Daily Press Review - Wednesday, May 15, 2024

Moroccan Tourism: 260 Innovative Projects to Boost Digitalization and Gastronomy

Great news for innovative projects in digital tourism and Moroccan gastronomy! The Moroccan Society of Tourism Engineering (SMIT) is set to launch two incubation programs dedicated to these promising fields.

The first program will support 60 projects in digitalization, aiming to develop a rich and diverse digital offering for tourist services and activities. This initiative seeks to make digitalization a central element of the Moroccan tourist experience, attracting more national and international visitors.

Specifically, SMIT will provide financial and technical support to selected project holders. They can benefit from grants of up to 400,000 dirhams, along with personalized guidance to realize their ideas.

The second incubation program will focus on Moroccan gastronomy, a major asset of the country's tourist offering. The goal is to support 200 innovative projects in this field by providing them with the means to develop new, unique, and authentic culinary experiences.

SMIT will accompany selected project holders by offering grants of up to 400,000 dirhams, along with personalized mentoring and guidance.

These two incubation programs are part of the new roadmap for Moroccan tourism, which aims to make the sector a major pillar of the national economy. The objective is to reach 17.5 million tourists by 2026 and 26 million by 2030.

Source: Le Matin du Sahara

Akdital Inaugurates Ibn Nafis International Hospital in Marrakech: A Center of Excellence in Cancer Care

Akdital Group continues its expansion in Morocco with the opening of Ibn Nafis International Hospital in Marrakech, a modern healthcare facility specializing in cancer treatment. This new facility, with a capacity of 100 beds, strengthens the group's medical offering in the region and aligns with its territorial deployment strategy aimed at providing quality care accessible to the entire Moroccan population.

Ibn Nafis International Hospital positions itself as a center of excellence in oncology, equipped with state-of-the-art technology and a highly qualified medical team. The facility offers a comprehensive range of oncology services, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, brachytherapy, hematology, bone marrow transplantation, cancer surgery, nuclear medicine, senology, endoscopy, and biology.

The hospital boasts two state-of-the-art radiotherapy devices (Halcyon and EDGE), 41 chemotherapy chairs, 8 versatile intensive care units, and 6 ultra-modern operating theaters. These advanced equipment enable the medical team to provide precise and personalized care to cancer patients, with particular attention to their comfort and well-being.

Source: Aujourd'hui le Maroc

BCIJ Dismantles Daesh-Affiliated Terror Cell in Tiznit and Sidi Slimane

Demonstrating its commitment to counter-terrorism and safeguarding the Kingdom's security, the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ), under the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST), conducted a successful anti-terrorism operation this Tuesday morning.

This operation led to the dismantling of a terrorist cell affiliated with the Daesh organization, active in the cities of Tiznit and Sidi Slimane. Four extremist individuals, aged 22 to 44, were arrested during this intervention carried out by the special forces of the Rapid Intervention Brigade.

Searches conducted at the suspects' residences resulted in the seizure of paramilitary equipment, including a tactical vest, helmet, sight, balaclava, as well as extremist manuscripts and electronic devices. These items will undergo necessary digital expertise to deepen the investigation.

Preliminary investigations reveal that members of this terrorist cell were involved in suspicious operations aimed at mobilizing financial resources and logistical support to carry out terrorist activities on national territory, with the aim of undermining public order.

Source: Aujourd'hui le Maroc

Pioneering Schools: A Thriving Program for Primary and Secondary Education

The "Pioneering Schools" program is experiencing rapid growth with the announcement of its expansion to 230 secondary schools starting from the next academic year. This ambitious initiative aims to improve the performance of middle school students by providing them with enhanced educational support and combating school dropout rates.

Launched last year in primary schools, the "Pioneering Schools" program has already demonstrated its positive impact on student learning. Building on this success, the Ministry of National Education, Preschool Education, and Sports is extending the program to middle schools, benefiting an additional 200,000 students.

