Lion-spotting in Fez

Two larger-than-life bronze lions were installed by the City of Fez in celebration of Eid al-Fitr last month.


Standing proud at each end of Boulevard Hassan II between the palm trees and the fountains, the lions make a welcome addition to city sights. Statues are unusual in Islamic countries as they are forbidden in Islam, but animal statues, it seems, are acceptable. The View from Fez has yet to discover who the artist is.

Medina Gossip #3509

Hot from the Marrakesh Medina.

Back in August, The View from Fez reported that the cast and crew of Sex and the City were going to film in Morocco. At the time, Katey Rich, writing for the website Cinema blend.com said, "There are some obvious explanations for what would bring the shoot to Morocco - Carrie and Big take a honeymoon there, or someone wants to adopt a kid and Morocco stands in for a war-torn African country. But while we're speculating, why not have some fun with it? Maybe someone mistakes Carrie for a legitimate journalist and sends her to cover something in a war zone. Morocco has stood in for the Middle East multiple times, like Body of Lies and Babel. Or maybe Miranda, in a fit of do-gooder-ism, goes to offer legal services to oppressed minorities or women, or Doctors Without Borders, for all I know. Or maybe Samantha moves her PR business to Dubai! Anything is possible!"

Well, while we can only speculate on the plot lines, we can report that the filming is taking place in Marrakesh. What is very pleasing to also report is that the cast and crew have taken local cultural sensitivities into account and have been dressing in a more restrained way than one might have expected! Our own fashion maven, Doris, says that while she found SJP's tee shirt a bit "naf", she particularly liked the white outfit and hat worn by Cynthia Nixon.

Sarah Jessica Parker (above) and Cynthia Nixon (below)

At this time there seems no possibility of seeing the crew in Fez, but we hear that as well as Marrakech, the SATC crew are expected to film in Erfoud and Rabat. We would love some pics from Erfoud.


Australians behaving badly?

Almost every responsible tourism organisation and guide book makes a point of stressing that while it is not necessary for women to cover their heads in Morocco, or for men to avoid wearing shorts (because they look to Moroccans like you just wandered out of the hammam), they do suggest "dressing modestly". As we saw in our previous story about Sex and the City, the cast and crew have indeed been dressing appropriately. It would appear that the same can not be said of a certain Australian on holiday in Agadir.

(Health warning: the following story comes from the UK tabloid, The Sun)

Aussie beauty Natalie Imbruglia was recently spotted wearing a skimpy orange swimsuit as she soaked up the sun while on a holiday in Morocco.

The singer-cum-model-cum-actress has left Britain for a week relaxing by the beach in Morocco.

Resting her stomach on the lounger, Natalie gave quite an eyeful of her assets to the world, reports The Sun.

And later, the ‘Neighbours’ star removed her bikini top for some more soaking up.

Oh dear. There are some photographs and out of respect to our readers we won't show them and we respectfully ask that our readers DO NOT supply any more photos! Doris, our fashion guru says that the bikini was a good fit and that our Natalie accessorised with a black Chanel handbag, Ray-Bans and some gold earrings. Very tasteful.

Hasna wins ‘Best Moroccan Artist’


Moroccan pop singer Hasna El Maghribia has accepted an award as the ‘best Moroccan artist’ in a ceremony presented by the Tunisian Cultural Ministry at a celebration sponsored by the Tunisian “Republic Newspaper.”

“There is nothing better for someone than to be awarded for the success she has accomplished, and I happy to be among the awarded stars,” said Hasna as she accepted the award.


Banzi blitzes World Music Awards



While we are in the world of music our final story comes from the 2009 Peoples Grammy Awards, where the Moroccan American Tarik Banzi,took home the award for the Best World Music Song of 2009.

The Oud player, composer and founder of the Al-Andalus Ensemble saw his music rise to the top of over 560,000 songs entered from 163 countries around the world in what is the world's largest Independent Music Awards.

The winning song, title track from the album "Alchemy" features Tarik's oud his wife, Julia Banzi, on guitar.

Abducted Blackpool sisters in Fez - update

The 32-year-old mother of Carene, 12, and Shelby, 10, has been extradited from Spain to the UK and is remanded in custody.

Carene and Shelby with their grandmother and legal guardian, Rita Astbury

Trudy Crofts has now been given an ultimatum by a High Court judge: 'bring them back to the UK or stay in jail'. The girls are staying in Fez with the family of Crofts' Moroccan boyfriend, Sam Zaroli.

Mr Justice Bennett, sitting in the High Court at Preston in northern England, ordered that arrangements must be confirmed for the children's return to the UK by 3pm on Friday, or further action would be taken against the mother.

He said; "It is not open to the mother to chose whether or not to obey it. She has an absolute obligation to obey what I am ordering."

He warned that any failure to comply would be viewed as contempt of court, a crime which carries an automatic jail sentence.

The case will resume on Monday at the High Court, sitting in Liverpool, where the Judge will demand evidence to show Crofts has complied with his order.

Recipe for Moroccan kefta tagine

One of our favourite Moroccan dishes is a kefta tagine - delicately spiced meatballs in a robust tomato sauce with eggs poached on top. It's best eaten in a Moroccan home (if you're lucky enough to be invited), but is also a firm favourite at most medina restaurants.

Recipe for 4

For the sauce:
4tbs olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
500g well-flavoured tomatoes, or 1 tin tomatoes
handful of chopped coriander
1 tbsp tomato paste
pinch of dried chili flakes
paprika

For the kefta:
4tsp cumin seeds, dry-roasted and ground
1 finely chopped onion
1 crushed garlic clove
500g minced lamb
5 eggs
handful of chopped parsley
oil for frying
salt and pepper

First make the sauce. Simmer the onion, garlic, tomato paste and tomatoes until thick, stirring from time to time. Add the coriander, chili flakes, paprika and salt and pepper.

For the kefta, put the onion, garlic, chili, cumin seeds, parsley, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Add one beaten egg to bind the mixture. Form into small balls about the size of a walnut.

In a frying pan, heat the oil and gently fry the meatballs until browned all over. Put them into the tomato sauce and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

Make four indentations in the sauce with the back of a spoon and break an egg into each. Cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the eggs are lightly set. Sprinkle with paprika and serve with bread.

