Moroccan fatalities rise in latest storm events.

Eight people were killed and two others injured as a result of the harsh weather which is currently hitting Morocco, and which caused substantial material damage in infrastructure across the kingdom. Torrential rains accompanied by storms and heavy snow have been pounding northern and central Morocco over the past few days, triggering floods and cutting off several villages.

The rough weather is expected to last until at least next Saturday, the national weather department has warned

In the province of Al Hoceima (north), Four people were killed Monday night when their house collapsed due to heavy snowfall, local authorities said.

In Marrakech, a father and his daughter, 12, were killed on Tuesday following a partial collapse of their house, and a third person was seriously wounded, rescue and emergency units reported.

Two other people, a mother and her son, were killed Tuesday morning, in the southern city of Taroudant, in a similar incident. A 72-year-old man and his daughter, 12, were killed in a similar incident at Douar al Fakhara hamlet in the southern region of Marrakech



Fez not immune.

Fez has suffered severe weather including hailstorms and the outlook is for more rain with temperatures between 5 and 14 degrees Celsius. A 28-year-old lady was slightly injured, Sunday afternoon, following the collapse of a part of a two-storey building in Fez, according to local authorities.

Torrential rains also caused the collapse of a bridge in the province of Essaouira. No casualties were reported.

In Casablanca, a part of a run-down hotel collapsed Sunday morning, but no casualties were reported.

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

Hassan Hajjaj shortlisted for £25,000 international art prize

"Twisted Babouche"

Moroccan artist and designer, Hassan Hajjaj, has been shortlisted by he Victoria & Albert Museum for a new £25,000 international art prize for contemporary artists and designers inspired by Islamic traditions of craft and design. The Jameel Prize aims to raise awareness of the thriving interaction between contemporary practice and the rich artistic heritage of Islam, and to contribute to a broader debate about Islamic culture. The Prize will be awarded every two years.

Over 100 nominations for the first Jameel Prize were received, and nine artists and designers have been short-listed by a panel of judges. The first winner of the Prize will be announced at an awards ceremony at the V&A on 7 July 2009. Work by the winner and by the other eight short-listed artists and designers will be exhibited in a new temporary display gallery at the V&A from 8 July until 13 September 2009.

The output of the nine artists and designers is very varied, reflecting the richness and diversity of the Islamic traditions that inspired them. The pieces exhibited at the V&A will range from jewellery to photomontage to turned wood and screen prints. The works will show how dynamic Islamic tradition can be, and how complex and eloquent the art and design inspired by this tradition has become.

The Jameel Prize is sponsored by Mohammed Abdul Latif Jameel, who conceived the idea after providing the financial support for the renovation of the V&A’s Jameel Gallery of Islamic Art, which opened in July 2006. Award-winning architect Zaha Hadid is Patron of the Jameel Prize. The panel of judges is chaired by Mark Jones, Director of the V&A. Hassan Hajjaj

Hassan Hajjaj was born in Larache, Morocco, in 1961. Having arrived in Britain in his teens, he grew up amid the emerging club culture of London, absorbing the music and styles of reggae, hip hop and worldmusic. In 1984 he decided to forge a solid relationship with the New York scene and in the same year he launched his own clothing andaccessories label, RAP.

In his work, Hassan Hajjaj playfully applies new technologies to redefine the imagery that pervaded his childhood. From the fez to the camel, he takes on the European stereotypes of the North African world and turns them into a visual celebration of the 'souk with a twist'.

Hassan Hajjaj designed the stunning Salon Afrique interiors that graced the Royal Festival Hall during Africa Remix.

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

Travel writing about Morocco #25

"One of the most interesting development in the last eighteen months has been the way that a majority of travel articles have switched of attention away from Marrakech or Casablanca and focussed firmly on Fez" - This was what one travel editor told us. So today we did a quick search for the latest articles related to tourism in Morocco and here is a sample of what we found. The quality of the writing varied quite markedly but they did concentrate on Fez. We have included one article by a blogger which was a little weird in that it appeared to have been translated by Babelfish (we suspect from French). It looked like a tourism commission plan, but was inaccurate and out of date. We have included an extract from it simply for comparison.

