Daily Press Review - Friday, May 10, 2024

Acaps Takes a Stand Against Corruption: Aiming for a More Ethical Insurance and Social Welfare Sector

The Insurance and Social Welfare Control Authority (Acaps) has launched an ambitious initiative to combat corruption in the insurance and social welfare sector. Dubbed "Pac'aps," this policy aims to promote integrity, probity, and ethical practices within the institution and across its ecosystem.

Pac'aps is centered around a stringent code of ethics that applies to all Acaps employees, insurance companies, social welfare organizations, agents, brokers, suppliers, partners, policyholders, affiliates, and contract beneficiaries. This code strictly prohibits bribery, influence peddling, embezzlement, favoritism, and extortion.

All Acaps employees are required to sign a pledge to fight corruption, conflicts of interest, and influence peddling. This commitment is renewed every time the code is updated. To prevent conflicts of interest, Acaps also enforces a "zero tolerance" policy for gifts and invitations.

An anti-corruption management system, compliant with the ISO 37001 standard, is in place to identify, prevent, and address corruption risks. A confidential reporting system allows both employees and external parties to report any suspected corruption. Acaps' ethics committee investigates these reports and provides advisory opinions to the authority. Whistleblowers are protected from retaliation by the penal code and the Acaps anti-corruption charter.

Source: L'Economiste

Business Schools: Soft Skills at the Heart of Future Managers' Training

To keep pace with evolving labor markets and increasing corporate demands, business and management schools are placing a growing emphasis on developing soft skills in their students. These transversal competencies, such as communication, teamwork, adaptability, and leadership, are becoming increasingly crucial for professional success.

To cultivate these soft skills, business schools offer a variety of engaging pedagogical tools. Common methods include group projects, business simulations, role-playing, and personal development workshops. These activities allow students to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world situations, fostering teamwork and enhancing interpersonal skills.

"Developing soft skills is as important as acquiring academic knowledge, because it prepares our students to become competent, versatile professionals who meet the demands of the labor market," says Olivier Aptel, CEO of Rabat Business School. "Eighty percent of future jobs haven't been invented yet, which means our responsibility is to equip our students with the skills and tools to navigate uncertainty, making them agile, adaptable, and digitally savvy," he adds.

Source: L'Economiste

SIEL 2024: A Celebration of Literature and Culture

The International Book and Publishing Fair (SIEL) opens its doors today in Rabat for another edition dedicated to literature and culture. This flagship event in the Moroccan cultural landscape gathers book professionals, authors, and reading enthusiasts from all corners of the country for a week-long celebration.

SIEL 2024 honors the art of reading through a diverse and rich program. It features literary events with renowned authors, writing workshops, idea debates, exhibitions, and activities for children. This provides visitors with a unique opportunity to discover the latest literary releases, meet their favorite authors, and indulge in their love for reading.

SIEL also serves as a crucial platform for book professionals. Publishers, booksellers, distributors, and authors come together to discuss industry challenges and explore new collaboration opportunities. The fair allows them to promote their products, forge connections, and expand their business.

Promoting reading and culture is a significant goal for Morocco. SIEL contributes to this objective by encouraging public interest in reading, supporting the book industry, and showcasing Moroccan culture to a global audience.

Source: Al Bayane

African Summit in Nairobi on Fertilizers and Soil Health: Bourita Highlights Morocco's Pro-African Commitment

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans Living Abroad, Nasser Bourita, represented King Mohammed VI at the African Summit on Fertilizers and Soil Health, held in Nairobi from May 9 to 10, 2024. During the summit, Mr. Bourita held a series of meetings with several African delegation leaders.

These meetings allowed Mr. Bourita to review bilateral relations between Morocco and the represented African countries and to discuss ways to further strengthen these ties. The discussions also covered South-South cooperation and the role Morocco can play in contributing to sustainable development across the African continent.

Mr. Bourita reaffirmed Morocco's pro-African commitment and its desire to continue working toward the development and prosperity of the continent. He emphasized the importance of cooperation among African countries in addressing common challenges, especially in food security and agricultural development.

The Nairobi Summit resulted in the adoption of the Nairobi Declaration on Fertilizers and Soil Health in Africa. This declaration aims to promote sustainable agriculture in Africa by improving access to quality fertilizers and raising awareness of soil health's importance.