See all The View from Fez Moroccan recipes here: Moroccan Recipes


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The Finns are coming!

The language skills of Morocco's street kids have always been impressive. It is not unusual for them to have few words of greeting in almost any language you can imagine. However, even The View from Fez was impressed the other day to hear a eight or nine year old on hearing that the young backpacker was from Helsinki, smiled and said "tervetuloa - terve poika!"

Now Moroccan businessmen may need to sharpen their Finnish skills because, although Morocco has long been a holiday destination for Finns, Finland has just announced that it wants stronger business ties with Morocco.

Finland is keen to reinforce ties with Morocco, especially through boosting trade exchanges and economic cooperation, by taking advantage of the country's relations with the European Union.

The remarks were given Friday by visiting Under-Secretary of State, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Pekka Huhtaniemi who is leading a delegation of businessmen operating in communications, construction and civil engineering, energy, health, water and forest.

Pekka Huhtaniemi

The visit to Morocco is aimed at showing Finland's interest in reinforcing and diversifying relations with Morocco, mainly in economy and trade, Huhtaniemi told the press following a meeting with Moroccan State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Latifa Akharbach.

Pekka Huhtaniemi said Finland wants to consolidate ties with Morocco within the framework of the European Union, which, last year, granted Morocco an Advanced Status that secures special ties between the north African country and the EU. He also discussed with Moroccan Minister for External Trade, Abdellatif Maazouz, means to bolster ties between the two countries.

Earlier in the day in Casablanca, Herra Huhtaniemi called on Moroccan businessmen to take advantage of the trade opportunities offered by Finland’s market, and to conclude partnerships with Finnish peers for investment projects in both countries.

For their part, Moroccan officials and businessmen highlighted the trade and investment opportunities offered by the country, inviting the Finnish businessmen to benefit from the investment climate in the country.

Is Royal Air Maroc going to drop Atlas Blue?

The View from Fez is in debt to our reader Andrea Massa for alerting us to the latest news from the sky.

Royal Air Maroc Light?

Royal Air Maroc is to drop its Atlas Blue low-cost brand within half a year, instead integrating the Marrakech-based carrier's operations into the core airline.

Speaking to ATI at the Paris Air Show today, Royal Air Maroc CEO Driss Benhima confirmed the process was already underway, adding: "Within six months, brand and low-cost service will no longer be in Atlas Blue."

Casablanca-based Royal Air Maroc will continue Atlas Blue's Marrakech-based Boeing 737 operations. It will keep the aircraft in the same configuration, but it will have a business-class cabin and transform the product to include complimentary on-board catering. "We will offer all the services of a legacy carrier," says Benhima, although he adds that the Marrakech operation will be "a sort of 'Royal Air Maroc Light'".

Royal Air Maroc is hoping to increase its competitiveness against low-cost rivals through the change. "We have two tools: expanding our long-haul and domestic network," says Benhima. "We cannot get rid of this competition - we have to face it. We are trying to mitigate to point-to-point tourism, developing our hub network from Casablanca." Benhima was at the show to formally ink a previously-announced deal for two ATR 42-600s and four 72-600s. The aircraft will be operated by newly-created short-haul subsidiary Royal Air Maroc Express.

Now the questions are: will Fassi authorities commit themselves to bring Fez back on to the international map? How will the local economy be affected by that? From now on flying from the London will mean facing at least one stop in Casablanca ( 1-2 hours in the best-case scenario, sleeping over in the worst) and some late-scheduled flights (arrivals after midnight).

Hopefully answers will be provided in the course of time.

Moroccan Aid - a different perspective.

When you hear the words "Morocco" and "aid", is your immediate assumption that Morocco is on the receiving end? If so, you could be wrong. International aid is a two way street and Morocco has a long history of supporting nations in trouble. Our guest commentator, Ibn Warraq, takes up the story:

Last Thursday, when a Moroccan aircraft landed in Sana'a, it did so on the instructions of His Majesty King Mohammed VI. The plane was carrying relief materials for the refugees from the war in the north of Yemen. The supplies included 300 very large tents. The following day another shipment arrived from Morocco, with medical supplies and emergency foodstuffs.

Displaced Yemeni family

Yemen has been struggling with an insurgency in its northern provinces of Saada an Amran where Houthi rebels have been fighting government troops since back in 2004. Hundreds of them have been killed, hurt, and arrested and many others surrendered since fresh confrontations erupted between the two sides in August.

Just as in Pakistan's Swat Valley or South Waziristan, it is the civilian population who have their lives disrupted. Yet, while the world media is quick to report on the troubles in Pakistan, Afghanistan or Iraq, very little attention is paid to the problems in Yemen. Consequently little aid and support is generated. In Yemen the number of displaced his climbed over 150,000. To shelter and feed such numbers is a huge logistical task and Morocco has stepped up to give its support.

The act of giving is a core Islamic principal and even when times are tough in Morocco, the people have never shirked from giving to those less well off. I remember with a sense of pride when, back in 2006, Morocco's first convoy of humanitarian aid was sent to Gaza. The trucks contained 5,250 tons of milk, 50,400 tons of oil, 9,5 25 tons of sugar, 44,450 tons of rice and more than 15 tons of fish (sardine and tuna).

This was not a one-off, for a second shipment,comprising 135 tons of foodstuffs was sent on board nine trucks, five for the Gaza Strip and four for the West Bank. It was first shipped to Jordan's Aqaba port before being sent to Amman and then to Palestine, in coordination with the Jordanian army and the Palestinian authorities.

At the same time Morocco had also flown urgent humanitarian aid to Lebanon, dispatching a plane with 18 tons of medicines and 16 tons of powdered milk, which Lebanese children desperately needed.

Earlier this year and much closer to home, Morocco dispatched tons of aid to Burkina Faso and Niger following the catastrophic floods that hit the two Western African countries. Seven aircraft left Morocco's Atlantic town of Kénitra for Niamey and Ouagadougou, carrying several tons of medicines, hundreds of tents and thousands of blankets. His Majesty the King had decided to send emergency humanitarian aid "as part of the active solidarity and brotherly ties between Morocco and the two West African states".