Writer:
Daniel Drolet. (For Ottawa Citizen; Canwest News Service)

Headline:
Morocco offers a surreal mix of old and new - (Donkeys transport cargo through twisting alleys and passersby talk on cellphones)

Excerpt:

FEZ, Morocco - In alleyways barely as wide as my outstretched arms, the city's bustle pushes past me in waves -- giggling schoolchildren chasing each other, veiled women on their way to market, wizened old men in traditional djellabas walking hand-in-hand, Moroccan style, and chatting.

Every minute or two, weary donkeys laden with cargo trot past, their masters yelling "Balik! Balik!" as a warning to get out of the way. I sometimes have to push myself flat against the walls of the houses to let them pass.

Thin shades pulled overtop of these labyrinthine alleyways keep out most of the sharp North African sun and create a dark, dappled place where the scent of orange blossoms mingles with the acrid smell of ammonia. Somewhere nearby, in a cubbyhole off the street, there is a schoolroom, and I can hear the angelic voices of children chanting their lessons. The sound of it is as sweet as honey.

For a moment I am disoriented, unsure not only of where I am, but also -- more strangely -- of when I am. Is this the 21st century?

A man talking on a cellphone walks past. I am not in the 13th century after all. I am in the medina of Fez, the ancient capital of Morocco. And Fez, like all of Morocco, is a strange mix of new and old, modern and traditional, cellphones and donkeys.

...The medinas are daunting mazes -- and the most fascinating things I saw.

The medina of Fez is the most amazing of all. Now a World Heritage Site, it is 1,200 years old and feels it. The buildings are too tightly packed for motorized transport. You visit on foot, and commerce moves on the backs of donkeys.

The most amazing of all the craft shops of Fez is the city's tannery. After being given branches of mint to wave under our noses for the smell, we are led up a narrow set of stairs to a shop full of leather goods. At the back of the shop is a balcony, and from the balcony is the most amazing sight.

Writer:
Elena Fenrick (Edmonton Journal)

Headline:
The Western Kingdom

Excerpt:

Buying a train ticket to Fez is an easy transaction; getting on the correct train is not quite as easy. Six of us spent a half-hour stranded in Kenitra, waiting for the train we should have taken.

Fez was fantastic and fulfilled my childhood dream of being in Disney's Aladdin. The Medina, famous for its tanneries and one of the world's oldest universities, comprises thousands of medieval streets and alleyways.

Our guide led us to an Amazigh (Berber) carpet house, a women's co-operative that produced silk scarves, a herbal pharmacy and the famed tanneries.

In my opinion, Morocco's greatest asset is its people. Family is a priority to them, and time isn't measured as rigidly as it is in Canada.

The genuine kindness of strangers was a recurring theme wherever we went. People wanted to help us. Yes, there were those who wanted to sell us something such as a henna tattoo or their guiding services. But, many were simply curious about why we were there and wished to show hospitality to foreigners.

The local shop owners in the souk (marketplace) and waiters at certain cafes began to exchange pleasant greetings with us. When I brought a few friends back to a specific jewelry shop, the owner recognized me and gave me a tiny, silver Hand of Fatima necklace as commission.

Writer:
Millie Ball (Newhouse News Service, Star Tribune, Minneapolis.)

Headline:
Offerings of peace amid the excitement in Fez, one of Morocco's great ancient cities.

Excerpt:

Of the million people who live in greater Fez, about 350,000 live in the crowded medina, mostly above shops. Fez's old city is immense, with 187 neighborhoods -- each with its own mosque, bakery, hamman (a public bath), Qur'an school and fountain. The medina's 9,000 maze-like streets incline gradually so that by the end of the day, you have climbed a good bit.

Seeing photos of old Fez is one thing. Being here is something else. Being here means smelling spices and cooking meat and baking bread. It means walking past a wall case of false teeth advertising a dentist's services and surveying offerings in a warehouse of rental wedding thrones. Being here means hearing the noises of the medina, the warnings about donkeys, hawkers' attempts to lure buyers, calls to prayer that begin with what sounds like low moans and escalate to a piercing, rhythmic cry.

...We climbed steep stairs and a young, skinny waiter brought us small dishes of spicy mashed fava beans, caramelized onions, lentils in tomato sauce, chicken shish kebab cooked with red peppers and cumin, and chicken with onions. We ate the delicious food Moroccan style, with bread rather than forks.

Back downstairs after our meal, we were welcomed heartily by Hamid Berrada, the owner, a bearded man with laugh lines. "What's the name of this place?" I asked Saida, who looked puzzled. Nobody calls it by a name.

