from 4.6 percent to 3.9 percent.

However, the unemployment rate remains relatively high among youth aged 15-24 (27.5 percent). The rate among women and those with degrees is 13.8 percent and 17.1 percent, respectively.

The unemployment rate of those with a vocational training certificate is 23.9 percent: 36.5 percent for women and 19.3 percent for men.

HCP found that approximately 57 percent of unemployed people have never worked before, and 67.7 percent have been unemployed for a year or more.

Approximately 26.8 percent are unemployed because they were fired or their employer’s activity was suspended.

The post Morocco’s Unemployment Falls Slightly, Youth Unemployment at 27.5% appeared first on Morocco World News.

Rabat – The speech will be broadcast on Moroccan television channels and radio stations. The day commemorates Moroccans’ retaking of Western Sahara after the Spanish left in 1975.

Last year, at the 42nd anniversary, King Mohammed VI reaffirmed Morocco’s position on Western Sahara.

In the speech, the monarch emphasized Morocco’s established principles and framework of reference.

Morocco considers the principles outlined in the King’s speech as the foundations of the Moroccan position on Western Sahara. The four principles include Morocco’s refusal of any solution the Western Sahara conflict other “than within the framework of Morocco’s full sovereignty over its Sahara and the Autonomy Initiative,” said the King.

The monarch added that Morrocco will “draw lessons from past experience,” “ensure full compliance with the terms of reference adopted by the UN Security Council,” and completely reject “any transgression or attempt to infringe on Morocco’s legitimate rights or its best interests.”

The Green March is a historical event that reminds the nation of King Hassan II and his famous speech when he called on citizens on October 16 to stage a peaceful march into Western Sahara to end Spain’s colonization of the territory.

“We have to do one thing dear people and that is to undertake a peaceful march from the north, the east, the west to the south. It behooves us to act as one man in order to join the Sahara,” King Hassan II said.

Citizens from the east to the north took the King’s speech to heart. More than 350,000 Moroccans took part in the peaceful march.

The post King Mohammed VI to Deliver Speech on 43rd Anniversary of Green March appeared first on Morocco World News.

Washington D.C. – The resolution reflected recent developments and welcomed the non-occurrence of any incident that would destabilize the region. It also stressed, for the second time in a row, the need “to achieve a realistic, practicable and enduring political solution to the question of Western Sahara based on compromise.” This emphasis means that the referendum is no longer viewed as a viable option that is likely to help the parties reach a realistic political solution.

It is very telling that no member of the Security Council mentioned the referendum during member states’ statements after voting for the adoption of the resolution. In addition, the United States, France, the United Kingdom and China emphasized that any political solution to the conflict should be a mutually agreed upon and reached through negotiation.

Inclusion of Algeria for the first time

Regardless of the duration of the MINURSO mandate, the new resolution includes substantial modifications that will prove significant for the political process. Mentioning Algeria three times in the resolution is noteworthy. The resolution’s preamble included an additional paragraph that welcomed Algeria’s decision to participate in the negotiations without conditions and in good faith. In operative paragraph three, the Security Council welcomed the acceptance by Morocco, Algeria, Polisario, and Mauritania to participate in the Geneva round-table to take palace in Geneva on December 4 and 5.

This is the first time the Security Council resolution has mentioned Algeria in a resolution since at least 2002 and since the start of the political process in 2007. As penholder of the resolution, the U.S. had to reconcile two diametrically opposed positions. Morocco has emphasized on many occasions that it will not participate in direct negotiations so long as Algeria is not regarded as a party to the conflict. Conversely, Algeria has insisted on participating only as a neighboring state.

To overcome this situation, the U.S. delegation has proposed a compromise in which Algeria is mentioned in the resolution on semi-equal footing with Morocco and Polisario. In return, Morocco and member states supporting the mandate extension for 12 months had to accept a six-month duration of MINURSO’s mandate.