Too often in the western media we read of Africa and African countries being on a permanent drip-feed of aid from the west. Next time you read or hear that, remember Morocco. It's a country that knows how to give.

Moroccan News Briefs

Swine Flu toll hits 173 on October 20

Morocco's H1N1 documented cases reached 173 up to October 20, according to Health Minister, Yasmina Baddou (pictured left).

Speaking at the House of Advisors' question time, Baddou said that three of the infected people are still receiving medical care, while the others made full recovery. She highlighted the efficiency of measures taken by Morocco to combat the pandemic, noting that most cases came from overseas.

It is now up to vaccine companies to deliver the expected doses so that the international system could fight the virus, the Minister said, adding that the north African country has taken all necessary precautions to be among the first countries to receive the antidote.

Morocco maintains prevention measures since 2005, part of its national action program to fight avian flu.

US Secretary of State in Morocco early November

According to information from the US State Department in Washington, the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, is due in Morocco on November 2-3. It is understood that she will take part in the 6th Forum of the Future in Marrakech. It is expected that she will also hold high level talks during her visit.

Recalling that the United States and Morocco hosted the first Forum for the Future in Rabat in 2004, the statement said the Forum is a joint initiative of the countries of the Broader Middle East and North Africa region (BMENA) and the industrialized countries of the Group of Eight (G8). It added that it is a unique partnership between governments of the region, the G8, civil society representatives and private sector leaders and allows them to discuss and exchange ideas on how to best work together to support progress and expand opportunities for the people of the region.

Rabat gets new tourism police squad headquarters

This week, in a bid to promote tourism activities in the capital, tourism authorities inaugurated a new headquarters for the tourism squad.


The new facility is located in the heart of the old medina amid many historical sites. It is hoped it will contribute to enhancing the safety of visitors and fighting tourism-related crimes.

This special squad will reassure tourists and help policemen conduct onsite operations against beggars, vagrants and illegal tourism guides.

Made of 38 officers, the Rabat tourism squad is equipped with cars and motorcycles to carry out combing operations in tourist sites. This special squad was set up in 1998 to protect and ensure tourists' security .

Morocco holds second international horse show

Morocco’s Atlantic city of El Jadida (90km south of Casablanca) hosts from Wednesday the second International Horse Show against the backdrop of the glorification of the Moroccan equestrian heritage.

King Mohammed VI travelled on Tuesday to the city for the official launch of this event which is expecting about 150,000 visitors. The Gulf emirate of Qatar is this year’s guest of honour.

Some 72 exhibitors, including 50 private ones, 10 institutional and 12 international, are taking part in this event launched in 2008. More than 600 horses will be participating in many competitions and shows planned by the organisers who also offer galleries and exhibitions on a 9 hectare Princess Lalla Malika racecourse.

The event is due to draw around 72 national and foreign exhibitors. The six-day event features a number of competitions, Tbourida, exhibits… in addition to art galleries (paintings, artworks, manuscripts…)

Sponsored by King Mohammed VI (pictured above), the show will be marked by a variety of cultural and scientific conferences open to the public including Horse in the Arab-Muslim world, Barb horse management in Morocco, running equine breeding, genetics and cytogenetics in horses and breeding mares. Different species of horses will be exhibited in the show, including the Barbary, the Arab-Barbary horse, the Arabian thoroughbred, the English thoroughbred, the Moroccan sports horse, the English-Spanish-Arabian horse and other race species.

Organised by the Association du Salon du Cheval (ASC - association of the horse show), the event is also due to highlight the place of the horse in the Moroccan cultural identity, and the socio-economic position it has had throughout the centuries. The show will be marked by the participation of the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces (FAR), which will organise an exhibition that traces back certain aspects of the heritage gained from the different civilisations in terms of equestrian heritage.

According to the organisers, the event has become a "must-see at national and international level.”

Morocco is guest of honour in key Spanish film festival

The Moroccan cinema will be the guest of honour of the 15th edition of the Mostra de Valence Film Festival with the featuring of 10 feature films.

The homage cycle to the Moroccan moviemaking started Friday night and continues until October 24. It will feature Ali Zaoua by Nabil Ayouch, and will screen nine other movies, including Atach (thurst) of Saad Chraibi, Les ailes brisées (broken wings) by Abdelamjid Rchich, Les amants de Mogador (the lovers of Mogador) by Souheil Ben Barka and What a Wonderful World, by Faouzi Bensaïdi...

Salamon Castiel, director of the festival said "it is the first time that a country has been chosen as a guest of honour in the Mostra de Valence," adding that the selected movies were chosen to give the public a global idea on the different facets of the Moroccan moviemaking.

For Amin Chaoudri, cultural advisor at the Moroccan embassy in Madrid, cinema is a communication means that can inform about the evolution of a country, its culture, its paradoxes and its aspirations.

Organisers hope the event will become an international platform for the promotion of the Mediterranean filmmaking.

"A sad day for Fez" - Editorial

The news yesterday, that Gerard Kurdjian, Artistic Director of the Fez Festival of World Sacred Music, had resigned was greeted with dismay by arts industry insiders and festival patrons around the world.

"Gerard's departure is a blow to the Festival"

"It's a sad day for Fez, Gerard's energy, his deep musical knowledge and his vibrant personality made a lasting impression on everyone who worked with him" -former UK representative Mary Finnigan.

For years Kurdjian has managed to survive in the turbulent world of the Fez Festival, but while his resignation will be a major loss to the Festival, it did not come as a complete surprise. With a large number of key people leaving or forced out of the organisation and his treatment in relation to the Jazz Festival, it seemed only a matter of time until Kurdjian decided that the internal politics were not worth fighting against.

One Moroccan, a festival insider, who asked not to be named, claimed that the Festival organisers were a "cosy club" and that they did not welcome "outside input".

Questions need to be asked

Questions will now need to be asked about why such a loss was allowed to happen. Is a new artistic director to be appointed, and by what process? Is next year's Festival programming already in place? If not, what can a new appointee do with such a short lead time?

Maybe it is time for an independent review of the Festival's organisational structure and why offers of assistance from talented arts practitioners from around the globe have been routinely ignored.

See our news story here: Fez Festival loses its Artistic Director

Fez Festival loses its Artistic Director

The View from Fez has just learned that Gerard Kurdjian, Artistic Director of the Fez Festival of World Sacred Music, has resigned.