Writer:
Michael Schneider (Star Tribune, Minneapolis)

Headline:
Cooking class offers taste of Morocco

Extract:

Donkey carts clattered across cobblestone streets; butchers wielding cleavers hacked away at sides of lamb, beef and camel; women haggled in Arabic, French or Tamazight, a local Berber language. We were in Fez's meat, produce and spice market, maneuvering through the chaos with the guidance of Lahcen Beqqi, a master chef and expert on Moroccan cooking.

My wife, Ruth, and I had signed up for a one-day cooking class taught by Beqqi to learn more about Morocco and its cuisine. Beqqi, a 32-year-old baby-faced Berber from a small mountain village, made a fitting teacher. He had moved to Fez, the country's food capital, in 2002 and had cooked at some of the city's finest restaurants until he opened a school, Fes Cooking, in 2006. His classes offer not only cooking instruction (and eating, of course), but also an introduction to Moroccan shopping and mealtime traditions.

Lahcen with Rick Stein

...As we relished the meal during two glorious hours, Beqqi related stories of the multiethnic influences that have produced this distinctive cuisine: the Berbers of southern Morocco who brought tagines and couscous; seventh-century Arab invaders who introduced grilled meats and a love of dried fruits and nuts; Moors who contributed their taste for olives, oranges and lemons, and Sephardic Jews of North Africa who popularized the pickling and preserving of fruits and meats, plus the gastronomic contributions of Ottoman and French colonists.

I lay back on the sofa and sipped my last glass of tea, feeling like a pampered pasha. At 4 p.m., after a busy but gratifying day, Beqqi called a taxi to take us back to our hotel, a trip whose cost was, thankfully, based on distance, not weight.

Writer:
Unknown

Headline:
Tourism in Fez

Excerpt:

Tourism in Fez is a cyclic activity without any clear trend in terms of growth.

Tourist activities in this city are marked by a stable inbound tourism which has accounted for more than 70% of overnight stays recorded in the destination over the last decade.

Compared with inbound tourism, it is worth noting that Fez doesn't make full use of the potential of outbound markets. From a historical point of view, the city targets only one segment of the French market (circuits' clientele).

Finally, it should be noted that:

• Fez is not a destination in its own right: it is merely a stopping place in the tour of imperial cities;
• Fez is a product designed for a kind of clientele of a single market (circuits' clientele, French market);
• Fez is not marketed as a City Break at a time when it may be fit for this type of product which has witnessed a sustained growth in different markets

Classified as a world heritage by the UNESCO, the Medina of Fez is the Key Resource of the destination as well as the most attractive sightseeing tour of the region, and that is all thanks to:

• its numerous patrimonial resources (9 monumental gates, 7 medersas, more than 100 mosques/mausoleums and 64 monumental fountains),
• its human whole as well as its authentic lifestyle which is viewed as unique in the world.*

*This last extract was from a website called "Tourism in Morocco". The article that has been, translated, re-posted and may well be an old document. The claim about targeting French tourists is certainly out of date ( the targeting of Canada, for example, brought more than 32,000 visitors to Fez last year)

The View from Fez - travel writing index

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

The View from Fez - travel writing index

Travel writing stories on The View from Fez:

Please bookmark this page as a guide to our popular stories on travel writing.

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Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

Fez - number one romantic getaway!

Top 10 romantic getaways? Yes, of course it happens every year as travel editors search for a story and go "thank goodness, Valentines day... a top 10 list." Travel editors are creative like that. So, it was no surprise when Travel+Leisure Mag sent us their list. With Valentine’s Day only two weeks away, you might want to jot down Travel+Leisure magazine’s top 10 romantic destinations for future reference. Some of these places will take your breath away... ( or so they say!)

Fez - #1 for a romantic getaway.

1. Fez, Morocco

2. New York City

3. Whidbey Island, Wash.

4. Napa Valley, Calif.

5. Chassignolles, France

6. Telluride, Colo.

7. Savannah, Ga.

8. Granada, Spain

9. Vico Equense, Italy

10. Bora Bora

— Travel + Leisure magazine

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

Take the train

Are you concerned about your carbon footprint when you fly? Or maybe you'd like to get there slowly, taking advantage of sights along the way. Helen Ranger investigates travelling by train to Morocco ...



The excellent website Man in Seat 61 gives information on train travel in all sorts of countries, from the UK to Russia to South Africa ... and across Europe to Morocco. You can do London to Morocco in just 48 hours, in comfort and safety, without flying.

