Arabic News Weekly Edition for Morocco, 3/31/2003
Weekly Edition, Morocco - Week of March 31, 2003
- Morocco announces plan to eradicate illiteracy by 2015
The plan seeks to cut illiteracy from 48 percent of the 30-million population now to 35 percent in 2004, 20 percent in 2010, before its complete eradication by 2015, Moroccan communication minister and government spokesman, Nabil Benabdallah, told the press at the end of the weekly government meeting. Morocco, Education, 4/4/2003 - Morocco to launch TV channel for parliament, and another from Laayoune
Morocco's Communication minister, Nabil Benabdellahn announced in Rabat on Wednesday the launching of two new TV channels, a parliamentary TV and a regional one, broadcasting from Laayoune (Southern Morocco). Morocco, Politics, 4/4/2003 - Acquittal for eleven youths sued in morality trial
The Casablanca Court of Appeal on Friday acquitted eleven out of fourteen youths who were standing trial for "detention of objects contrary to morality" and "acts undermining the Islamic faith." Morocco, Politics, 4/4/2003 - Morocco only Islamic state upholding Commander of the Faithful institution (official)
Seen from a political point of view, Morocco is the only Islamic state upholding the Commander of the Faithful (Amir Al Mouminine) institution, embodied by King Mohammed VI, "who belongs to the family of the Prophet Sidna Mohamed's descendents," said Morocco's minister of Waqf and Islamic Affairs, Ahmed Taoufiq. Morocco-Regional, Religion, 4/4/2003 - Moroccan press denounces international silence on mercantile war
Moroccan dailies denounced this week the "mercantile war" and wondered about the role of mere onlooker observed by the international community in this war that threatens the Iraqi people of "genocide" and "destruction" of all its wealth. Morocco-Iraq, Politics, 4/4/2003 - Moroccan first humanitarian aid batch to Iraq arrives in Amman
A Moroccan plane arrived Thursday in Amman, Jordan, carrying 16.5 tons of medicines, pharmaceutical products and medical kits, as well as 58.5 tons of powder milk as an urgent aid for the Iraqi people. Morocco-Iraq, Politics, 4/4/2003 - Moroccan civil society demand stronger backing to Iraqi people
Moroccan civil society associations have renewed decry of the ongoing US-led war on Iraq and demanded a stronger backing to the Iraqi people. The associations called, in separate releases, on the international community to press for an immediate halt to what they called the execution of civilians, children, women and elderly. Morocco-Iraq, Politics, 4/4/2003 - French Weekly "Point de Vue": King Mohammed is builder of tomorrow's Morocco
"King Mohammed VI's vision of a democratic Morocco, modern and open on the world has now become reality," wrote on Wednesday French weekly magazine "Point de Vue," in an illustrated special report on the sovereign's tour in the Kingdom's eastern region (March 10-18). Morocco, Politics, 4/4/2003 - Morocco, EU discuss fisheries partnership
Means to upgrade Moroccan-European Union (EU) partnership in fisheries realms topped talks held in Rabat Thursday between Moroccan Fisheries Minister, Taieb Rhafes, and a visiting EU delegation. Morocco-European Union, Politics, 4/4/2003 - Morocco, Egypt to create joint fisheries firm Morocco-Egypt, Economics, 4/4/2003
- RAM airliner reports 32% drop in overall traffic between march 22-28
The overall traffic of Moroccan carrier Royal Air Maroc (RAM) incurred a 32% drop in all destinations between March 22-28, compared to the same period in 2001, said a release from the company. Morocco, Business, 4/4/2003 - Nearly 7,500 cases of lymphatic cancer in Morocco
The number of lymphatic cancer cases are estimated at 7,500 in Morocco, that is an annual rise of 1,500 cases, said professor Said Benchekroun, head of Hematology Oncology Pediatric service in Ibn Sina school hospital (CHU) in Casablanca. Morocco, Health, 4/4/2003 - Tripoli's international fair; 30 Moroccan companies
More than a thousand industrial and trade enterprises are participating in this event that will last until April 12 and that constitutes an opportunity to sign cooperation and partnership agreements between companies taking part in the fair, said the organizers. Libya-Morocco, Local, 4/4/2003 - Moroccan premier meets Burkina FM Morocco-Burkina Faso, Politics, 4/4/2003
- Arab Drama Spring Festival Officially Launched
The Arab drama spring Festival, part of events celebrating "Rabat, capital of Arab culture" was officially launched in Rabat on Wednesday. Morocco-Regional, Local, 4/4/2003 - Moroccan press slams carnage of Iraqi civilians
Al Alam daily of the Istiqlal Party (PI, in government) opines that the United States and Great Britain apply the scorched land policy on infrastructures, habitations, telecommunication centers and neighborhoods that are destroyed "in the sole objective to subdue the Iraqi people, occupy the country and control oil wealth." Morocco-Iraq, Politics, 4/3/2003 - Morocco urges Red Cross to intensify help to Moroccan POWs
Morocco urged in Geneva on Tuesday officials of the Red Cross international committee (CICR) to intensify action in favor of 1160 POWs detained by Polisario (Algeria-backed secessionist group) in southern Algeria. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 4/3/2003 - Moroccan, French employers unions convene to boost economic ties Morocco-France, Economics, 4/3/2003
- Morocco, Germany want to deepen financial cooperation