Gerard Kurdjian at the 2009 Fes Festival

Gerard was a popular and much respected member of the festival team, so his departure has shocked festival fans.

"It's a sad day for Fez," says former UK representative Mary Finnigan. "Gerard's energy, his deep musical knowledge and his vibrant personality made a lasting impression on everyone who worked with him".

Except for one edition in 2006, Gerard has curated the festival since it started in 1994. During his 15 years in the role, he has brought some of the greatest musicians on the world stage to Fez - including Ravi Shankhar, William Christie, Youssou N'Dour, Miriam Makeba, Jessie Norman, Salif Keita, Julian Weiss and Gilberto Gil - to name but a small selection.

Gerard's decision to leave follows a string of resignations that started with the departure of the festival founder, Faouzi Skali, in 2007. Since then, there have been three people in the Director General role - Naima Lahbil, Fatima Sadiqi and the present incumbent, Abdelhak Azzouzi. North American Director Zeyba Rahman's resignation in 2007 was followed by Financial Director Agnes Amrani, Sponsorship Director Amina Fassi Fehri, Production Director Ali Diouri, Communications Director Laila Sebbane and several other festival workers including Nicolas Guillou, Fabrice Villain, Hicham Ait Mbarak and Mary Finnigan.

Fes Festival of Sufi Culture 2010

Par Chemins has announced the 2010 dates of the ever-popular Sufi Festival: 17-24 April.

The Hamadcha Sufi brotherhood performs at the Palais Mokri, Festival 2006

The festival is the brainchild of Sufi scholar, Faouzi Skalli, and this will be the fourth edition. It explores aspects of Sufi thought and its relevance in the world today. Although the programme has not yet been released (watch this space!), there are usually talks and debates during the day and concerts of Sufi music in the evenings. All events are held in the Fez medina.

Accommodation is always at a premium at this time, so if you plan to be in Fez for the festival, check out Fez Riads. Alternatively, you might like to explore the possibility of staying with a family in a traditional house - contact Ziyarates Fes for this interesting option.

Pressure on Morocco over snatched children.

In an update to our story (see here: Sisters in Fez) about the two children who were snatched by their British mother and who then left them in Morocco, we can report that the mother, Trudy Crofts, has lost her fight against extradition back to the UK. Crofts is in prison in Spain after she was arrested for taking her daughters Carene and Shelby out of the country.

The Blackpool Gazette, which broke the story of how the young sisters were left with their mother's new partner in Morocco, today revealed Ms Crofts has lost an appeal in the Spanish courts against being brought back to the UK.

Lancashire Police last night received confirmation from Interpol – the international police organisation – that Ms Crofts can now be extradited.

Detectives will fly out to Madrid in the next few days to return the 32-year-old mum to Blackpool where she faces possible child abduction charges.

Ms Crofts, who lost custody of her daughters in 2002, will be quizzed about taking Carene, 12 and Shelby, 11, from their legal guardian, her own mother Rita Astbury.

She took the girls in August, flying to Spain and then Morocco, after she failed for the third time to win custody.

Police say she left the girls with her Moroccan partner's family before going back to Spain alone.

She was arrested at Alicante airport and has been in jail since, having initially appealed the extradition order.

The girls today remain in Morocco – 1,400 miles from their home on Milbourne Street, Blackpool.

Original reports suggested the girls were in Fez, but the latest information is that they were left in the town of Khenifra with Ms Crofts' partner's Moroccan family, who they have never met before.

A court order – issued in the UK – demanding they were returned home does not apply in Morocco as the country has not signed The Hague convention which covers child abduction.

The Foreign Office and the Ministry of Justice are now attempting diplomatic negotiations to have the girls returned home on humanitarian grounds.

Ms Astbury said she hoped Ms Crofts return to Britain may speed Carene and Shelby's return to the UK.

"Perhaps it will help us to negotiate directly with her," she said.

"We are looking into whether my brother, Freddie, may be able to go and talk to her and try and reason with her, to ask her to tell the Moroccan family to allow the girls to come home."

Ms Astbury, who was awarded custody after her daughter "struggled to cope", has attempted to speak to Carene and Shelby by phone.

However, every time she has called the phone has either been put down on her or the call has gone to an answer phone.

"It's so frustrating," she added, "I just want to know they are OK."

Blackpool South MP Gordon Marsden is attempting to put pressure on the Moroccan authorities.

He said: "I've had a conversation with Lord Bach, the Ministry of Justice minister responsible for these type of matters.

"He tells me because Morocco has not signed up to The Hague convention, which deals with child abduction issues, there is no legal ruling that can force the girls to be returned to their home.

"I'm now pressing the Foreign Office to engage in further negotiations and I will also be writing to the Moroccan ambassador in London to ask him to help facilitate a return on humanitarian grounds.

"It's a complex situation, but I am doing everything I can."

Moroccan News Briefs

President Sarkozy hosts reception for HM King Mohammed VI


The Elysée Palace was the venue on Friday for a reception given by France's President, Nicholas Sarkozy, in honour of HM King Mohammed VI who is on a private visit to France.

The reception was attended by Prince Moulay Rachid, Princess Lalla Meryem, Princess Lalla Asmae and Princess Lalla Hasna.

The monarch arrived in Paris on Wednesday after Prince Moulay Rachid was declared fir and left the hospital where he had been treated.

French nationals go to jail for banking card fraud

Two French citizens were sentenced on Thursday by the Marrakech court of first instance to eight months of prison for using false banking cards.

The two criminals were apprehended on Sept. 14 while one of them, of Algerian descent, was caught red-handed on the process of retrieving 16,000 dirhams (2290 dollars) from a bank agency in Marrakech.

He was in possession of a total of eight false cards at the time.

The second accomplice, a Cameroonian in origin, succeeded in escaping the crime scene. However, he was caught at the Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca when trying to flee the country.

Police found with him another 41 false banking cards.

Finance Minister denies raising the retirement age and comments on growth

The Moroccan Finance Minister has come out strongly to deny that the Moroccan government is planning to raise the retirement age to 65.

Salaheddine Mezouar did however say that the issue is being looked at. "A national commission is now working on the issue in collaboration with the different professional organizations in order to present a proposition in this respect to the government."