"And what a journey!", says the Man in Seat 61. " Take Eurostar to Paris, grab a beer in a Parisian café and board the excellent 'trainhotel' sleeper train to Madrid. Enjoy a meal with wine in the restaurant car and a nightcap in the bar before retiring to your sleeper for the night as the train speeds south across France, then wake up to breakfast as the sun rises over distant Spanish mountains. Spend a day in Madrid, visit the Prado Museum or soak up the atmosphere in the Plaza Santa Ana before taking an afternoon express across Andalusia to Algeciras on the Straits of Gibraltar. Next morning, take the ferry from Europe to Africa, the Rock of Gibraltar close on the port beam and the African coast getting slowly nearer."

And the trainhotel is pretty nifty:

the trainhotel's smart restaurant

couchettes are made up while you're at dinner

Ferries from Spain to Morocco
There are various options. The journey from Algeciras usually takes around three hours, or you can take a fast ferry from Algeciras or from Tarifa, this one around 40 minutes.

the fast ferry leaving Algeciras for Tangier

Moroccan trains
Travelling by train in Morocco is easy, safe and very cheap, and the trains are usually punctual. There are refreshments on board (coffee, tea, soft drinks, snacks, croissants in the morning and, it has to be said, somewhat stale rolls with chicken or cheese).

1st class carriage in Morocco

The trains have recently been upgraded and are very comfortable and air-conditioned. Seats are reserved in first class, but not in second class, where there are eight plastic-covered seats instead of the six plush seats in first. Fom Tangier, you can travel to Rabat, Meknes, Fez and Oujda, or to Casablanca and Marrakech. Onward journeys to Essaouira or Agadir are taken by bus.

So train travel is cheaper than flying, right? Well, actually, no. It does cost more, and of course takes more time, but the advantage is that you can stop off on the way. A day or two in Paris, or a visit to the Prado in Madrid, exploring Gibraltar, windsurfing in Tarifa or hanging out in a Tangier cafe are all options. Here are some costs:

London to Paris by Eurostar: Return fares start at £59 2nd class, £149 1st class.

Paris to Madrid on the trainhotel: 4-berth tourist class sleeper, return, £204

Madrid to Algeciras by Altaria train: normal return fare 98 Euros

Ferry from Algeciras to Tangier: 84 Euros return

Train from Tangier to Fez: 1st class one-way £9
from Tangier to Marrakech in a first-class couchette, one-way: £23

Flights:
Atlas Blue Gatwick to Fez: from £160 return
Royal Air Maroc Heathrow to Casablanca: from £1256 return

with thanks to the Man in Seat 61

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

Why Obama should speak in Morocco

Our story on the possibility of President Obama speaking in Morocco drew a very strong response from Hassan Samrhouni, the Founder of Obama to Speak in Morocco

Here is why Mr Samrhouni says Obama should speak in Morocco:

What do you call an Arab, Muslim and African country who was the first to recognize the United States independence?

Kingdom of Morocco.

What do you call a moderate, tolerating, peaceful country who is the strongest ally to the United States in the region?

Kingdom Of Morocco.

What do you call Obama's first speech in Morocco after his inauguration?

An historical moment.

The Moroccan Community is one of the fastest growing communities in the USA, Moroccan Americans Democrats, republicans and independents are inviting President Obama to Make Morocco the home for his first foreign policy speech abroad.

Morocco is the ideal country to launch a message of peace to the Muslim world.
A peace loving country with a respected voice in the region, Morocco is a long time friend of the United States and would be proud to host President Barack Obama in this historical event.

Morocco is well positioned to hold this great event .Besides the long standing ties and good relations Morocco has with the US for over 200 years, there are many other factors that would lead the new President, Barack Obama, to give a speech in Morocco .

Morocco enjoys political stability, a stability that is continuously strengthened as Morocco builds a modern democracy in the spirit of freedom, openness and tolerance.

Morocco is also well positioned as a Western ally in the global war on terror.

Morocco offers a rich and widely diversified potential as it is strategically located on both the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, within 7 miles from Europe and serves as a gateway to both Africa and the Arab world. The diversity of Amazigh, Arabs, and Jews, who have lived side by side for centuries, as well as its close ties to Europe, has made Morocco a different country than many of its neighbors.

Mr. President Obama, please accept our invitation. Not only do we support your vision for change, but we are ready to help you make it happen. Let this speech in Morocco be the start of a new day for America's relation with the Muslim World.

