Arabic News Weekly Edition for Morocco, 2/14/2005
Weekly Edition, Morocco - Week of February 14, 2005
- Justice and Reconciliation Commission looks into fate of forced disappearance victims
IER will also organize Tuesday a meeting on "violence as a strategy of political management." It will discuss the role political and cultural elites play to face this phenomenon, and will examine means to guarantee that violence will be prevented from re-appearing in the future. Morocco, Politics, 2/19/2005 - Morocco, Gabon resolute to reinforce bilateral cooperation
Morocco and Gabon expressed Thursday determination to reinforce bilateral cooperation in industry, infrastructure, agriculture, housing, transports and telecommunications. Morocco-Gabon, Politics, 2/19/2005 - Only 25 percent of Moroccan children can read after primary school, WB specialist
Senior education specialist for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in the World Bank (WB), Michel Welmond, said the biggest challenges Morocco has to take up is the improvement of the quality of education, noting that a study has revealed that only 25 percent of Moroccan children who have been in primary schools can read, write and count, which is alarming. Morocco, Education, 2/19/2005 - NGO pleads for sensitizing international public opinion on Moroccan detainees in Tindouf
The London-based international Committee for support of Moroccan detainees in Tindouf called Friday for raising the awareness of the international public opinion on the inhuman conditions and the suffering of Moroccan detainees in Tindouf camps, southern Algeria. Morocco-UK, Politics, 2/19/2005 - Body of Moroccan assassinated in Spain to be repatriated to his homeland
The Body of the Moroccan Aziz Hosni, assassinated last Sunday in Ejido, south-eastern Spain, will be repatriated to Morocco by Hassan II Foundation for Moroccan expatriates, said diplomatic sources on Friday. Morocco-Spain, Local, 2/19/2005 - King Mohammed VI to visit three African countries Morocco-Regional, Politics, 2/19/2005
- Birmingham meet: Morocco's Ait Hammou ends 3rd
The Moroccan athlete Mina Ait Hammou ranked third Friday in the 1000m race at the Birmingham meet (England), timing 2:39:61 that is a new personal record. Morocco, Sports, 2/19/2005 - Morocco recalls Ambassador to Cote d'Ivoire
The Moroccan Government has decided to recall its Ambassador to Abidjan following denial by Cote d'Ivoire that it had asked Moroccan King Mohammed VI to exert "mediation efforts" in the crisis in the West African country. Morocco-Cote D'Ivoire, Politics, 2/18/2005 - Morocco, Spain hail 'excellent' cooperation in fight against terrorism, illegal migration
Morocco and Spain on Thursday said they were pleased with the "excellent level" reached by bilateral cooperation in all fields including the fight against terrorism, people smugglers networks and drug trafficking. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 2/18/2005 - French tourist killed, second wounded by mentally disturbed in Fez
A mentally-disturbed person attacked, on Thursday, two French tourists in the old medina of Fez, killing one of them and seriously wounding the other. Morocco-France, Local, 2/18/2005 - Appellate court acquits nine terror suspects, confirms other verdicts
The appellate court of Rabat acquitted, here Wednesday, nine suspects accused of belonging to the "Casablanca group" being prosecuted in the framework of the Anti-Terrorism Law enacted in 2003. Morocco, Local, 2/18/2005 - Gbagbo seeks Moroccan King's mediation to resolve crisis in Cote d'Ivoire
Cote d'Ivoire president, Laurent Gbagbo, has asked King Mohammed VI of Morocco to make efforts for mediation in order to resolve the crisis in the west African country, the Moroccan foreign ministry said in a release. Morocco-Cote D'Ivoire, Politics, 2/17/2005 - Micro loans stood at 500 million euros by the end of September 2004
Moroccan micro-finance associations granted loans totalling 5 billion Dhs (around 500 million euros) by the end of September 2004, which is a 47 percent rise compared to the amount granted by the end of December 2003, a report of the micro-credit associations federation (FNAM) said. Morocco, Economics, 2/17/2005 - Closer Moroccan-Spanish cooperation helped curb illegal migration, Spanish official
Closer cooperation between Morocco and Spain against illegal migration, mainly through the joint sea patrols, has helped considerably curb the flow of illegal immigrants to Spain in 2004, according to the Spanish Interior Minister. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 2/17/2005 - Global Fund to Fight AIDS to allocate $5 Mln to Morocco
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria will allocate US $5 million to Morocco to finance programs related to HIV/AIDS, reported PANA. Morocco, Health, 2/17/2005 - Mexico's first lady impressed by social evolutions in Morocco