The minister also took the opportunity to deny news reports that there was to be an increase in the taxes on water and sugar.

The minister has also commented on Morocco's growth potential, saying that Morocco's 2010 Finance Bill banks on a 3.5% growth, a not-more-that 2% inflation, and a barrel priced at 75 U.S. Dollars.

The bill also expects the budget deficit to attain 4% and hopes the stability of expenditure to be similar to that of 2009, Minister in charge of relations with the Parliament, Saad Alami, said in a press conference following the weekly cabinet meeting.

The bill, he reported Mezouar as saying, has a "volunteering aspect," and is based on three fundamentals, namely boosting economic growth to cushion the effects of the international crunch, speeding up reforms and the implementation of sector policies, and reinforcing social cohesion through a balanced distribution of growth results and hoisting human development indicators.

The document also expects a 20.4% rise in public investment, which would progress 40% on the 2009-2010 period, Mezouar said, adding that public investment was directed to support sector-based policies, quickly achieve large-scale projects and improve balance between regions.

The bill is hoped mainly to augment the purchasing power of the Moroccans by cutting income tax and reducing the prices of basic products. It also takes into account the education and training emergency plan, and generalising medical coverage, access to housing, a better targeting of the needy.

Moroccan Delegation Goes to China to Boost Bilateral Trade Exchange

Moroccan Minister of Commerce Abdellatif Maazouz called on Moroccan businessmen to open up to exportation opportunities offered in the Chinese market and to instigate solid partnerships with local corporate actors in the country.

Maazouz, who was taking part in the opening ceremony of the 106th China Import and Export Trade Fair, or Canton fair, held in southern Guangzhou City Thursday, indicated that bilateral economic relations between Morocco and China have seen a considerable boost since 2002, according to the MAP report.

Noting that Moroccan exports towards the Chinese market have decreased, the Moroccan minister stressed the importance of exploring better routes for Moroccan exports in addition to seeking new partnerships between businessmen from both countries, said the report.

According to Maazouz, bilateral commercial exchanges during the last three years have registered a dramatic increase averaging 72 percent, reaching 2.5 billion U.S. dollars in 2008.

Nevertheless, Morocco's share of these exchanges was barely 7 percent, he pointed out.

Canton fair is one of the most important trade fairs in China, attracting major local and international brands in different sectors. The Moroccan delegation participating in the show is mainly comprised of corporate representatives in the textile, agriculture and mechanical industries.

The Moroccan minister of commerce and his delegation, in an official visit to China since Monday, are expected to visit Hong Kong for another series of business meetings.

Mauritana locust infestation spreading to Morocco
UN official warns situation will worsen further if there is strong rainfall in coming weeks.


An invasion of crickets in Mauritania has spread to Morocco and the western Sahara, and could worsen if there is strong rainfall in coming weeks, the United Nations warned Friday.

"The larvae and locusts are gathering in a worrying fashion to the west of Mauritania," said Elisabeth Byrs, spokeswoman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. "If the outbreak is not controlled and if unusually heavy and widespread rains were to fall in the next two months, then the situation will deteriorate further and there is an extremely high risk that it could lead to the early stages of an upsurge in the region."

"The south of Morocco and western Sahara have started to be contaminated... We must be extremely cautious and to sound the alarm before the situation deteriorates," she added.

In 2004, Mauritania was hit by a locust invasion that ravaged a vast quantity of crops and threatened nearly a million people with starvation.

Tourist arrivals in Morocco up 5% to September

Tourist arrivals in Morocco have jumped, in the year to September, more than 5%, Morocco's Tourism Minister announced on Wednesday.

Mohamed Boussaid told Morocco’s TV channel 2M that for the first time since the onset of the global economic slump, tourist receipts rose 3% in September. Despite the disruption which affected tourist industry as well as the tourist’s behaviour, Morocco's tourist sector continues to withstand compared with other destinations, he said.

In this regard, the minister noted that ever since the first signs of the crisis, the government, in conjunction with professionals, drew up a plan of action to mitigate the crisis’ impact, a strategy which, he said, yielded fruits. The dynamism in investment along with investors' steadfast trust in Morocco's destination prove that the sector is capable of moving forward serenely and continuing to generate jobs, he said.

The Kingdom sought to attract 10 million tourists yearly by 2010. Yet it was unable to meet the target due to the constraints posed by the international situation, which prompted the government to extend the target year.

Over January-July 2009, about 5 million tourists visited Morocco, up 8% from the same period of last year, according to the tourism department.

Abducted Blackpool sisters in Fez

UK newspapers allege that sisters Carene, 12, and Shelby, 10, have been brought to Fez where they are being cared for by the family of their mother's Moroccan partner.

Grandmother Rita Astbury has custody of the girls in Blackpool, northern England. But recently their natural mother and Rita's daughter, Trudy Crofts, abducted them and flew them to Spain from where they were taken to Fez.

Rita Astbury with a photograph of her granddaughters, Carene and Shelby

Mother Trudy, meanwhile, is in jail in Spain facing allegations of child abduction. She lost custody of her children in 2002.

Shelby and Carene Crofts

British Foreign Office staff, along with Embassy and Consulate officials, have been working to get the children back to their grandmother in Blackpool, and British police were about to fly to Fez to collect them. But the Moroccan family looking after them have apparently refused to let the girls go on the instructions of their mother, and the future is uncertain at the moment. Ms Astbury's lawyers issued a court order to restrain Trudy and her daughters, but this was only valid in Europe; by that time, the girls were already in Morocco. Lawyers say that the Home Office is now being contacted.

Ms Astbury says she is worried about her granddaughters being so far from home and with a family they don't know. She's also worried about her daughter's fate.

photos: Blackpool Gazette

Moroccan Argan Oil - fashion and fair trade

Though the Berber people of southwestern Morocco have used Argan oil for centuries in their cuisine and for medicinal and cosmetic purposes, it has only been within the last decade that argan oil has become known to the outside world. In that time the prices of Argan oil have sky-rocketed. So, how much is Argan oil actually worth? In fact, that is not really the correct question. The question should be, "who is making money out of this Moroccan export?".

