Tangier: From the Romans to the Rolling Stones - review

A new book by Richard Hamilton tells the story of Tangier though the stories of its best known residents - historical figures; writers; artists and musicians 

Some cities have names that evoke much more than the sum of their everyday realities. Mention "Casablanca", and those unfamiliar with Morocco will wax lyrical about the Humphrey Bogart movie. Say "Tangier" and response is likely to be the Beat Poets, Paul Bowles and William Burroughs - all foreigners who produced some of their best work there.

Yet, Tangier is much culturally richer than this, as can be discovered through the pages of Richard Hamilton's latest book, Tangier: From the Romans to the Rolling Stones.

"Much of Tangier's history is a chronology of foreigners and exiles." Hamilton writes.

"Nearly 3,000 years ago the Phoenicians set up trading colonies on the coast and ever since, the local inhabitants have, much to their bemusement seen waves of successive civilizations come and go, imposing their lifestyles upon them. Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Arabs, Portuguese, British, Spanish and French have all occupied the region in their time."

Tangier: From the Romans to the Rolling Stones is impeccably researched, erudite, and with flashes of humour. Hamilton weaves the history of the city and its antecedents into a complex carpet; managing to capture the atmosphere of faded glory; of a history little regarded by the present day occupants.

He quotes Moroccan novelist, Lofti Akalay, "Tangier is a town where people talk of elsewhere. There is a local saying: Tangerines have one eye on the sea, one ear on the news, and one buttock on the rocks."

"We are separated from Europe by 14 kilometres and as many centuries."

The chapters of the book are replete with entertaining stories about the likes of the Roman god Hercules, Roman statesman and general Quintus Sertorius, independant ruler of Spain and the defacto governor of Tangier; Arab explorer Ibn Battuta; diarist Samuel Pepys; journalist and fabulist Walter Harris; artist Henri Matisse; writers Paul Bowles and William Burroughs; poet and painter Brion Gysin; painter Francis Bacon; playwright Joe Orton; writer Mohamed Mrabet and musician Brian Jones.

However, that isn't where the cast of characters ends. Renowned names who have also played a part in Tangier's history also get a look in - among them,  Samuel Beckett; Barbara Hutton; WH Auden and Rita Hayworth.

Despite brief sojourns by female authors such as Edith Wharton and Patricia Highsmith, and a longer one by Jane Bowles, the major writers and artists associated with Tangier are overwhelmingly male, and Hamilton's book reflects this.

Pepys's take on seventeenth century Tangier was far from flattering: "Nothing but vice in the whole place of all sorts for swearing, cursing, drinking and whoring," he wrote.

Matisse's visit in 1912 was in another dimension entirely. On a journey to Tetouan, he wrote, "We rode in among this sea of flowers as if no human being had ever set foot there before."

For Paul Bowles, who first travelled to Tangier in 1931 the city became synonymous with his work. "Back in New York, Bowles achieved success as a composer, but pined for Tangier. 'I tried to drown my melancholy in my work,' he said, 'but I was obsessed by memories of the air and light in North Africa.' He moved there in 1947, and went on to develop his skills as a writer, and create his most famous works such as The Sheltering Sky and The Spider's House. He also made extensive recordings of traditional Moroccan music for posterity.

Richard Hamilton is a professional broadcast journalist who has worked for the BBC World Service. He has spent time reporting from Morocco, South Africa and Madagascar. While in Morocco he co-authored the Time Out Guide to Marrakech and has written throughout his career for various newspapers and magazines.

That Hamilton has a huge affection and deep fascination for Morocco is clearly evident. The country has a long history of storytelling, as he recounted in his earlier book, The Last Storytellers: Tales from the Heart of Morocco. That was a collection of stories, as told by five storytellers from Marrakech's famous square - the Jemaa el Fna. "...Marrakech's marketplace, sacred space, cultural crucible, melting pot and meeting point for centuries." His book on Tangier, too, is composed of a series of stories, of lives which intersect through space but not time, to give an impressionistic portrait of the city.

"Tangier seems to be suspended in unreality," he writes. "It escapes definition and defies categorization...Tangier has been hailed as a paradigm for international cooperation and a cradle of creativity, but it is also a kind of museum of failure, a graveyard of ambition."

"Maybe the city that has survived waves of invasions by Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Arabs, Portuguese, British, Spanish and French can now endure a new wave of development?" he asks.

Of the economic impact of the port of Tangier Med; of the proposed Chinese funded technopolis, of empty houses inhabited by a multitude of squatters waiting for their chance to jump on a boat to Europe, undercover of darkness, there is little sign in this book.

Tangier: From the Romans to the Rolling Stones is an unashamedly nostalgic look at the inspiration, and occasional despair of which the city has long been a source.

"Perhaps in the end Tangier is us," Hamilton writes. "It reflects humanity itself."

Review by Suzanna Clarke

Tangier: From the Romans to the Rolling Stones by Richard Hamilton is published by Tauris Parke 2019. 

In Fez, Morocco, it is available from the ALC-ALIF Bookstore, CLICK HERE. 

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Morocco and France Mend Fences but Tourism Down

According to pundits the French are staying away from Morocco with holidays being cancelled and French bookings becoming increasingly rare

Media24 reports tht French tourists traveling to Morocco has registered a 30% to 40% decline in January. Last week was marked by a near total freeze of the volume of bookings by French tourists, it added.

The downward trend in French bookings and departures to Morocco, which started in September 2014, has apparently intensified in the wake of the terrorist attacks in France that claimed the lives of 17 people.

The terrorist threats from the so-called Islamic State (ISIS) and al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) seem to have also contributed in the decline of the numbers of French tourists travelling to Morocco. Salafist demonstrations in Tangier and Fez in the last few days have not helped.

Christiane Taubira and Mustapha Ramid meet in Paris

Yet at the same time, the rift between France and Morocco which caused Morocco to suspend cooperation agreements with France a year ago, seems to be resolved. A joint statement from Moroccan Justice Minister Mustapha Ramid and French counterpart Christiane Taubira follows meetings on Thursday and Friday and, after months of discussions.

They said the new accord allows for deeper and more effective cooperation while respecting each other's laws and institutions. It didn't elaborate, but said the agreement adds to already strong ties between France and the North African kingdom.