To be sure, the resolution has still not made Algeria a party to the negotiations. However, the very fact that Algeria is mentioned in the resolution suggests that the Security Council seems geared towards gradually involving Algeria in the upcoming negotiations. This language might open the door to new developments if Morocco plays its hands deftly. It is meaningful that there is no distinction between Morocco and Algeria in the two paragraphs where Algeria is mentioned. Had the Security Council wanted to make such distinction, it could have flagged Algeria’s participation as a “neighboring state” in that paragraph. This distinction was not added for a purpose. This, combined with the reduction of the traditional language regarding self-determination, was a point of contention in the debate that preceded the adoption of the resolution and the main reasons why Russia, Ethiopia and Bolivia abstained.

The U.S. is aware that any negotiations without Algeria’s participation will not lead to any progress. Therefore, including Algeria for the first time in the resolution and inviting it to participate in all stages of the political process is a first step to make it a part of the solution.

The practice of gradually amending the language of resolutions is a common practice for issues on the UN agenda. Amendments are often adopted in pieces; sometimes words, sentences, and paragraphs are added or removed, and the restructuring of paragraphs paves the way for later amendments.

This does not necessarily suggest that this resolution will lead to a solution that favors Morocco’s position. Nevertheless, one would be remiss to dismiss this detail or downplay the political weight it carries for the future of the political process.

In addition, a paragraph in which the Security Council calls on Morocco and the Polisario to respect their obligations concerning the ceasefire agreement—particularly for the Polisario to refrain from taking any step that would change the status quo in the buffer zone in Guerguerat and Bir Lahlou—was added to the resolution. What is striking about this paragraph is that the final version of the resolution included Tifariti as well, which was not mentioned in earlier draft versions of the resolution. This is a strong setback to the Polisario, which has long claimed that the area east of the Moroccan defense wall is a “liberated territory.”

This sort of emphasis on the obligations of the Polisario was a sticking point among some members of the Security Council, who felt that the language was too strong against the Polisario. However, other members such as the United States and France seem bent on avoiding a remake of the same scenario in the region during the past two years as a result of Polisario’s attempts to change the status quo and impose a fait accompli in the buffer zone. Thus, the Polisario is unlikely to take provocative steps like those it has taken in the past two years.

Room for progress

Aside from the new language mentioned, the resolution has not brought anything new for Morocco with regards to its repeated calls for the need to conduct a census in the Tindouf camps. It should be emphasized that Morocco has still not succeed in changing the language of the resolution regarding the registration of refugees in the Tindouf camps. The same language of 2011 has been repeated without any change. One could say Morocco will have achieved something in this regard when the Security adds an operative paragraph clearly calling on Algeria to allow the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to conduct a census in the camps.

The same can be said about the Moroccan autonomy plan. While it is true that Resolution 2440 gives preeminence in the preamble of the resolution to Morocco’s autonomy plan and welcomes “serious and credible Moroccan efforts to move the process forward towards resolution,” this language should not be regarded as a breakthrough in favor of Morocco.

With the exception of Resolution 2285 of 2016,  since 2007 the Security Council has always welcomed the Moroccan proposal while just taking note of the Polisario’s counter-proposal. Therefore, the language adopted in Resolution 2440 should not be viewed be as a new victory for Morocco. One can only talk about a real breakthrough when and if the Security Council adopts an operative paragraph expressing, in unambiguous terms, that the Moroccan autonomy plan is the only way forward.

Morocco and the U.S. after Nikki Haley’s resignation

An important factor to consider in the next phase is the resignation of the current United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, who played an important role in the Security Council’s adoption of two resolutions in favor of Morocco, especially resolution 2351 in April 2017. Nikki Haley had a great margin of autonomy in the decision-making process whether in top priority issues for the U.S. such as the Palestinian issue, the nuclear agreement with Iran, North Korea, and Russia, or on issues of lesser importance for the U.S. Her closeness to the president, his daughter, and his son-in-law enabled her to have direct access to him.