The Argan oil used for cooking is made from toasted Argan nuts, whereas that used for cosmetics is made from fresh nuts, so doesn't have such a strong smell. The retail price of both oils is around the same. In the medina, 50ml of the cosmetic oil costs Dh50 in a herb shop and in the fancier Arganza near Boujloud. But it is a sure thing that the women who work so hard to produce this fabulous oil see very little of the average 346.50 Moroccan dirhams that a woman in the West will pay in order to rub a little in her hair.

And the fashion magazines have picked up on Argan oil in a big way - here is an extract from Vogue:

Moroccan Oil is the latest buzz hair product sweeping the beauty biz by storm. “It’s all the rage in the US,” Leonard Newton from Desmond & Molly Jones salon

The key ingredient in this magic blue bottle is Argan oil, a naturally derived oil from Morocco that’s rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids and used heavily in skincare for its age-defying effects. Used in hair products however, it helps to restore shine and bounce to dull, lifeless strands.

“It gives lustre and control to the hair promoting softness, while still allowing the hair to be styled in various ways be it wavy, curly or natural.” Newton says. Keeping in mind a little goes a long way, Newton recommends rubbing a few drops of Moroccan Oil in between palms before applying to mid-lengths and ends. Allow one minute for the product to be absorbed by then style as required.

Argan cosmetic oil in Fez (photo Helen Ranger)

And the price? Moroccan Hair Oil, $50 for 100ml. In the USA we came across 50 ml for 369.90 MAD which works out at 7398 MAD a litre... someone is making a lot of money.

So, what does it take to make Argan oil? It has been calculated that the people of the region spend a collective 20 million working days per year extracting the oil. It takes 15-20 hours to produce the 2 1/2 kilos of kernels needed to produce one litre of oil.

You will find more information about Argan oil here:

Moroccan Argan Oil - a growth industry

Making Argan Oil in Fez

New School of Architecture in Fez

Until now, there's only been one school of architecture in Morocco, based in Rabat but today sees the inauguration of the Ecole Nationale d'Architecture (ENA) in Fez.

students examine details of the Medersa Cherratine

The ENA is to be based in the new city of Fez, and will have a branch in one wing of the newly renovated Medersa Cherratine. The new school has been launched thanks to a partnership between the ENA in Rabat, the Mayoralty of Fez and the Regional College of Fez Architects. It will provide highly specialised training in the preservation and conservation of Morocco's architectural heritage.

The Cherratine Medersa (also known as Medersa Errachidia) is to be found just to the southwest of the Kairouine Mosque, on Derb Cherratine. Built in 1670 by the Alaouite Sultan Moulay Rachid, it was an important seat of learning. It is now, once again, a centre for research open to architects and other highly-qualified specialists.

the Cherratine's central fountain in 2004


the Medersa's central courtyard today

Photo of students:

www.enadefes.over-blog.com

Saturday Morning in the Fez Medina

In this week's guest post on the wonderful Ever The Nomad blog, Lonely Planet writer Helen Ranger of The View of Fez takes you for a Saturday morning wander around her adopted city of Fez in Morocco. Join Helen on a stroll through the medina and find out what a typical day in Fez looks like.Here is a taste... for the entire article follow the link at the end of the extract.

The Medina of Fez - photo Suzanna Clarke

Remember that old song, 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza'? I was humming that gently to myself this morning, thinking of my father singing it when I was a child. It brought a smile to my lips. Well, what would you do if you had a hole in your bucket? If you live in the Fez medina, you take it to Monsieur Tazi who made it for you in the first place. Mind you, it's a very special bucket, made of cedarwood, and used to pour water over yourself in the hammam, the traditional Moroccan steam bath. I have a couple in my bathroom that I use to store towels and soaps. They look great and smell wonderful. A metal band has come off and the bottom has fallen out, so it has to be repaired. Monsieur Tazi is pretty famous, being the last cedarwood hammam bucket maker in the country. All the smart spas in Marrakech order their buckets from him.

On my way down the street, I pass the usual places and smell the usual smells that I've come to take for granted. First there's a small yard built around a natural spring, and it's here that tanners wash the freshly flayed sheepskins before taking them to be dyed. Mules transport huge piles of skins up and down the street and it doesn't smell too good. Where else, though, can you hear mules clip-clopping past your house all day?

Down a bit further is the ferran, the neighbourhood's community oven. Bread is made here for distribution to local shops, and women take their loaves to be baked just before lunch. You'll often see women or children bearing trays with flat loaves covered with a cloth, on their way to the ferran. A much better smell emanates from this area. If you want some slow-roasted aubergines or peppers, or even a leg of lamb, you can bring it here and ask the bakers to cook it for you, for around a Euro or less.

The full article is here: Ever The Nomad blog

King Mohammed VI orders restoration of Tijania house

H.M. King Mohammed VI has given instructions to repair and restore the house of the founder of the Tarika Tijania (Sufi order), Cheikh Sidi Ahmed Tijani. The order was announced by Ahmed Toufiq, Minister of Habous and Islamic affairs on Thursday

.

Addressing an international symposium on the occasion of the bicentenary of Sidi Ahmed Tijani's demise, Toufiq said he was in charged by His Majesty to launch the works to renovate the house, known as "Dar Meraya".

The works, worth 6 million dirhams (some $782k), are expected to last 24 months, the Minister said.

Spanning over 600 square meters, the edifice was granted by Sultan Moulay Slimane in 1798 to the righteous saint, after he took up residence in Fez.

The Tijania Sufi Order, called after the name of its founder, is one of the most radiant pathways. It flourished throughout Morocco in the late 18th century. During the nineteenth century, the Tijania way spread throughout Africa and a number of leaders emerged.

The international symposium, which runs until next Friday, brings together a panel of thinkers and scholars from 30 countries to highlight the thought and works of Cheikh Sidi Ahmed Tijani.

Sheikh Tijani, who was born in Ain Madhi in what is now Algeria, is reputed to have learnt the Koran by heart by the age of seven, and given his first fatwa (religious instruction) at 15. He founded the Sufi brotherhood at the end of the 18th century - using the Gregorian calendar - or towards the start of the 13th Islamic century. Muslims flocked to hear the teachings of the holy man, who had spent long periods meditating in the Sahara Desert. The Moroccan sultan of the time, Moulay Slimane, supported Sheikh Tijani, aiding his rise.

