Thursday, February 16, 2006

Moroccan News Briefs - # 21

Moroccan News Briefs published in The View From Fez draw on open source material, contributions from readers, as well as material from Maghreb Arabe Presse (MAP), Morocco Times and official Moroccan Government press releases.

  • Morocco to send aid to Mauritania, Djibouti and Somalia

  • Morocco has decided to send financial and food aid to Mauritania, Djibouti and Somalia to face the effects of bad weather.
    The Foreign Affairs Ministry said Wednesday in a communiqué that the assistance is a sign of solidarity with the three brotherly countries. To Mauritania, which is witnessing a wave of cold, the kingdom sent some 40,000 blankets in addition to financial assistance. Somalia and Djibouti are facing a severe drought due to consecutive seasons of scarce rainfalls and crops

  • Environment protection foundation strives to cut down car polluting emissions.

  • Princess Lalla Hasna, chairwoman of the Mohammed VI Foundation for the Protection of the Environment, said the organisation took several actions, since its establishment in 2002, to fight pollution, notably car gas emissions.

    The Princess, who chaired in the town of Mohammedia, 60 km south of Rabat, the kicking off of the second stage of the Qualit'Air program, said studies found most of the air pollution is caused by old cars' emissions that in turn cause respiratory health hazards. To remedy this problem, the Foundation has made several actions, including the improvement of fuel quality.

  • No bird flu case has been detected up to now in Morocco

  • No bird flu case has been detected up to now in Morocco, relevant authorities remain vigilant, nonetheless, regarding the disease, said Mohand Laenser and Mohamed Cheikh Biadillah, respectively Ministers of Agriculture and Health.
    The two ministers made the statement at the end of a meeting of the inter-ministerial avian flu follow-up commission held in Rabat on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Premier Driss Jettou. The officials told the "TVM" channel the meeting discussed the updating of the national plan aiming at monitoring, and taking action regarding the bird disease.

  • Two thirds of Moroccan poor are from rural areas

  • "Two thirds of the poor in Morocco are from the rural area," revealed, Moroccan Secretary of State in charge of Rural Development, Mohamed Mohattane.
    Speaking at a meeting on "sustainable development, environment and poverty in Morocco," Mohattane noted that "one out of four persons is poor in urban areas." Rural poverty is due to natural and structural problems that hinder the development of this area. For his part, Mohamed Douidich from the High Commissioner of Planning said poverty rate in Morocco is estimated at 14.2% at the national level.

  • Moroccan king appoints new interior minister

  • On Wednesday, King Mohammed VI appointed a new interior minister, Chakib Benmoussa, to replace El Mostapha Sahel, who was appointed ambassador to the United Nations.

    The king appointed several officials at different departments and public institutions. Moulay Mhamed Iraqi was appointed wali (governor) of Diwan Al Madhalim (ombudsman). The sovereign insisted on this occasion that Diwan Al Madhalim should set up implements to address in the best conditions citizens' complaints and grievances, particularly in relation to corruption.

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    4 comments:

    crucivore said...

    Salut,
    Je ne connaissait pas ton blog.
    Super tu as des nouvelles fraiches du pays; on dirait qu'elles sortent du réfigérateur.
    Je serai heureux de faire ta connaissance quand tu viendra à Fés; fais moi signe et en attendant on se visite mutuellement.
    Très heureux d'avoir pu accéder à ton bel espace.

    Anonymous said...

    Salam
    Merci - It would be great to meet up with you in Fes! My French is very bad, but I am sure with the help of my partner who speaks some French - we could have an interesting time.

    I will be back in Fes in the first week of May and staying for eight months. Usually I have morning coffee in the Cafe Firdous in Batha. Anyway we can arrange nearer the date.

    crucivore said...

    In eight months u'll speak fluently French.
    i know the café firdaous, but u can mail me in gmail.com or yahoo.fr.
    crucivore of course !

    Anonymous said...

    Will do. I will email you when I get back to Fes.