The spat was triggered by French police turning up at the Moroccan ambassador's residence to question intelligence chief Abdellatif Hammouchi — who wasn't present — over a torture complaint filed by a French association. Hammouchi had been accompanying the interior minister for a four-country meeting.

At the same time, King Mohammed VI is reported to have flown to France last Friday for a private visit, thought it is suspected he is likely to meet French President Francois Hollande during his visit.

While there appears to be a flurry of positive activity on the diplomatic front, things are still rocky in other areas.

The Moroccan government is moving towards elevating the position of English in the Moroccan Curriculum and in the educational system of Morocco in general over French.

The Strategic Report of the Supreme Council for Education, Training and Scientific Research, soon to be submitted to King Mohammed VI, is recommending replacing French with English in Moroccan Curriculum, according to sources in the government.

The recent session of the General Assembly of the Council saw a heated debate over adopting the English language as a medium of instruction in Moroccan schools. Many members of the Permanent Committee on Curriculum, Programs, Trainings and Teaching Tools, hailed the proposal while others defended the use of French.

Visa delays

The slow processing and often refusal by French authorities to issue visas to Moroccans has long been a bone of contention between the two countries. The situation has not been improved even though there are discussions in Europe in relaxing restrictions.

French Consulate in Agadir "slow to issue visa"

A Moroccan man died Friday after setting himself on fire outside a French consulate in protest at delays in his visa application, a local NGO said.

According to Aziz Sallami, president of the local branch of the Moroccan Association of Human Rights, Mustapha Riad (47) died a week after setting himself ablaze outside the consulate in Agadir "due to a lack of a response to his visa request".

Riad, who had lived in France for 17 years, had lost his French residency permit and applied for a visa.

Alexander Diebolt, a spokesperson for the the French embassy in Rabat, said the embassy regretted Riad's "tragic" death and added that France provides around 200,000 Moroccans with visas each year.


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No "Exodus" for Morocco

Christian Bale as Moses in Exodus: Gods and Kings

Morocco has joined Egypt and the UAE in banning the Hollywood biblical epic Exodus: Gods and Kings because it “represents God” which is forbidden under Islam.

The film's Moroccan distributor said on Saturday that written notice had been received that Ridley Scott’s blockbuster contained a scene that represents God in the form of a “child who gives a revelation to the prophet Moses”.

“I deplore this censorship,” distributor Mounia Layadi Benkirane said in a statement.

Moroccan media on Thursday reported that cinema managers had been told not to screen the film, despite its release already having been approved by the state-run Moroccan Cinema Centre (MCC).

Hassan Belkady, who runs Cinema Rif in Casablanca, said he had been threatened with the closure of his business if he ignored the ban.

“They phoned and threatened they would shut down the theatre if I did not take the film off the schedule,” Belkady said.

Managers at Renaissance Cinema in Rabat were told that the ban was nationwide, TelQuel magazine reported. Such a ban is rare in Morocco.

Eqypt has also banned the movie, citing "historical inaccuracies". Exodus retells the biblical story of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt, and the film was controversial prior to news of its ban in Morocco.

The film's detractors also criticize Scott's casting of white actors in leading roles, while giving slave roles to black actors, Christian Today reported. A Change.org petition urged people to boycott the film. "The Bible says both Egyptians and Ethiopians are descendants of Ham," the petition reads. "Remember, Egypt wasn't invaded by Rome until 300 B.C. Egypt is in Africa, not Europe."

Agence France-Presse speculated that the ban was put into place in Morocco because Muslims believe that Moses is a prophet and hence should not be depicted in any pictorial representation.

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Morocco Solar Festival Aims High

A new festival devoted to solar energy and sustainable development is to be held for the first time in Ouarzazate on October 17 - 19

Morocco Solar Festival is dedicated to the sun and the sustainable development of desert areas. Science and technology, knowledge discovery, art and culture will be at the heart of this unique event that aims to demonstrate that "gold is in the sun."

The Morocco Solar Festival came about as the result of a meeting between Mehdi Alaoui Mdaghri, organizer of the Forum of the Sea, and Patrick Bauer, founder of the Marathon des Sables. This event is billed as a "festive promenade of knowledge to meet the sun."

Morocco Solar Festival will be held a short distance from Ouarzazate, in the desert. The event is free. It is dedicated to families, young people and anyone concerned with the discovery of the potential of the sun. Occasionally, a "Village of the Sun" will be set up during the festival. It will be open daily from 10:00 to 6:00 p.m.

The official opening is scheduled for Friday, October 17 at 6:00 p.m. and will be followed by a "space opera." The day of Saturday, October 18 will be marked by a conference on "The sun, myths and realities." The MASEN Solar Awards will also held that day. This is a ceremony to award "exemplary initiatives for the exploitation and development of solar energy." At night, the musicians of the Paris Opera and other guest artists, including Oum and Amel Brahim-Djelloul, will perform under the starry desert sky.

On Sunday, October 19, visitors will be able to visit the site of the Ouarzazate solar plant. It will be followed by a conference on "Solar Stratos", a solar airplane of the Swiss Raphaël Domjan, developer of solar boat Planet Solar, which has completed a world tour under his leadership.

For more information, CLICK HERE. 

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Morocco's Hopes of Club World Cup Victory Dashed

Dante of Germany's Bayern Munich ecstatic at his goal against Morocco's Raja Casablanca

Moroccans turned out in force last night to cheer on Raja Casablanca against Bayern Munich in the Club World Cup. Despite all the excitement and support, the Moroccans lost against the German side by 2:0

Raja Casablanca had hoped to become the first African side to win the tournament, but fell against the overwhelming favourites. Bayern boss Pep Guardiola has now won the Club World Cup three times as a coach. The Spaniard previously triumphed with Barcelona in 2009 and 2011.

However, Raja Casablanca had exceeded all expectations to reach the final on home ground, previously beating Auckland City, Monterrey and Ronaldinho's Atletico Mineiro. Last night's match was played in front of an enthusiastic partisan crowd, which included King Mohammed VI and Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, Prince Moulay Rachid, and Prince Moulay Ismail. King Mohammed VI chaired the awards ceremony. To see more photos of the ceremony, CLICK HERE.