Zoubir Tijani

Tijani disciples from neighbouring countries spread the word and now there are millions of his followers in West Africa. "I have visited many African countries, and there are villages and towns where you don't expect to find even a sign of civilisation, but you find a Koranic school and other buildings put up by the Tijanis,", says Zoubir Tijani, a descendent of Sheikh Tijani, who looks after his mausoleum.

Moroccan News Briefs

Fez Jazz in Riad Festival 2009

« Let the Jazz burn, to each of these terms, for it sets us ablaze… » Leitmotiv of the top of the line of the Fez Jazz in Riad Festival 2009.

The 2009 edition of the Fez, Jazz in the Riads Festival kicks off today and runs until the 11th. Mohamed Kabbaj, President of Spirit of Fez Foundation has this to say about the festival:

Throughout its different activities, the Spirit of Fez Foundation has always succeeded at opening ideas, thoughts, talents, making Fez an intersection of encounters of men and of women of all horizon. The different Festivals of Fez allow us to understand that it is necessary to find refuge in « the otherness », the recognition of the cultural diversity and the safeguard of common values. For this 6th edition of the Fes Jazz in Riad Festival, this is yet another celebration of spirit and heart that the Spirit of Fez Foundation invites you for three straight days of festivities and of encounters.

We have the distinct privilege this year to benefit from the labelling of "DjangodOr, international Trophies of jazz"; which is considered a successful internationalization of the Festival. Furthermore, the DjangodOr are attributed to the best European musicians and soon African musicians. As early as 2010, the first DjangodOr Africa will take place at Ouagadougou to the Burkina Faso and the City of Fez is getting ready to welcome them for its festival in 2011.

Sufi Septuagenarians teach us an essential point: all has a flavour in this earthly world, and it is by this flavour that in all circumstance one can climb back up towards the Principle. You will not be therefore astonished if I say you that the Festival of Jazz of Fez also has a flavour of its own."

Festival of the Atlantic Andalusias

In more festival news, this year's Festival of the Atlantic Andalusias, held in Essaouira, will focus on a Moroccan Jewish musical tradition known as Matrouz, Andre Azoulay, festival chairman and an advisor to Morocco's King Mohammed VI announced on Thursday. This will be the sixth Andalusias Festival.

During the festival, to be held from October 29 to November 1, there will be concerts to gather together "our poets, our musicians and our singers, Muslims and Jews, to sing and dance together". The festival will pay a posthumous tribute to 1950s singer Zohra Fassia, who was a militant for the peaceful coexistence of Jews and Muslims in Morocco.

Evenings of Spanish flamenco and music from India are also on the festival programme.


Mixed Economic Messages from Casablanca Stock Exchange.

Net profits of companies on the Casablanca stock market rose 11 percent in the first six months of 2009, however overall operating profit fell by 5 percent according to local analysts.

The benchmark MASI index has slipped 8 percent from a mid-June high and is little changed since the start of the year when it reached its lowest point in two years.

Morocco's economy remains heavily reliant on an agriculture sector that was boosted by a record grain harvest. This in turn fed into consumer spending and underpinned demand for bank credit.

Tough rules restricting movement of capital mean Moroccan banks are largely cut off from the world's financial markets, helping them shrug off the worst of the global crisis.

Net profit of Moroccan banks rose 6 percent in the first six months of 2009, according to Attijari Intermediation.Export sectors and tourism, both heavily affected by the global downturn, are under-represented on the local bourse.


British Charity sends medical supplies to Casablanca

A 40-foot container in Horton Cross was being loaded with £150,000 of medical equipment on Wednesday, destined for Casablanca. The equipment from hospitals, clinics and manufacturers across the UK will provide support to some of the poorest hospitals in the North African country.

Volunteers from Project Hope carefully loaded pallets with ventilators, ECG machines and for the first time, portable foetal heart monitors powered by a clockwork mechanism. Project Hope has previously delivered aid to Sudan, Kashmir, Bolivia, Cameroon and Ethiopia as well as many other countries desperately in need of medical equipment.

Executive Director Deborah Perreau said: “In Casablanca, there’s a 300-bed hospital with almost no facilities, but it still takes 300 patients per day so we are sending beds, ventilators, wheelchairs and other vital equipment.

“We have received new foetal heart monitors designed by London Neonatal specialist Professor John Wyatt.

“They are powered by a wind-up mechanism so they don’t need electricity, which isn’t always available.”

Physiotherapist Hazel Hare was packing specialist equipment onto a pallet with specific individuals in mind.

“I’m looking for a specific chair for a boy I met out there who is blind and has cerebral palsy,” said Hazel.

“I’ve been out about four times along with other specialists to train local people in the use of the equipment.

“That way we can make sure it gets to where it’s needed most.”

The container will complete its journey from Horton Cross Farm to Casablanca later this month.


Auditions open for the next Star Academy Maghreb

In Morocco, auditions for the next series of Star Academy Maghreb will begin October 17th in Casablanca and will run for two days. Auditions will then move to Tangier on October 20th, followed by Marrakesh on the 22nd. The competition will then move to Algeria, where it will take place in three cities: Algiers on October 25th-26th, Oran on the 28th, and finally in Annaba on the 30th.

According to Nessma TV executive Nabil Karoui's press release, Star Academy Maghreb will begin broadcasting this December, and will continue for 13-14 weeks. The prime-time attraction will be recorded weekly in Hammamet, where large 1,000-square-metre studios "will allow us to invite a large number of fans, unlike the previous shows," Karoui said.

A new feature of this year's Star Academy will be the introduction of young local bands each week to expose them to a wider audience.

The winner of the competition will record a CD, financed by Star Academy management.



Diplomatic bungle bowls Morocco out of cricket.

It has been confirmed that the Moroccan team en route to Malawi was prevented from boarding their transit flight to Blantyre to play in the World Cricket League Africa Division 3 as they were carrying only a fax, rather than visas.

"The Qatari authorities did not let them board since they did not have a formal visa but only a fax stating that visas will be awarded on arrival," a source within Moroccan cricket said

As a result, Morocco were forced to withdraw from the tournament and teams due to play them received a bye. Morocco's next tournament is likely to be the North West Championships, which has been cancelled for this year and now will be played in April 2010.