Whereas the U.S. president himself is known for rough, undiplomatic language against both adversaries and allies, Ambassador Haley, known for her charisma and diplomatic skills, was a welcomed addition to the Trump Administration. She is also considered a moderate representative of the Republican Party, which has often responded positively to Morocco’s position on the Western Sahara issue. Moroccan diplomacy has taken advantage of Haley’s independence and her responsiveness to Morocco to reach two council resolutions in favor of Morocco.

Moroccan Ambassador to the United Nations, Omar Hilal, said of Haley’s resignation: “We will miss her. I worked with her two years and from the beginning it was a warm, personal relationship and Morocco will never forget her.”

That Morocco’s ambassador to the UN was among the few foreign diplomats who bid farewell to Haley on such friendly terms shows her responsiveness to Morocco’s proposals and her willingness to sympathize with Morocco.

With Haley’s resignation, the role of National Security Adviser John Bolton, who is close to President Trump, will be more consequential in U.S. policy-making concerning the Western Sahara issue. Not only is he a former United States ambassador to the United Nations, he is also familiar with the ins and outs of the conflict, as in the 1990s he served as an assistant to the UN’s previous envoy for the Western Sahara conflict, James Baker.

After Bolton became the national security adviser in April, he became an influential figure for various U.S. foreign policy issues, including the Western Sahara issue. His influence was demonstrated through Resolution 2414, which extended the MINURSO mandate for only six months for the first time since 2008.

Many analysts attributed Haley’s resignation to the narrow margin of her independence in influencing U.S. foreign policy since the appointment of Bolton and Mike Pompeo. Given the character of Bolton and his closeness to the U.S. president, he will play a major role in the decision-making process in the U.S. administration in the coming period.

The next United States ambassador to the United Nations, is therefore, unlikely to have the same margin of independence as Haley. Consequently, Morocco must make more efforts than ever before to convince the U.S. administration of the Moroccan position and avoid any development that would put it under unprecedented pressure.

Samir Bennis is the co-founder of Morocco World News. You can follow him on Twitter @SamirBennis

The post Making Sense of Security Council Resolution 2440 on Western Sahara appeared first on Morocco World News.

Rabat – King Mohammed VI and the Rwandan president, who is also the chairman of the African Union,  “discussed the positive dynamics ad promising prospects in the bilateral relations between the kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of Rwanda in all areas.”

The meeting comes on the eve of the Extraordinary African Union Summit.

In June 2016, King Mohammed VI received Kagame in Rabat. During his visit to Morocco, King Mohammed VI decorated Kagame with the Grand Collar of Wissam Al-Mohammadi, Morocco’s highest national Award of honor, before hosting him to an official iftar (breaking iftar) in observance of the holy month of Ramadan.

In October 2016, King Mohammed VI along with a delegation visited  Uganda. During the visit, both leaders charged the signing of bilateral agreements in business, political and social sectors.

The delegation that accompanied Kin Mohammed VI explored investment opportunities and partnerships in Rwanda.

Among the agreements signed during King Mohammed VI’s visit to Rwanda a Memorandum of Understanding on political consultation mechanism, an air service agreement, an agreement on the exemption of visa and an agreement on security cooperation and tourism.

Following Morocco’s return to the AU in 2017, King Mohammed VI expressed the country’s commitment to Africa’s development as a top priority.

Kagame is one of the African leaders who welcomed Morocco’s return to the AU.

In January, Kagame told Hommes d’Afrique Magazine at the 30th Summit of the African Union in Addis Ababa that “with the return of Morocco, Africa becomes greater and stronger.”

The post King Mohammed VI Holds Phone Call with Rwandan President appeared first on Morocco World News.

Read Also: Morocco’s Trade Deficit Widens as FDI Drops 2.7%

The post Marrakech to Host the GEF International Waters Conference appeared first on Morocco World News.