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Morocco's Raja Casablanca make Club World Cup Final

On Wednesday December 18, in front of 40,000 ecstatic fans in Marrakech, Raja Casablanca achieved the seeming impossible - beating Ronaldinho's Atletico Mineiro to the Club World Cup final 

Raja Casablanca will challenge Bayern Munich in the final on December 21. They did not even qualify for the tournament, taking part only because they are the champions of the host country - making their achievement all the more impressive.

Their decisive three-to-one victory came in the last 10 minutes of the match, when they scored twice.

Raja, who qualified as champions of host nation Morocco, took the lead early in the second half when Mouhssine Iajour was sent clear on the right and fired a low shot past Victor. But former Barcelona and AC Milan star Ronaldinho curled a free-kick in off the post to level for the South American champions.

Raja regained the lead in the 83rd minute when Rever was judged to have tripped Iajour, although replays suggested no contact was made.

Mohaine Moutaouali fired home the controversial penalty in the 83rd-minute and Vivien Mabide wrapped it up in the fourth minute of stoppage time with a breakaway goal, much to the delight of their Tunisian-born 63-year-old coach Faouzi Benzarti. He has enjoyed three spells at the helm of his national team and also won the African Champions League in 1994 with Esperance.

There were incredible scenes at the end as the Raja players surrounded Ronaldinho to ask for his shirt and took off his boots.

Mineiro, who had spent six months dreaming of the tournament since they won the Libertadores Cup, slunk disconsolately away, leaving their army of 10,000 fans with a long, painful journey back to Belo Horizonte.

Raja will now face European champions Bayern in Saturday's final in Marrakesh.

It will be only the second time since the tournament has been played in its current format in 2005 that the final has not been between a South American and European team.

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News from Our Neighbours

Tunisia

The ruling Islamist party in Tunisia has agreed to step down, ahead of three weeks of negotiations that begin next week with opposition parties to form an independent caretaker government.

The country has been in turmoil for more than two years, exacerbated by the assassination of leading opposition figure Mohamed Brahmi, who was shot dead in July in front of his family. As a result, dozens of opposition lawmakers quit their attempts to write a new constitution.

Deadly street protests were followed by a suicide bombing on October 31, where a bomber detonated explosives outside a seaside hotel in Sousse, killing only himself. Security guards had prevented him from entering. Another person was caught with explosives in Monastir before they could be detonated. These were the first such attempts in more than a decade.

Algeria

Algerian socialists are calling for an opening of the borders with Morocco.

According to Morocco World News, Ahmed Betatache, the first national secretary of the Socialist Forces Front (FFS), has reiterated the position of his party in favour of reopening of the borders with Morocco.

During his recent participation in a meeting of deputies and heads of socialist parties on both sides of the Mediterranean held in Marrakech, Ahmed Betatache said he deeply regretted the closure of the border between the two neighbours, calling it “nonsense” and “an affront” to the memory of the nationalist leaders who struggled for independence for the Maghreb countries, and aimed to build a “Federal Union Maghreb.”

To see the full story CLICK HERE. 

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Artisans Take Sales Into Their Own Hands

It sounds idealistic, but impractical - getting illiterate artisans in remote parts of Morocco to handle sales of their own work. However, an enterprising group of people has made it a reality with the launch of a new website. It's a remarkable story of innovation and perseverance, writes Suzanna Clarke

In August the e-commerce website Anou - Beyond Fair Trade was launched. At first glance, it looks like a modest version of other e-commerce websites, but the photos of artisans' work it contains represent thousands of hours of labour. The man behind the site is Dan Driscoll, whose aim is to make himself redundant. 

"I wanted to build a platform artisans could use," says Dan. "For artisans to gain the full value of their work they have to be responsible for the complete process."

During his time as a Peace Corps worker in Morocco from 2008 to 2010, Dan discovered that artisans received a small portion of the sales of their work, with the rest going to middlemen. If artisans handled the sales, he reasoned, they could receive all the profit.

Founder of Anou, Dan Driscoll

The idea is that artisans can upload photos of their work onto the site, customers all over the world can buy them on line, and they post them out. It sounds simple, but when Dan came up with the concept he was living in a remote village with no road and no water, hours from the nearest town. "However, we did have internet," he explains. "It arrived in 2006 via cell phone towers and has made a huge amount of difference to people's lives."

Since then Dan and a dedicated team have trained artisans, who have themselves become trainers who go out into the field to teach other artisans - many of them illiterate - how to use the technology. "One of our best trainers, Rabha, has a 4th grade education, and a year ago she couldn't use a computer," Dan says.

Rabha Akkaoui is the President of Cooperative Chorouk. "Prior to Anou, we [Cooperative Chorouk] couldn't sell our products because we were very far from any city and if we did sell something, it was usually through a middleman," she says. "We didn't make much money when we did this. Now we have been able to sell work online, where most of our sales now come from and we have been able to increase our prices.

The new scheme has made a huge difference to Rabha's life, and the artisans she deals with. "I have been given the opportunity to travel to many places I have never been and meet many interesting people in order to train new artisans how to use Anou. The experience has taught me how to better sell and make my own products in order to help the women in my village. And I now understand problems many Moroccan artisans face across Morocco and I am happy to be able to fix them."

Now the Anou project has trained around 200 artisans, and new coops are joining the scheme every week.

"The training is free, and it's free to add products," explains Dan. "We are a non-profit organisation - we are in the process of formalising that in Morocco - and charge a 15% commission on products to cover our costs. All of that money is ploughed back into the business. It costs around US $1,500 a month to run, and we have six trainers who get paid for each training they complete. The trainers are always artisans themselves. The more trainers we bring on, the more we develop an established community of artisans who can support each other."

Not everyone is happy about the new scheme however, particularly the middlemen who feel that it has undermined their profit share. But Dan remains optimistic. "If you look at the market of somewhere like Fez, it's huge," he says. "Handicrafts are a big enough field for all of us." And, he reasons, encouraging the next generation of artisans who can see they can make a reasonable living for their families can only be good for the industry as a whole.

Weavers from Associate Tithrite in Ait Hamza

Dan began working with a group of woodcarvers in 2008, as a Peace Corps volunteer. "Before I came out to the village, I did a three month training course in the Amazigh language. And then I arrived here and found I had trained in the wrong dialect."