The Washington Moroccan Club celebrates 20 years.

Since its inception in March 1990, the WMC's foundations have remained solid and its support has grown significantly to include people from all states and all walks of life. During this time, it has remained at the service of its supporters through providing them with the finest events Morocco has to offer in the United States, its friend and ally since 1776. It has also served as a platform for recruiting and rallying Moroccan-Americans, as well as friends of Morocco in sharing their knowledge and love for Morocco. In addition, it has remained at the forefront in supporting political causes that are dear to both native and host countries.

The club's objective is to keep growing and learning from experiences and exposure to new developments in all areas, so as to gain strength and become a voice for all those who love Morocco and want to see it gain popularity and support in the United States.

The WMC will be celebrating the 20th anniversary with 20 events during the month of March 2010. These festivities will include cultural, social, political, and sporting events where the club will partner with various local national, and international organizations. The kick off celebration will take place at the fundraising event "Sahra" in Las Vegas November 21, 2009

100% of the profits will benefit the Children of the Arab World.

More details on the club's website: The WMC

Where are the World's Muslims?

Ask most people about where Muslims live and the common answer is "the Middle East" - and that is wrong. A recent study by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life found that the the world's 1.57 billion Muslims make up nearly a quarter of the global population, with most of them clustered in countries in Asia. The data also showed that there were more Muslims in Germany than in Lebanon, and more in Russia than in Jordan and Libya together.

Nearly two-thirds of the world's Muslims live in Asia, with only one in five in the Middle East and North Africa - even though more than half of the 20 countries in that region are overwhelmingly Muslim. Morocco claims 32 million believers.

"This whole idea that Muslims are Arabs and Arabs are Muslims is really just obliterated by this report."Amaney Jamal, an assistant professor of politics at Princeton University

Indonesia's 203 million Muslims make up around 88 per cent of the country's population and puts Indonesia at the very top of the statistics with 13 per cent of the World total.

Other countries in the top five in terms of numbers of Muslims are Pakistan, where there are 174 million Muslims who make up around 96 per cent of the country's population, followed by India with 161 million, or 13.4 per cent.

Shia and Sunni

The overwhelming majority of Muslims are Sunnis - between 87 and 90 per cent versus 10-13 per cent who are Shia Muslims. The report estimates there are between 154 million and 200 million Shia Muslims in the world; Most Shias live in Iran, Pakistan, India and Iraq. The highest numbers, around 70 million of them, live in Iran.

Egypt has the largest Muslim population in the Middle East and northern Africa region, while Nigeria has the largest Muslim population in sub-Saharan Africa.

Both countries have around 78 million Muslims, but in Egypt they are in a clear majority - nearly 95 per cent - while in Nigeria, which is Africa's most populous nation, they make up around half the population.

Europe has around 38 million Muslims, around 16 million of whom live in Russia, 4 million in Germany and 3.5 million in France.

Of the approximately 4.6 million Muslims in the Americas, more than half, or about 2.5 million, live in the United States.

Data from 232 countries and territories were gathered and analysed for the study, which the Pew Forum called "the largest project of its kind to date."

According to internet-based group, Adherents, there are currently 2.1 billion Christians, 900 million Hindus and 14 million Jews worldwide.

Wine-tasting in Morocco

Domaine de la Zouina is a wine- and olive-producing estate just outside Meknes.The View from Fez went to visit this week to taste the wines.

Domaine de la Zouina (beautiful, in Arabic)

It was some 9 years ago that two French winemakers, M Gribelin and Mr Gervoson, visited Morocco on a golfing holiday. Both of them have impeccable credentials when it comes to Bordeaux wines - M Gribelin headed Chateau de Fieuzal and M Gervoson Chateau Harrivet Haut-Brion, in the Pessac Leognan region.

The golfing duo fell in love with Domaine de la Zouina and bought the 115-hectare farm. M Gribelin's son Christophe manages the farm today, along with wine-maker Philippe Lespy.

Philippe Lespy and Christophe Gribelin

Philippe took us on a drive around the farm and showed us the olives that would soon be harvested. The farm produces an award-winning olive oil - and not just any award: Volubilia Extra Virgin gained the title Best Olive Oil in the World in 2006, judged among some 3000 oils from 26 countries in Europe (344 from Italy alone), North Africa, the Eastern Mediterranean, South Africa and Latin America.

The wines are marketed under the Volubilia label, with a new brand, Epicuria, due to appear shortly. Phillipe explained that of the grapes grown on the farm, chardonnay is used to make all the white wines, fermented either in tanks or in oak. The gris and rosé wines are made from Caladoc and Marselan grapes. The reds are produced from a mixture of around 50% cabernet sauvignon with Syrah, Tempranilla and Mourvedre.

Philippe is a happy man. If he'd stayed in Bordeaux, he'd have been restricted to making wines under very stringent conditions. But here in Morocco, he has the leeway to experiment. He has some hectares planted with 'his babies', vines around 2 years old now, and he can have fun playing with different kinds of grapes.

At the tasting, we tried the 15-day old new vintage whites, still unfiltered. It's very interesting to taste (and spit!) and try to imagine what the wine will taste like when it's ready. The Volubilia Gris is described as 'elegant with a good balance, full of mineral qualities with intenses fruitiness in the mouth'. The 2007 Volubilia Classic red has just been released to the shops now and has 'notes of leather, tobacco and mocha ... is smooth and delicate, leaving glimpses of fine, round tannins'.

The vast majority of the production is sold locally, but Volubilia wines are also available in UK from sales@lescaves.co.uk.

Hemant Kanakia from Washington DC enjoys the tasting with winemaker Philippe Lespy

For more information on trips to the wine farm, contact Gail Leonard at Fez Food.

Morocco to issue new fifty dirham note

According to various sources, Morocco is expected to issue a 50-dirham note next week. The new note will be to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the central bank. This will be the first time a commemorative banknote has been issued in Morocco.

The reverse side depicts the Bank Al-Maghrib building in Rabat, while the front shows portraits of kings Mohammed VI, Hassan II and Mohammed V. The kings also appear on a holographic stripe. The crown on top left corner was printed with ink that changes color depending on the angle of view.