 Morocco combines the African, Arab, Berber, and Muslim worlds in a wonderful harmony, and is the home of a new and dynamic young king that compliments Obama and his vision of change. Obama and Morocco--a perfect match!

When America knocked on the world’s door, Morocco was the first to say “Welcome America, We Recognize You” when the Arab World sided with Moscow, Morocco refused to be bullied and claimed its loyalty to its long time friends in Washington. The US-Moroccan relations are a true testament of mutual respect, friendship and loyalty.

 Today Morocco remains the OLDEST and one of the closets allies in the region. U.S. relations with Morocco date from 1777, when the two nations negotiated a Treaty of Peace and Friendship. Renegotiated in 1836, the treaty is still in force, constituting the longest unbroken treaty relationship in U.S. history.

 Exceptional relationships that our monarchy maintained with All the American Presidents from Kennedy to Bush.

 Morocco is well positioned to be an ideal place for this historic event to take place.

 Historic great relationship Morocco and the United States have and continue to enjoy. It started back in 1977 when Morocco took the action of allowing ships with US flags to enter Morocco when other nations were reluctant to do so if not opposed to it.

 Morocco enjoys great friendly relationships with the predominant majority of countries in the world, Muslim or otherwise.

 Safety, hospitality, and tolerance The Maghreb is the ONE by excellence.

 Morocco hosts the intellectual think-tank of the Islamic Conference, known as the CESCO Islamic Cultural, Educational, and Scientific Conference Organization.

 Morocco chairs the "Al-Quds (Jerusalem) Committee", Al-Quds being one of the major symbols of Islam.

 Morocco boasts moderate Islam and a proven record in the brokerage of a just peace in the Middle East.

 Morocco has all the ingredients to make this historic speech an effective and successful event.

 Morocco and its people played and are still paying a major role in bringing peace to the Middle East.

 Morocco was a staunch ally of the USA during the cold war.

 Morocco has played an important role in the fight against terrorism, and is a country that could be used as a model of tolerance where Muslims and Jews live side by side in harmony.

 Morocco is well respected in the Muslim and Arab world and throughout Africa, and is considered a moderate voice in all these regions.

 Morocco as an African Muslim country, it has developed into a model for religious tolerance and cultural diversity.

 Morocco has made great progress in human rights and gender equality.

 Morocco enjoys political stability, a stability that is continuously strengthened as we build a modern democracy in the spirit of freedom, openness and tolerance. This is a vision that is led and implemented with strong resolve and determinations by His Majesty King Mohammed VI.

 Morocco is also well positioned as a Western ally in the global war on terror.

 Morocco offers a rich and widely diversified potential as it is strategically located on both the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, within 7 miles from Europe and serves as a gateway to both Africa and the Arab world.

 The diversity of Berbers, Arabs, and Jews, to name a few, who have lived side by side for centuries, as well as its close ties to Europe, has made Morocco a different country than many of its neighbors.

 Morocco is indeed the destination for religious tolerance, co-existence, and a symbol of harmonious living where everyone is welcome!

 The US-Moroccan strong ties will personify this historical moment and will utterly strengthen the US foreign relationships and send a clear message specifically to the Islamic world and to the rest in general.

 Morocco places high value on its long-standing history of friendship and cooperation with the United States. It has been an invaluable partner in the wake of terrorist attacks on the United States.

 Rabat wouldn’t be a bad choice at all for its historical significance. After all, it was FDR who came to Morocco in 1942 with Churchill and DeGaulle to sign the Alliance in the presence of Morocco’s King at the Palace d’anfa in Casablanca. Given the fact that many parallels have already been drawn between FDR and Obama, especially considering the daunting economic challenges both faced, it would be good to draw attention to a reform-oriented Muslim country like Morocco. On top of it, Morocco was the first country to recognize the United States as a country, so what better time for Morocco to be able to side once again with the United States as when ushering in a new reign of democracy in the world?

 Morocco should top the list. Among the reasons: The Sultan of Morocco Muhammad III was the first foreign ruler to recognize the US as an independent republic in 1777, and the longest unbroken treaty in US diplomatic history is with Morocco, the M-A Treaty of Friendship (signed by Jefferson in 1787).