He was posted to Ait Bouganez, four hours from the town of Ben Mellal in the Atlas Mountains; one of 26 villages totalling a population of 16,000. Having no-one who spoke English around forced Dan to learn the language quickly. He found that the woodcarvers were having to take wood from the forest without permission, and helped them to legalise the arrangement. As deforestation had happened on a wide scale since the 1980s, he introduced the idea of them planting trees to replace those they used. But, as the woodcarvers received such a small return for their work this was unaffordable. So then Dan started to look for a way to improve the amount the artisans were getting.

Red charm bracelet by Mohamed El Asri

"Initially I tried to get them to use the Etsy and eBay sites, but they are really not designed for first time users. They change the layout of their sites frequently, and people would have difficulties using them." Despite this, Dan's belief in the potential of the internet was confirmed as the woodcarver's incomes grew to around 10 times what they had started with from online sales. In fact they were so successful, the group started to fund local infrastructure projects, focusing on waste management. They installed big metal drums to burn trash, which was too expensive to transport, and afterwards would bury the ash.

Dan took a year's break from Morocco, going to Yemen to work on a national newspaper in English there. However, he was deported from the country, as were most journalists, during the Arab Spring.

He returned to Morocco, with a vision of finding ways to create jobs in rural areas, "and trying to find a way for the artisan community to support itself. I am interested in trying to create resilient communities, with community led development." Inspired by his success with the woodcarvers, Dan looked for a way to replicate and improve the model on a larger scale.

"The internet has really changed the way people live," says Dan. "All of a sudden they can sell their products from their mud house...And its becoming even more accessible with the use of affordable smart phones."

Weaver from Cooperative Chorouk with her naturally dyed rug

"Anou is not so much about e-commerce - it's trying to solve the access problem," Dan says. "We want our buyers to create a personal connection with the artisans. Many of our buyers have travelled to Morocco before. In many ways they are better buying the product online, because they know that the artisan actually receives their money.

"Our aim is to create transparency in the market. We can give you a dirham breakdown on who gets what. We verify what people get paid by not only sending a text message to the head of the co-op who dispatches the product, but also one to the artisan so they know what sold and for how much."

It hasn't all been smooth sailing. When artisans encounter technical problems with the website, they are inclined to believe it is their fault and they have somehow broken the site. "I spend a lot of time travelling out to remote villages finding out what happened and reassuring people," he says.

How successful Anou is remains to be seen, but the signs are promising. Dan points out that the website is "not a power grab, but way of reshaping market in way that benefits the artisans."

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Moroccan News Briefs #91

PM Benkirane in Rome to represent HM the King in Rome


At the inauguration ceremony of Pope Francis, the leader of the government, Mr. Abdelilah Benkirane, praised Rome's unwavering commitment to Morocco as a triumph of the values ​​of peace, understanding and cooperation among peoples and followers of divine religions. Benkirane said his presence in the Italian capital to represent HM King Mohammed VI, demonstrates the values in international relations.

The head of government remarked on the secular nature of relations between Morocco and the Vatican "We are convinced that the future can be built on friendly relations based on cooperation, understanding and tolerance in the service of peoples and nations in general, and Muslims and Catholics in particular".

Benkirane arrived in Rome in the early evening yesterday to join an expected total of 132 delegations, including some including heads of state. The official ceremonies will be held on Tuesday from 9:00 to (8:00 GMT). The new pope was elected last Wednesday and becomes the 266th Pope in the history of the Catholic Church.


35 immigrants rescued aboard makeshift boats

On Monday Spanish Maritime Rescue Services intercepted 35 illegal immigrants trying to cross the Strait of Gibraltar aboard makeshift boats to reach the Spanish coast. The 35 migrants from Africa had embarked on four inflatable boats. The Red Cross was able to rescue nine of them before a passing ship helped rescue 26 migrants traveling in the other three boats.

Illegal migrants in a boat attempt to reach Spain

Rescuers distributed blankets before returning to the port of Tarifa, on the coast of Andalusia, in southern Spain.

At the end of October, at least 16 illegal immigrants were killed while trying to reach the Spanish coast from Morocco. Spain has tightened security around its enclave of Melilla by enhancing border fence after an attempted incursion of sixty illegal migrants. The enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, both on the northern coast of Morocco are the only land border between Africa and Europe. Fifty migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, however, were able to cross the border at Melilla a week ago. In that attempt 12 people were wounded according to the Spanish authorities. But the Moroccan Association for Human Rights puts the figure at 25. Since the summer, hundreds of other migrants have tried to force their way through the border. The humanitarian organization Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), which is preparing to leave Morocco, denounced last week an increase in "violence" inflicted by Spanish and Moroccan police against illegal migrants from sub-Saharan Africa trying to reach Europe.


Casablanca: beware the false policemen

Casablanca police have had a small triumph of fact over fiction - by arresting a fake policeman. District police in the Hay Hassani area nabbed an alleged fake police officer who, along with two others were the subject of complaints, says a police source.

Their last victim was suspicious of the behaviour of three alleged police who threatened first take him to the police station before demanding money for their "services". If he paid up he would be allowed to go free, he was told. The victim gave them 4500 dirhams, but the fake police said it was not enough and demanded he write a cheque payable to the bearer as collateral and then find the rest of the agreed amount.

Investigations by the real police were aided by detailed descriptions of the false police and were quick to identify the the crooks. Once surrounded by investigators the crooks were discovered to be intoxicated and tried to resist by flashing a knife. They attacked the police but were finally subdued and taken into custody.

19th International Festival of Mediterranean Cinema

Twelve films will compete for the Grand Prize at the 19th International Mediterranean Film Festival in Tetouan. The festival is scheduled to run from March 23 to 30. The films in competition are from ten Mediterranean countries: Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Palestine, Spain, France, Italy, Croatia and Romania.

The Italian producer, Grazia Volpi, will chair the feature film jury alongside Moroccan director Abdelmajid R'chiche, actress Teresa Taba from the Ivory Coast, Egyptian actor Fathy Abdelouahab and Portuguese director Pedro Antonio Vasconcelos.