Rabat –  Forty-three years ago, King Hassan II of Morocco called on hundreds of thousands of Moroccan citizens to head to Western Sahara to defend Morocco’s territorial integrity.

The famous peaceful “green march” gained the respect of many. Several local and international news outlets commemorated the Green March through reports and documentaries about the historical event.

In January 2017, RTS published a 20-minute press report from its archives on the Green March after King Hassan II gave his famous speech to the nation.

“We have to do one thing dear people and that is to undertake a peaceful march from the north, the east, the west to the south. It behooves us to act as one man in order to join the Sahara,” King Hassan II said on October 16, 1975.

With respect and appreciation, more than 350,000 Moroccans took the speech to heart without hesitation.

“Morocco and the Green March. Green, because the color of the star in Morocco’s flag is green. It was preferred because green was Mohammed the prophet’s favorite color,” RTS’s reporter explains.

For Morocco, the Green March is sacred, according to RTS. The reporter then talked about the political aspect of the event aimed to liberate Western Sahara from the Spanish colonizers.

Escorted by more than 20,000 Moroccan troops, Moroccans headed to Western Sahara to show their willingness to sacrifice for their homeland. According to the press report, double the number the King  called on took part in the event. From north to south, people of all ages marched with flags and Qur’ans in the unprecedented event.

The march featured hundreds of thousands of citizens coming from all regions across the country. Each celebrated the march in a unique way. The march marked the presence of folk music performances that praised and respected to Hassan II with their traditional songs. Others marched and chanted patriotic slogans supporting Morocco’s territorial integrity.

The documentary’s narrator says both the army and the administration mobilized to contribute to the success of the Green March.

During the documentary, RTS interviewed citizens showing eminent love and passion for the King.

“Long live the King,” people said while being loaded into trucks for transport.

“Those who were coming from the north had to travel 2,000 kilometers” to reach the Sahara, the reporter noted. About 50 people were carried in each truck.

“After the royal speech of his majesty, we will travel to the capital, Laayoune … Sahara is Moroccan. Sahara is Moroccan,” one citizen told RTS while others shouted “Sahara is Moroccan!” with pride and joy. “Jihad, Jihad and Spain should leave the country,” was another slogan repeated during the Green March.

RTS crew accompanied Moroccans throughout their journey to the Sahara. The reporter said that throughout the journey, the crew received the same response: “We are going to the Sahara.” When the journalist asked people whether Sahrawis are Moroccans, one of shouted, “Yes, they are Moroccans.”

King Hassan II had done his utmost to defend Morocco’s territorial integrity. Confidential documents released by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in 2017 revealed that King Hassan II was “plotting an armed attack” against Spain in the 1970s over Western Sahara.

In the document, “Memorandum of Conversation,” former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger informed Spain that King Hassan II was planning to launch a war against Spain in October 1975, a month before Morocco’s peaceful Green March.

In a conversation with former Spanish foreign minister Pedro Cortina, Kissinger said that the US had “some information concerning a possible Moroccan attack in the Sahara.”

He added, “I want you to know that we have urged the King of Morocco not to do it, that is, not to do anything rash. We have warned him against it and have urged him to negotiate, just as I urge you to negotiate.”

Spain replied that it was ready to negotiate with Morocco.

The Spain-Morocco conflict dated back to 1859 when Spain defeated Morocco in the Battle of Tetouan. Morocco then had to pay Spain to cede part of its southern and northern territories.

In 1956, immediately after Morocco obtained its independence, it reasserted its claim to the Western Sahara and called on Spain to return it to Morocco’s sovereignty.

King Hassan II then launched the Green March in November 1975 allowing Morocco de facto sovereignty over the territory. Since then, Western Sahara has been claimed by the Polisario Front, a separatist movement supported by Algeria.

The post Swiss Radio and Television Documentary: The Green March is Sacred appeared first on Morocco World News.