Morocco plays a key role in African agriculture. The OCP Group, a world leader in phosphates, is a major contributor to Africa's agricultural development. Morocco also shares its expertise with African countries to help them develop their agricultural sectors.

Source: Al Bayane

 Deep Tech Summit: UM6P Gathers Key Change-Makers in Africa

Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) organized the "Deep Tech Summit" on May 9 and 10, 2024, attracting over 1,800 participants from 30 countries. This summit aimed to examine the state of Deep Tech in Africa, discuss its challenges and development prospects, and raise awareness about its impact on crucial sectors like agriculture, health, energy, IT infrastructure, and biotechnology.

During the summit, UM6P shared that 60% of its attendees were students, 12% researchers, and 10% collaborators. Of UM6P's emerging talents, 75% come from Moroccan universities. UM6P's incubation and acceleration program has already supported 800 entrepreneurial projects, 35% of which were founded by women. These startups have collectively raised over 2.6 billion dirhams (non-dilutive) and created more than 600 jobs. UM6P also prioritizes sustainability, with 40% of incubated businesses generating revenue one year after incubation and 65% achieving legal status.

UM6P aims to establish Africa as a major player in Deep Tech. To achieve this, the university has launched several initiatives, including creating an international platform for Deep Tech exchange in Africa and hosting this summit.

The Deep Tech Summit exceeded expectations with over 1,800 registered participants, 60% of whom were women, 60% were researchers and students, 25% were startups, and 15% were policymakers. The event featured 11 panels, 5 parallel events, and 3 masterclasses, with 70 renowned speakers contributing to its success.

Source: Aujourd'hui le Maroc

Moroccan Logistics Awards 2024: Honoring Excellence and Innovation in the Moroccan Supply Chain

The 7th edition of the Moroccan Logistics Awards, organized by the Moroccan Agency for Logistics Development (AMDL) in partnership with the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), took place last night alongside the Logismed Fair. This event was an opportunity to showcase the outstanding achievements of Moroccan companies in the field of supply chain, awarding their innovative projects and solutions that contribute to efficiency, sustainability, and competitiveness in the national logistics sector.

Four Companies Recognized for Their Exemplary Contributions

- Building & Logistic Services (BLS) received the "Logistics Project of the Year" award for its "Birth of an End-to-End Logistics Operator" project.

- Logisolutions won the "Logistics Real Estate of the Year" award for its "High-Rise Warehouse LogiSolutions New York" project.

- Agricold was honored with the "Green Logistics Project of the Year" award for its "Energy Transition for a Refrigerated Warehouse" project.

- Vely Vélo received the "Startup of the Year" award for its "Picaleev: Last-Mile Delivery Solution" project.

- Logistiqa was also recognized with the "Jury's Special Mention" for its commitment and remarkable achievements.

The award-winning projects at this year's Moroccan Logistics Awards highlight the ability of Moroccan companies to develop innovative and effective logistics solutions that address the sector's current challenges and contribute to its sustainable development. These accomplishments are a source of pride for the entire Moroccan logistics community and demonstrate the country's potential to become a major logistics player in Africa and beyond.

Source: Moroccan Logistics Awards 2024

African Development Bank Unveils New Partnership Strategy with Morocco for 2024-2029: Focusing on Inclusive and Resilient Growth

The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group is set to launch its new partnership strategy with Morocco for the period 2024-2029. This ambitious roadmap, developed in close collaboration with various Moroccan stakeholders, aims to propel the country toward more inclusive growth and greater resilience to external shocks.

The strategy will focus on supporting skills development through an innovative territorial approach, aligning with Morocco's ongoing process of advanced regionalization. Emphasis will be placed on strengthening employability, enhancing labor productivity, boosting innovation capacity, and stimulating economic competitiveness. The creation of jobs for youth and women will also be central to AfDB's efforts, particularly through entrepreneurship development and support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in urban and rural areas, with a focus on agricultural value chains.

Morocco's Cosmetics Market Is Booming: Projected to Reach $2.76 Billion by 2029

Morocco's cosmetics market is showing strong growth, with projections suggesting it will reach $2.76 billion by 2029, up from $1.57 billion in 2022, according to a recent study by Maximize Market Research. This anticipated annual growth rate of 7.92% between 2023 and 2029 is driven by several key factors.