This 19th edition of the festival will open with the Franco-Romanian film "Beyond the Hills" and closed by the Moroccan film "The Horses of God". This year the festival will feature Algerian and Portuguese cinema by screening an anthology of film's such as "Chronicles of Years of Fire" by Mohamed Lakhdar Hamina, and the film "La Montagne de Baya" by Azeddine Meddour. The festival will also pay tribute to many Mediterranean cinema greats, including the Egyptian actor Ahmad Hilmi who will be present at the screening of his latest film "Ala Jottati" (2013), the Tunisian director and filmmaker Reda Bahi and Spanish director Fernando Trueba.

Moroccan cinema will also be honoured in the person of actress Touria Alaoui whose film "Bab Tarfaya Labhar" will be screened and director Saad Chraibi whose film career is traced through the films "Jawhara, Daughter of Prison", "Thirst", "Women and Women", "Islamour" and "Women in Mirrors".


Boxing at Jardin des Biehn

A reminder that the boxing training with Christophe Tendil begins Saturday, March 23 at 9:30.

If you decide to attend, please let the good folks at Jardin des Biehn if you need boxing gloves.

Le Jardin des Biehn is not all about the pugulistic art - the stomach is also being catered for with the news that on Monday, March 25, there will be a dinner concert at Fez Cafe Restaurant.

Rocked by the talented Leo and his Oud, intoxicated by the Chef Hicham, the fixed-price menu is 220 dirhams per person.  The concert begins at 20h and it is suggested you make a reservation.

Menu - 220 dirhams

- Terrine of sole, celery root and saffron
- Chicken breast stuffed with mushroom polenta, artichokes and beans
- Strawberry Mousse


OPINION

This week The National Interest ran an interesting article by Ahmed Charai "The Great Potential of a U.S.-Moroccan Relationship".

The West faces a serious dilemma on the African continent as French forces begin the process of withdrawing troops from Mali in April. As the New York Times noted this week, French troops were critical in routing Al Qaeda-linked militants from the northeastern part of the country, where the extremists had managed to conquer a territory the size of France itself and subject the population to a reign of terror. The enclave was fast becoming a bastion of support for Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and other affiliated groups below the Sahara—whose growth on the African continent poses one of the most grave terror threats to global security today.

The reason for Western concerns about French withdrawal is that the coalition of African armies with whom they are now allied lack the capacity to hold the territory on their own. “No amount of exercise or training in the next couple weeks or months can, in itself, prepare African forces for their new role in Mali,” U.S. counterterrorism specialist Benjamin P. Nickels told the Times. And so at precisely the time when most Western governments wish to reduce their military commitments abroad in light of trying economic circumstances, they face pressure to do the opposite.

This problem, in turn, is only part of a larger challenge Europe and the United States face in Africa, a continent which, though formidable, poses opportunities as well as risks. As Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson noted in a statement earlier this year, “It is my firm belief that Africa represents the next global economic frontier. Sub-Saharan Africa continues to weather the global economic crisis more successfully than other regions, and is home to six—and soon to be seven—of the ten fastest growing economies in the world.” Yet he also noted in substance that American entrepreneurs lack the knowledge base and network on the continent to take advantage of the opportunity.

Meanwhile, elites in the U.S. private sector have observed that foreign direct investment in Africa, while promising in terms of its potential to develop and enrich the continent and investors, could easily be reversed through capital flight should Al-Qaeda gains imperil the security of multinational installations.

In order to scale back military commitments, strengthen indigenous military capabilities, and benefit from the business opportunities Africa poses, the United States would do well to find a local partner that can facilitate all three. A strong candidate to play this role is a staunch US ally, the Kingdom of Morocco: Since Muhammad VI assumed the throne in 1999, the country has worked to establish goodwill, political and economic ties, and a strong security footprint across the continent—both north and south of the Sahara.

King Mohammed VI visited three countries in sub-Saharan Africa last week: Senegal, Gabon, and Ivory Coast. As in forays to seven other African states since February 2005, he brought along teams of intelligence, political and cultural advisors, as well as Moroccan entrepreneurs. This mixed portfolio, unleashed in a series of working sessions with counterparts in each country, reflects the monarchy’s approach to building ties deep into Africa while bolstering continent-wide security as well.

King Mohammed appears to believe that security in any developing country rests on a combination of military operations, intelligence work and policing on the one hand, and anti-poverty measures, the promotion of religious tolerance and opportunity-boosting political reforms on the other. This is the approach he has employed in his own country since a 2003 triple suicide bombing rattled the kingdom. It was recently consolidated by a new constitution that grants sweeping domestic authorities to an elected chief of government, mandates equal opportunity for women and minorities, and democratizes domestic security by establishing a consultative security council bringing the monarchy and elected officials together.

In accordance with these principles, Morocco has established goodwill in much of Africa through a series of development projects. Among the more prominent examples, the kingdom’s National Office of Electricity is now electrifying rural areas along the Senegal River, affecting 550 villages and 360,000 people. Along the way, the venture trains Senegalese experts in techniques honed inside Morocco, thanks to a homegrown project that brought electricity to 98 percent of villages countrywide.

Other Moroccan-led ventures are improving health services on the continent. For example, the kingdom’s pharmaceutical giant, Sothema, was tapped to establish a branch in Dakar which now makes and exports affordable drugs to treat cholera, malaria, and diarrheal diseases in Africa’s poorest countries. These projects, along with the Moroccan private sector’s investments in many sub-Saharan states, are facilitated by a Moroccan banking network spanning 20 African nations. Human resources for the work are typically drawn from a combination of indigenous talent and Moroccan expatriate communities across the continent who lend their bilingual, bicultural skills to these bilateral ventures.


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Morocco in Top Three "Most Friendly Countries"

Just how friendly are Moroccans?  A new report, put out earlier this month by the World Economic Forum, has ranked which countries roll out the welcome mat to travelers and which give the cold shoulder. The good news is that Morocco was in the top three

One of the most frequently asked questions in travel forums by those thinking of visiting Morocco is "Is it safe, are Moroccans welcoming of tourists?" While responses to such questions have always been positive, it is only now that we can report on a qualitative survey. And the answer is an overwhelming "yes"!

The "Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2013" ranked 140 countries according to attractiveness and competitiveness in the travel and tourism industries. Among the extensive analyses, one of the most interesting rankings was how welcome tourists are in each country, under the category "Attitude of population toward foreign visitors."