Practically, the "Pioneering Schools" program establishes a personalized support system for struggling students. Dedicated teachers will provide them with individualized educational support to address their weaknesses and help them progress.

Special emphasis will also be placed on combating school dropout rates. Monitoring mechanisms will be put in place to identify at-risk students and offer them tailored solutions to re-engage them and guide them toward success.

Inwi at Gitex Africa: Technological Innovations and Support for the Moroccan Start-Up Ecosystem

Inwi, a major player in digital transformation in Morocco, will be participating in the 2nd edition of Gitex Africa, scheduled from May 29th to 31st in Marrakech. This participation aligns with inwi's commitment to promote its latest technological innovations and support the Moroccan start-up ecosystem.

Inwi's booth at Gitex Africa will serve as a hub for technological solutions for Moroccan businesses. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore a wide range of "inwi Business" offerings designed to accelerate the digital transformation of enterprises, including:

- SD-WAN: A flexible and high-performance network solution that enables businesses to efficiently manage their multi-site connections.
- Unified Communication: Collaborative communication solutions that facilitate communication and collaboration among teams.
- Sovereign Cloud: Secure cloud computing services compliant with Moroccan regulations.
- Cybersecurity: Data protection solutions against cyber threats to ensure the security of business data.
- Hosting: High-performance and reliable hosting solutions for enterprise IT infrastructures.

Source: Al Bayane

Nasser Bourita Reaffirms Morocco's Support for the Palestinian Cause and Bayt Mal Al-Qods Acharif Efforts

Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans Residing Abroad, Nasser Bourita, participated in a meeting of the Follow-up Instance for the Implementation of Decisions and Commitments in Manama on Tuesday, on the sidelines of the preparatory ministerial meeting for the 33rd Arab Summit.

During the meeting, Mr. Bourita reaffirmed Morocco's unwavering support for the Palestinian cause and the efforts made by Bayt Mal Al-Qods Acharif Agency, under the chairmanship of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.

The minister highlighted the humanitarian operation ordered by the Sovereign on March 12, 2024, for the benefit of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and Al-Qods Acharif. This large-scale operation, totaling $1 million, distributed over 40 tons of food to 2,000 families in Jerusalem, provided 1,000 meals daily in Al-Qods, and equipped "Le Croissant Rouge" Hospital and Al Maqassid Hospital with medicines and medical equipment.

Mr. Bourita also announced the upcoming launch of a microcredit program by Bayt Mal Al-Qods Acharif Agency, in cooperation with the governor of Al-Qods. Other social projects will also be implemented with a total budget of $200,000.

Managem Clarifies Position on Bou Azzer Mine

Following the publication of a Reuters dispatch on May 8th, Managem, a pan-African mining player in energy transition, sought to clarify certain points regarding the presence of arsenic at the Bou Azzer mine in Morocco.

Managem emphasizes that the "sometimes high arsenic levels found at the Bou Azzer mine" are "normal" rates for a mining operation processing cobalt arsenide-rich ore. The natural concentration of arsenic in the region has been known since 1928, the start of the mine's operation. Two recent independent audits, conducted according to international standards, confirmed the natural presence of arsenic in the region and clearly established no correlation between mining activity and arsenic levels.

Managem asserts that no cases of arsenic-related illnesses have been reported among its employees or in neighboring villages. A comprehensive social audit found no major breaches of applicable standards.

Since the start of operations, Managem has considered the possibility of material runoff during heavy rainfall. Preventive measures have been implemented, including the construction of drainage ditches and removal of deposits in the river. Audits also proved that drinking water in neighboring villages fully complies with Moroccan and international standards.

Managem attaches great importance to its role as a leading player in global energy transition. It is fully committed to implementing and enforcing all necessary measures to ensure strict compliance with quality, safety, and health standards for its employees and neighbors, as well as to preserve the environment.

Source: Les Inspirations Eco