 Morocco has started a political reform process since the mid-1990s; it also saw the first truth commission in the Arab world. Morocco has also been a strong ally of the United States, a country that played a role in bringing Israelis and Palestinians together and pushing for peace and a two states solution, before it became fashionable. Morocco was the first Muslim country to invite Pope Jean Paul to speak to stadium with 80,000 Muslims. Morocco is also an African and Arab country, with a multi-ethnic-religious flair; it is a country that years ago integrated an Islamist political party into the political game. So, an Obama trip to Morocco would certainly validate the changes and promote an agenda of reform

 Morocco is a Major non-NATO ally with the US and the strength of the Moroccan-US relationship is well-known in the world!

 For peace and love , السلام والمحبة ,la paix et l'amour , שלום ואהבה , ειρήνη και αγάπη , hòa bình và tình yêu , мира и любви , la paz y el amor .

 Obama choosing Morocco as his venue for an important foreign policy speech. What better site to choose than the oldest friend of the United States, and its nearest neighbor across the Atlantic? Morocco was not only the first nation to recognize American independence; the Kingdom has a long history of friendship and mutual support with the American people. Moreover, Morocco is a progressive, tolerant and moderate Muslim nation at the crossroads of three worlds: African, European, and Arab. What better place to choose for stating a new world policy?

 Holding a speech in Morocco can only help to break down the terrible misconceptions that the majority of Americans hold regarding the Muslim way of life..

www.obamatospeakinmorocco.com/home/

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

Leading travel writer returns to Fez

Paul Clammer, lead author of the forthcoming 9th edition of Lonely Planet's Morocco guidebook, returned to Fez this week.


"Getting lost in the medina as a young backpacker in 1994 was a formative experience", says Paul. Fez remains his favourite Moroccan city, which is why he's so pleased to see a photograph of Fez on the front cover of the new Lonely Planet guidebook, out in February.

"After all the weeks of rain you've endured, I'm happy to have brought some sunny weather with me in time for the launch of the book", said Paul.

Paul was in Rabat applying for a visa for his upcoming research trip to Mauritania, and what better way to wait for it than spend a couple of days in Fez, seeing old friends? Paul has already stopped in at Cafe Clock a couple of times, and is staying with fellow LP author, Helen Ranger. But he also can't resist checking up on what's new in Fez in advance of his next research trip to Morocco in 2010.

The View from Fez wishes Paul happy researching in Mauritania.



Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb music

Will Obama speak in Morocco???

There is a persistent rumour doing he rounds that the new American President, Obama, will give a speech from a Muslim capital within his first 100 days. The New York Times says "The list of Islamic world capitals is long, and includes the obvious —Riyadh, Kuwait City, Islamabad — and the not-so-obvious — Male (the Maldives), Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), Tashkent (Uzbekistan). Some wise-guys have even suggested Dearborn, Mich., as a possibility." The New York Times goes on to suggest the most logical place is Cairo. However, we beg to disagree.

Our bet is that if the rumour is true, then Rabat in Morocco would have to be a strong contender. Why? Well, according to Sheriff Kora, a Master's Degree Candidate in Public Administration at the University of Texas, there is a very long history between the two countries. Sheriff points out that...

The friendship and diplomatic ties the United States has with the Muslim World spans centuries. For those uninformed or misinformed skeptics on Obama's interview with Al - Arabiya television network, please note that “the longest and oldest unbroken foreign treaty" of the United States of America is with the Kingdom of Morocco, a Muslim nation in North Africa.

When the 13 separate states of America declared themselves the United States, the Moroccan Sultan Sidi Mohammed was the very first sovereign leader to recognize the new American nation. The greatest heroes of American early history were the strongest proponents of friendship with Morocco. The treaty of friendship between our nations was urged on Congress by Benjamin Franklin, drafted by Thomas Jefferson, signed by John Adams and affirmed by George Washington in a letter to the Sultan. The treaty of American-Moroccan friendship is the oldest American treaty of its kind which is still enforced today. The oldest property owned by America on foreign soil is one of the most beautiful buildings in Tangier, Morocco; a gift to America from Morocco.

However, the New York Times, may well be right about Cairo. We noticed today that President Obama's new peace envoy George Mitchell arrived in Cairo today at the start of a Middle East tour, charged by President Barack Obama to "engage vigorously" to achieve real progress in the region.

Mitchell met briefly at the airport with European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana, himself in Egypt to discuss shoring up a fragile truce in Gaza, before heading for talks with Egyptian officials, an airport official said.

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news