Lets start with the countries that did not do so well. And the world's most unfriendly country, according to the data is Bolivia with the dubious honour, scoring a 4.1 out of seven on a scale of "very unwelcome" (0) to "very welcome" (7). Venezuela and the Russian Federation were next. Interestingly, despite their huge tourist arrivals, South Korea and China tied with four other countries for the eighth least friendly spot.

Bolivia did not score so well

Unfriendliest

Attitude of population toward foreign visitors
(1 = very unwelcome; 7 = very welcome)

1. Bolivia 4.1
2. Venezuela 4.5
3. Russian Federation 5.0
4. Kuwait 5.2
5. Latvia 5.2
6. Iran 5.2
7. Pakistan 5.3
8. Slovak Republic 5.5
9. Bulgaria 5.5
10. Mongolia 5.5

And the good news at the other end of the scale? Iceland and New Zealand tied at the top just ahead of Morocco in the rankings of the world's most welcoming nations for visitors.

Welcome to Morocco!

Friendliest
1. Iceland 6.8
2. New Zealand 6.8
3. Morocco 6.7
4. Macedonia, FYR 6.7
5. Austria 6.7
6. Senegal 6.7
7. Portugal 6.6
8. Bosnia and Herzegovina 6.6
9. Ireland 6.6
10. Burkina Faso 6.6

The "friendly" ranking was just one aspect of the report, analyzing each country's competitiveness in travel and tourism. That competitiveness is "based on the extent to which they are putting in place the factors and policies to make it attractive to develop the travel and tourism sector."

In the overall Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index, Europe was the top region with the first five positions all held by European countries. Switzerland, Germany and Austria were the top three in that order. Switzerland has headed the ranking since the index began five years ago.

Excellent tourism infrastructure and facilities, business travel appeal, sustainable development of natural resources and rich cultural resources were among the key factors in landing the highest positions in the rankings.Safety/security, underdeveloped infrastructure and concerns about sustainable development were among the factors bringing down countries' competitiveness.

Other Regions

The United States (6th) topped the combined Americas region, Singapore (10th) just pushed out Australia and New Zealand to lead the Asia Pacific region, the United Arab Emirates (28th) was the highest performer in the Middle East.

The report emphasized the need for continued development in the travel and tourism sector particularly for its role in job creation in a relatively stagnant global economy. The industry currently accounts for one in 11 jobs in the world.

The report used data compiled from the World Economic Forum's Executive Opinion Survey and hard data from private sources and national and international agencies and organizations such as the ICAO, IATA, UNWTO, World Bank/International Finance Corporation, IUCN, WHO and UNESCO.

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Morocco vs South Africa - Football fever in Morocco

Football fever is gripping Morocco ahead of the clash with South Africa on Sunday. The Atlas Lions will need all three points in order to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals while Bafana Bafana seek at least a single point in order to progress.

According to the SA Football Association, tickets for the match are sold out.President Kirsten Nematandani, speaking in Johannesburg has urged those with tickets to the match to turn out in their numbers at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.

"Those with tickets, please don't stay at home, we want to see the stadium full," he said.

For those in Morocco, the cafes around the country will be packed with supporters.

Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium

South Africa enter into their final Group A clash against Morocco brimming with their confidence after their inspired performance against Angola, which has left them top of Group A with four points. The hosts will have to deal with a few injury concerns before the match, as striker Lehlohonolo Majoro will not be fit for the tie after being helped off the pitch on Wednesday.

Tokelo Rantie has a question mark placed on his head as he picked up a knock in training, while injured pair Kagisho Dikgacoi and Lerato Chabangu were seen doing light training in Durban on Thursday. This would mean South Africa go into the game with only two recognised strikers in their squad, with Katlego Mphela and Bernard Parker leading the line of attack.

Gordon Igesund is wary of Morocco before the tie and is encouraging his players to focus on the present and the match ahead.

"We know what we need to do on Sunday. We can't continue living in the past. We must start celebrating once we qualify for the quarter-finals," he told reporters.

"We won our second game, but we really can't get carried away with that. One win is not going to qualify us. We know what have to do next. We have a tough match against a strong Morocco side and we need to win that one.”

The hosts will target a victory against the side deemed to be the strongest in the group, but Morocco have failed to light up the tournament with draws against Angola and Cape Verde and may fear the renewed vigour and confidence displayed by Bafana Bafana in their win over the Palanacas Negras.

Rachid Taoussi will need to make some changes in order to help his side unleash their attacking potential with players such as Assaidi and El Hamadaoui yet to fire.

Taoussi may be regretting leaving Adel Taabart and Maraoune Chamkah out of his squad, as the side has looked rather toothless in attack, with only a single goal being scored in the tournament by El Arabi, which was the priceless equaliser against Cape Verde.

However the team will want to prove that they can do well without the likes of Taarabt, by beating a host nation which looked unstoppable against Angola.

Many South Africans feared the tie against Morocco, but it seems the tables have turned as suddenly the Atlas Lions could be deemed as the underdogs on Sunday night.

PROBABLE PLAYERS

SOUTH AFRICA
Khune,Masilela, Khumalo, Sangweni, Ngcongca, Phala, Furman, Mahlangu, Tshabalala Mphela, Parker

MOROCCO
Lamyaghri, Chakir, Bergdich, Benatia, El Adoua Abdel, El Ahmadi, Belhanda Assaidi, El Hamdaoui, Amrabat


The History 

Thabo Mngomeni scored in Bafana's 3-1 win over Morocco in the 2002 Nations Cup

South Africa and Morocco have played on three occasions with Bafana Bafana holding a slight advantage over their opponents with two wins and a draw the final results.

The last time the two sides met was in 2004 in Tunisia and the final score was a 1-1 draw.

Morocco has not qualified for the second round of the Africa Cup of Nations since 2004, when Badou Zaki was coach of the side.

South Africa’s two goals against Angola were their first goals of 2013.

South Africa has not reached the knock-out round of the Africa Cup of Nations since 2002.


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Morocco - the view from abroad

A recent article in an Australian weekend newspaper is a reminder of how enduring cliches about Morocco can be. Moroccan tourism authorities have a vested interest in maintaining an Orientalist view of the country, however, the truth is far richer and may appeal even more to travellers.

If you were a reader of the Sun Herald newspaper in Australia, you could be forgiven for thinking that the only place worth visiting in Morocco is Marrakech. Of its last eighteen travel stories, all were about Marrakech.