Mexico's first lady, Marta Sahagun de Fox, who accompanied her husband during his official visit to Morocco this Feb.11-12, said she was impressed by social evolutions in Morocco, particularly women's access to political life and the deep changes in political life ushered by King Mohammed VI. Morocco-Mexico, Politics, 2/16/2005 - Morocco and Belgium agree on need for permanent consultations on religion
Moroccan minister of Habous (religious endowments) and Islamic affairs, Ahmed Toufiq, and Belgian foreign minister, Karel de Gucht, agreed this Tuesday in a meeting here on the need to set up a framework of permanent consultation on the Muslim religion in Belgium. Morocco-Belgium, Politics, 2/16/2005 - King Mohammed VI to take part in Arab summit of Algiers Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 2/15/2005
- King Mohammed VI received Libyan leader's envoy Morocco-Libya, Politics, 2/15/2005
- Heartless jailors gouged out my eye, former Polisario detainee
Moroccan Soldier Ahmed Al Hamdaoui returned lately to the motherland after he was sequestered by the Polisario separatists in the Tindouf camps (South-west Algeria) where he was inflicted various forms of torture during 14 years of sequestration. Morocco, Politics, 2/15/2005 - Polisario torture dungeons are hell, former detainee
The situation in the polisario torture dungeons is "hell," said Captain Youssef Al Makrazi, who just escaped the mercenary gangs of Tindouf, South-West Algeria, where he was inflicted various forms of torture for 14 years of sequestration. Morocco, Politics, 2/15/2005 - Moroccan books little read by population, minister
Morocco's Minister of Culture, Mohamed Achaari, deplored that Moroccan books are little read in comparison to the number of inhabitants and Moroccan real potentials. Morocco, Culture, 2/15/2005 - Macro-economic situation in Morocco 'healthy', official
Moroccan Minister of Finance and Privatisation, Fathallah Oualalou, affirmed, in Rabat Monday, that the macro-economic situation in Morocco in 2004 was "healthy," and most economic indicators witnessed a significant improvement in comparison to 2003. Morocco, Economics, 2/15/2005 - Divorce applications processed in Morocco plummeted 72 percent
The number of divorce applications processed in Morocco plummeted 72 percent, going down from 37.548 in 2003 to 10.949 in 2004, said Omar Lamine, president of the chamber of the Rabat appellate court in a presentation titled "one year after the enforcement of the family code." Morocco, Culture, 2/15/2005 - Moroccan Jews moved from 'protection to equality', Jewish representative
Moroccan Jews have moved from "protection to equality," said the Secretary General of the Israelite community in Morocco, Serge Berdugo. Morocco, Culture, 2/15/2005 - MONUC welcomes Morocco's decision to arrest six of its soldiers accused of sexual assault in Congo
The UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) welcomed Morocco's decision to arrest six of its soldiers who were accused of sexual assault on civilians in the African Great Lakes country. Morocco, Local, 2/15/2005 - 4L Trophy: Sport in service of a human action Morocco, Sports, 2/15/2005
- President Vincente Fox: visit to Morocco absolutely conclusive in trade, economy and culture
Mexican President Vincente Fox said his two-day visit to Morocco, paid at the invitation of King Mohammed VI, was "absolutely conclusive in trade, economy and culture." Morocco-Mexico, Politics, 2/14/2005 - It is unacceptable Moroccans continue to be held for such a long time by Polisario, AI official
It is unacceptable that Moroccan nationals "continue to be incarcerated for such a long time" in Polisario jails in Tindouf (South-west Algeria), said Claudio Cordone, Director general of London-based Amnesty International. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 2/14/2005 - The action of the Moroccan justice and reconciliation commission is most positive, AI Chief
The action of the Justice and Reconciliation Commission (IER), in charge of examining past human right violations in Morocco, by holding public hearings on the violations "is most positive," said Claudio Cordone, Director general of Amnesty International. Morocco, Politics, 2/14/2005 - Morocco moves forward on human rights issues, American organisation
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a Washington-based organisation, reported that the kingdom has moved forward on human rights issues. Morocco, Politics, 2/14/2005 - Mexican president supports UN efforts to settle Sahara dispute
Mexican President Vicente Fox Quesada reiterated his country's support to the UN Security Council's efforts to reach a negotiated political solution to the Sahara dispute opposing Morocco to the Algeria-backed separatist movement "Polisario." Morocco-Mexico, Politics, 2/14/2005 - Moroccan Budgetary deficit at 3.9pc in 2005, official
The budgetary deficit of the gross domestic product (GDP) in Morocco is expected to reach 3.9pc in 2005, according to the High Commissioner for Planning (HCP). Morocco, Economics, 2/14/2005 - Moroccan GDP to reach 2.6% in 2005 Morocco, Economics, 2/14/2005