Moroccan consumers are increasingly willing to invest in cosmetic products, especially body sunscreens, lotions, and anti-aging creams. This trend is driven by growing awareness of the importance of skin protection and the benefits of anti-aging treatments.

The rise of e-commerce in Morocco offers a new growth opportunity for the cosmetics market. Consumers appreciate the convenience and variety of choices provided by online platforms, which is expected to boost sales in the coming years.

The growing demand for natural and organic cosmetic products is another significant trend in the Moroccan market. Consumers are becoming more environmentally conscious and concerned about the composition of the products they use, prompting manufacturers to offer healthier and more sustainable alternatives.

Source: Le Matin du Sahara

Changement climatique au Maroc: des risques financiers et économiques considérables à l'horizon 2050

Climate change poses a significant threat to the Moroccan economy, with potential financial and economic losses reaching alarming levels by 2050. This is the conclusion of a joint study by the World Bank and Bank Al-Maghrib, presented at a dissemination workshop last week.

According to the study, extreme flooding could result in a loss of 2% of Morocco's GDP by 2050, while the impact of droughts could reach 3.5%. These increasingly frequent and intense climate-related events threaten agricultural production, infrastructure, and the overall economic activity of the country.

The capital of Morocco's banking sector is also at significant risk due to climate change. Extreme events such as floods and droughts can impact borrowers' creditworthiness, increase non-performing loans, and weaken banks' profitability.

Source: Moroccan Climate Change Study

La Bourse de Casablanca heads to London to attract international investors

The Casablanca Stock Exchange is intensifying its efforts to win over international investors. Currently, the Moroccan stock exchange is hosting the 7th edition of its flagship event, the Morocco Capital Markets Days (MCMD), in London. This annual gathering, held from May 9 to 11, aims to showcase the strengths and potential of the Moroccan stock market to an international audience of investors, analysts, and financial sector professionals.

This year's MCMD is marked by the presence of distinguished guests supporting the message of confidence and dynamism promoted by the Casablanca Stock Exchange. Among the attendees are Mrs. Nadia Fettah Alaoui, Morocco's Minister of Economy and Finance, and Mrs. Nezha Hayat, President of the Moroccan Capital Market Authority (AMMC). Their participation underscores the Moroccan authorities' commitment to supporting the development of the national stock market and positioning it as an attractive destination for foreign investments.

Beyond the official speeches, MCMD 2024 offers a rich program of individual meetings and networking opportunities. Over 120 one-on-one sessions are scheduled for the 26 Moroccan publicly traded companies. These sessions will allow company executives to present their development strategies, growth prospects, and investment projects to international investors.

Source: Casablanca Stock Exchange

SNRT Triumphs at the 13th Meknès TV Fiction Festival: 5 Awards and Recognition for the Diversity of Its Productions

The National Broadcasting and Television Society (SNRT) shined during the 13th edition of the Meknès TV Fiction Festival, held from May 3 to 7 under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI. SNRT productions, broadcast on its various channels, took home five prestigious awards, demonstrating the quality and diversity of its content.

The series "Dar Nsa," directed by Samia Akariou and aired on Al Aoula, won the Grand Prize in the television series category. This work, featuring a talented cast including Nora Skalli, Meryem Zaimi, Amine Naji, Ibtissam Laaroussi, Fatima Zahra Qanbouaa, Yassine Ahjam, Fatima Naji, Mehdi Foulane, Dross Roukhe, Rabie Skalli, Saad Mouaffak, and Nada Belkacemi, captivated the jury with its poignant story and endearing characters.

In the humorous series category, "Salah et Faty 2," directed by Mohamed Amine El Ahmar for Al Aoula, won the Grand Prize. This series, composed of 30 episodes, written by Abdclali Lemhar and Yassine Ghalfane and performed by Taliss, Fadoua Taleb, Fatima Lahou, Ahmed El Younani, Yoassef Boaubidi, and Yassine Ghalfane, entertained audiences with its amusing situations and colorful characters.

Source: 13th Meknès TV Fiction Festival