"PART CIRCUS, PART HISTORY LESSON... MOROCCO IS A SOUL-STEALING PLACE" - Sunday Life 

A recent list of the "Top Ten Exotic Locations" for 2013 had Morocco at number nine. But what consitutes exotic?

ex·ot·ic [ig-zot-ik]
adjective
1. of foreign origin or character; not native; introduced from abroad, but not fully naturalized or acclimatized: exotic foods; exotic plants.
2. strikingly unusual or strange in effect or appearance: an exotic hairstyle.

A family of Moroccans from Errachidia, finding themselves in Australia on Sydney's Bondi Beach would certainly find it exotic. It is also certain they would find the Mardi Gras, Aboriginal cultural performances and countless other Australian attractions extremely exotic. Yet a search through Australian tourism websites shows that the word "exotic" is not a selling point.

"Set in a luxurious private compound, overflowing with whimsical sculptures, on the outskirts of Marrakesh, Harem is not your usual spa retreat. Sure, it evokes Moroccan exotica and, of course, it offers healthy food, foot baths and facials, but it is primarily a place of discovery, of surprise."

And there is a new "exotic" Morocco - that of the glamours world of the Palmeraie, a twenty minute drive from Marrakech. This high-end destination is getting a lot of media attention because many of the hotel and spa owners can afford to sponsor trips for journalists. But, is it a "Moroccan experience"?

On the plus side is the growth of boutique tourism where small companies arrange holidays and tours that have specific interests at their heart. This is a growing area in Morocco with tours based on music, art and architecture, culinary adventures, design, photography and painting all now available.

Overseas bookings are up 20 per cent on last year. 'Hawaii and Thailand are completely booked out due to the strength of the Aussie dollar and the recent events in Fiji. And I've never seen Bali so busy. - David Goldman of Goldman Travel in Bondi Junction

AdvertisementApart from the strong dollar, he said many high-end travellers were finding better value for money overseas. ''We're finding that people want a bit of a culture fix,'' he said. ''

So, with the exchange rates so good, Australians are travelling more. But when asking a bunch of friends about destinations, they almost all opt for "safe choices"...nothing exotic. Ironically, they are more likely to be mugged in Rome, ripped off in Paris or encounter bomb threats in London than have negative experiences in Morocco.

The fact that Morocco is usually a safe destination and one suitable for solo women travellers is being recognised and there are now dozens of "retreats", "surf workshops", "yoga weeks" and "spa holidays" being advertised.


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Moroccan News Briefs #81

A snapshot of the latest news from around Morocco

World leaders recognise Syrian opposition in Marrakech meeting

World leaders including Morocco's King Mohammed VI, US President Barack Obama, and French President François Hollande have now joined the global alliance in calling for a speedy transfer of power to end the violence in Syria that has taken more than 42,000 lives and caused thousands to flee to neighbouring countries.

In his address, King Mohammed urged members of the UN Security Council, over which Morocco currently presides, to adopt "a unified, resolute stance as quickly as possible to spare the Syrian people further tragedy and suffering, and to support the transfer of power in Syria for the establishment of a democratic, multi-party system."

King Mohammed applauded "the dynamism of the Syrian opposition for unifying the full spectrum of political opinion, at home and abroad," which he said "culminated in the Doha Declaration on the establishment of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, headed by Sheikh Moaz al-Khatib."

"This is a major political achievement for the Syrian opposition, which gives it legitimacy in the transition period," as it works to fulfil the hopes of the Syrian people in building a democratic Syrian state, said King Mohammed. He added that this should also facilitate efforts by the international community "to provide support to the coalition in a collective, efficient and orderly
manner, according to each one's capabilities and competencies."

Earlier this year, King Mohammed ordered the setting up of a Moroccan field hospital at the Zaatari camp in Jordan - which he visited in October - that has aided more than 40,000 Syrian refugees. As part of a broad international humanitarian aid effort, Morocco has also sent 2,000 winterised tents, tons of foodstuff, medicine, and blankets to benefit the refugees in both Jordan and Turkey.


Death of  Sheikh Abdessalam Yassine

The leader of Morocco's main opposition group, Islamist al-Adl Wal Ihsane (Justice and Spirituality) group, Sheikh Abdessalam Yassine (pictured left), died on Thursday. According to Hassan bin Najeh of the group's youth section, Yassine, who was born in 1928, had been suffering from influenza.

The group, which Yassine formed in 1981, is banned from formal politics but is believed by analysts and diplomats to be the only opposition organisation capable of mass mobilisation in Morocco.

The group was a major player in protests last year that led the monarchy to institute constitutional reforms to dilute some of its extensive powers.  It was not clear who would succeed Yassine.

Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane accompanied by Minister of State and Minister of Justice Baja Mustafa Ramid in the house of the late Abdessalam Yassine to offer condolences

King inaugurates Casablanca tram route

The King, Mohammed VI, has inaugurated Casablanca’s first tramway. The new 31km line – the longest line to be built as part of one project – links the city’s east and south-west districts, calling at 48 stations.

In 2009, Casablanca’s transport authority awarded Alstom a 120 million euro contract to supply 74 Citadis trams. Subsequent agreements have also been made with Alstom to install signalling and power supply systems.

The Citadis trams, which were manufactured and assembled at Alstom’s Reichshoffen plant in France, are 65 metre-long double units and can accommodate up to 606 passengers.


Morocco’s Honorary Consul in Aleppo assassinated

Mohamed Aladine Kiyali, Morocco’s Honorary Consul in Aleppo, was assassinated on Tuesday, reported Morocco’s official news agency Maghreb Arab Press (MAP). According to MAP, Armed men riding a taxi mortally shot Mr. Kiyali as he came out of a hotel in Aleppo at 7:00 p.m. local time.

Some Moroccan observers are accusing the regime of Basharal-Assad of being behind this terrorist act. The Assad government has been critical of King Mohammed support of the Syrian rebels. Damascus is furious at Morocco’s decision to host the next Friends of Syria meeting scheduled for December

In the past, the Chabihet, Assad’s regime thugs, attacked the Moroccan Embassy in Damascus to protest Rabat’s decision to organize a pro-rebels special meeting of Arab Foreign Ministers.
Previously, the Syrian representative to the United Nations (UN) threatened to support the Algeria based Western Sahara Separatist Polisario guerrilla fighting Morocco. Assad’s ambassador the U.N. offered the Algerian government help and political support as a token of appreciation for Algiers pro-Assad positions and as a “warning” to King Mohammed VI.