The German Ambassador said his country wants to make of Morocco one of its "privileged partners." Morocco-Germany, Economics, 4/3/2003 - Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg visits southern Morocco Morocco-Luxembourg, Politics, 4/3/2003
- Morocco, Bulgaria agree to boost cooperation
Morocco and Bulgaria on Tuesday voiced a shared determination to give a new impetus to their bilateral cooperation, which remains far short of the two countries' potentials. Morocco-Bulgaria, Politics, 4/3/2003 - No SARS pneumonia case reported in Morocco
In its first ever such travel alert, the United Nations body said there was evidence that in Hong Kong at least the disease was also being spread by the environment -- possibly the water or sewage systems -- and not just by close personal contact. Regional-Morocco, Health, 4/3/2003 - Failure of WTO agricultural negotiations: morocco expresses disappointment of African group
Morocco, chairman of the African Group at the World Trade Organization, expressed in Geneva on Wednesday the Group's disappointment following the failure of WTO's agriculture negotiations, warning against "negative repercussions" on other negotiations. Regional-Morocco, Economics, 4/3/2003 - Drifts of a war supposed to be clean and swift, moroccan press
Commenting on the civilian victims of coalition missiles targeting residential neighborhoods, Al Bayane says "Freedom bombs" are killing a growing number of civilians. "Because of the Iraqi resistance, the aggressors are taking revenge from civilian populations," Morocco-Iraq, Politics, 4/2/2003 - Moroccan NGOs call for more support to Iraqi people
Moroccan political and human rights organizations and associations reiterated condemnation of the US-British aggression on Iraq, calling for more support to the Iraqi people and the immediate halt of military operations. Morocco-Iraq, Politics, 4/2/2003 - Moroccan official holds talks in Geneva on Moroccans sequestered in Tindouf
The situation of Moroccans sequestered in Tindouf camps, south western Algeria, topped talks held in Geneva Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 4/2/2003 - Moroccan, Egyptian FMs hold phone conversation on Iraqi crisis Morocco-Egypt, Politics, 4/2/2003
- Lalla Meryem Tennis Grand Prix: Bahia Mohtassine rolled out Morocco, Sports, 4/2/2003
- Moroccan speaker calls Iraq war human catastrophe
Speaker of the Moroccan House of Representatives (lower chamber of parliament), Abdelouahed Radi, on Monday condemned the ongoing Iraq War as a "human catastrophe." Morocco-Iraq, Politics, 4/1/2003 - Moroccans say no to war in Iraq, papers
The paper goes on to say the marches, staged throughout the world, bear witness to the fact that "humanity has not forgotten the atrocities it has already gone through." They are also "a human outcry to rid the world of other criminals disguised in the cloak of justice makers." Morocco-Iraq, Politics, 4/1/2003 - Morocco to earmark 1% of gdp to scientific research by 2010, minister
Moroccan Minister in charge of scientific research, Omar Fassi Fihri, said Morocco will earmark 1% of its GDP to scientific research by 2010. Morocco, Science, 4/1/2003 - Moroccan delegation arrives in Algeria to hold workgroup meeting Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 4/1/2003
- Algerian president called to stop sequestered population ordeal in Tindouf Algeria-Morocco, Politics, 4/1/2003
- Moroccan cross team wins bronze medal in Lausanne
Morocco won Lausanne on Sunday the bronze medal of men's cross race (12,3 km), a competition scheduled in the World Cross Country Championships staged in Lausanne, Switzerland. Morocco, Sports, 4/1/2003 - Morocco ties with Sierra Leone in African nation cup heats
Morocco's national football team battled, in Freetown on Saturday, to a scoreless draw with Sierra Leone, in their African Cup qualifier (Tunisia-2004). Morocco, Sports, 4/1/2003 - ATP Race: Morocco's El Aynaoui 9th Morocco, Sports, 4/1/2003
- Moroccan march in solidarity with Iraq
Demonstrators, wearing stickers that read "we are all Iraqis" chanted slogans and waved Iraqi and Palestinian flags, to speak out against the sufferings of the Iraqi people. Morocco-Iraq, Politics, 3/31/2003 - King Mohammed gives instructions for humanitarian assistance to Iraqi people
The committee, that expressed pride at the resistance of the Iraqi people, further called the UN security council and the international community to endeavour for "the immediate cessation of aggression, the withdrawal of the American and British troops from Iraq and the respect of Iraq's territorial integrity." Morocco-Iraq, Politics, 3/31/2003 - Moroccan, Saudi FMS confer on arab situation Saudi Arabia-Morocco, Politics, 3/31/2003
- Moroccan movies screened in Ramallah, Palestine Morocco-Palestine, Local, 3/31/2003
- Key Biscayne tennis tournament: Morocco's El Aynaoui ousted in quarter-finals by Agassi Morocco, Sports, 3/31/2003
- Moroccan conglomerate reports 6.6% rise in sales
Moroccan conglomerate (Omnium Nord Africain) reported a consolidated sales of 25.9 billion DH (US$ 2.6 billion) in 2002, posting a 6.6% rise compared to the 2001 sales (24.3 billion). Morocco, Business, 3/31/2003 - Morocco prevents anti-territorial integrity group from leaving to Geneva
A source close to the Moroccan interior ministry said the Casablanca airport authorities have prevented on Thursday a group of individuals from leaving for Geneva where they intended to conduct actions that are hostile to Moroccan territorial integrity. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 3/31/2003