Born in 1961, the late Kiyali, a Syrian national, served as Honorary Consul of Morocco in Aleppo since April 2001.

King Mohammed VI has sent a condolence message to the family of late Mohamed Alaeddine Kiyali. In the message, the sovereign expressed to the victim’s family members and through them to the Syrian people, deep sadness and strong condemnation of the “criminal and abject” attack.

The message condemned the killing as “going against the prescriptions of our noble religion, and against all heavenly religions, the values of humanity and the ideals of democracy,” reiterating firm support for the Syrian people in achieving its “legitimate aspirations for freedom, democracy and dignity,” within the “the sovereignty and national and territorial unity of Syria.”

The King hailed the lofty values of the victim, adding that his death is a “great loss for the Kingdom” taking account of the strong ties of friendship of loyalty to his second country, Morocco, and his efforts to consolidate the brotherly and solidarity ties between the two countries.


Female "human chain" denounces violence against women

Hundreds of people formed a human chain in Rabat on last weekend to denounce all forms of violence against women.

Women in Rabat form a human chain denouncing all forms of violence against women.

"We are here to denounce physical, verbal and moral violence, as well as the harassment of women," said a member of "Spring of Dignity," a coalition of 22 groups defending the rights of women. According to one AFP report, the chain, accompanied by street entertainment, ran from parliament to the justice ministry.

In a country of 32 million, around six million women are victims of violence, more than half of them within marriage, according to government figures.

"Morocco's laws should be adapted to the international conventions that Morocco has ratified, particularly those dealing with the rights of women," one organiser said.


Little progress on corruption in Morocco: NGO

The NGO, Transparency Morocco, this week accused the government of failing to achieve any major progress in its battle against corruption, despite the ruling Islamist party promising to do so on coming to power. Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane's Party of Justice and Development (PJD) won parliamentary elections in November 2011 pledging to tackle endemic corruption in Morocco, and insists it has made progress in doing so.

In its annual Corruption Perceptions Index for 2012, which came out on Wednesday, Berlin-based watchdog Transparency International dropped Morocco eight places, to 88, out of 176 countries rated.

The Moroccan branch of TI also charged, in its open letter to Benkirane that the government's declarations and limited measures were the "best ally" of corruption, which it described as "systematic".

"Your government has not made any major progress in the desired direction, and it has not even presented ... its goals in the short or long term in the fight against this scourge that threatens our social cohesion and economic efficiency" - Transparency International Morocco.

The NGO said the government must take "concrete steps" to end the impunity of officials, to "activate" the judiciary and inspectors appointed to scrutinise public administration, and introduce laws to protect whistleblowers.

Government officials were not immediately available to respond to the NGO's claims.


Protestor who impersonated king arrested

A Moroccan anti-government protestor who dressed up as King Mohammed has been arrested and accused of possessing drugs, the man's lawyer and human rights activists said on Thursday.

Idris Boutarada, a member of the 'February 20' movement that led Arab Spring protests in Morocco last year, was detained by police on Monday after taking part in an anti-government protest near parliament in Rabat two days earlier.

Arab Spring protests spread to Morocco last year after uprisings in Egypt in Tunisia brought down veteran rulers. The protests faded after the king introduced some constitutional limits to his powers and allowed an Islamist party to form a cabinet after winning early elections.

But some small demonstrations have continued, mainly led by unemployed graduates. February 20 activists have also staged protests including one against the monarchy's share of the budget that police broke up last month.

Boutarada's lawyer Smail Amar said his client was dressed in a traditional Moroccan djellaba and red hat, which the king often wears. He also walked with a crutch. The king has appeared in public on several occasions with a walking stick. Photographs of Boutarada dressed in this way circulated on social media.


The rise and rise of Facebook in Morocco

With one of the highest internet speeds in Africa, Morocco has taken to the internet with enthusiasm. The latest figures available claim that there are more than 5 million Facebook users in the country. Looking at the statistics Facebook is undoubtedly the first web site visited  by users when they log in. That puts Facebook ahead of Youtube videos and the omnipresent Google search engine. The figure of more than five million Facebook users  places Morocco in 36th place worldwide.

OPINION - How Dangerous Are Morocco's Salafists?

When the Salafist group Ansar al-Sharia first appeared on the social networks, little was known about them. TelQuel magazine has done some digging...

What are some of the features of Ansar al-Sharia in Morocco? First is their flag, which is identical to that of their counterparts in Libya, Yemen and Tunisia. It is a black flag displaying the slogan “there is no God but God.” They claim to have no connections to foreign countries, but they do not hide their sympathy for extremist movements around the world, first among them al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

Their leaders? Until a few days ago, nobody claimed to be their leader. But on Sunday, Oct. 21, police arrested a certain Younsi Hassan in Tetouan, when he was visiting a few “brothers.” Known among Salafists for his activism, the former inmate presented himself as one of the leaders of Ansar al-Sharia in Morocco. A local source said, “We suspect that this group is recruiting jihadists to fight in Syria, especially in Tetouan.”

Is there reason to fear the latest Salafist unrest? Mohamed Darif, a political scientist and expert on Islamist movements thinks not, at least with regard to Ansar al-Sharia in Morocco.
“I think the movement’s name scares people because it is associated with those movements that advocate violence and that emerged in the wake of the Arab Spring.” According to Darif, Ansar al-Sharia in Morocco revealed its program when it declared itself against secularism but not against the regime.

“Let us remember that in 2005, King Mohammed VI told El-Pais that Morocco is not a secular state,” said the researcher. But what about the violent acts by militants proclaiming Salafism? “I think what happened in Salé was an individual act. What we should fear is organized violence,” said Darif.

In conclusion, Darif believes that we should not exaggerate violent acts committed by “Allah’s madmen” because that may lead to other abuses. It is understood that some security organizations may benefit from the legitimization of human rights violations, as was the case after the May 16, 2003 attacks. Meanwhile, Salafists — be they jihadists or not — are not hiding anymore. Not a week goes by without them demonstrating in several Moroccan cities.

Read more: Al Monitor

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