Daily Press Review - Thursday, June 20, 2024

His Majesty King Mohammed VI and the Fight Against Hate Speech: A National Priority

During a high-level event in New York, Omar Hilale, Morocco's permanent representative to the UN, emphasized Morocco's steadfast commitment under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI to the values of coexistence and combating hate speech. The event, co-organized by Morocco's Permanent Mission to the United Nations and the UN Office on Genocide Prevention, marked the third International Day for Countering Hate Speech, celebrated annually on June 18 since its UN proclamation in July 2021 at Morocco's initiative. This year's theme was "Investing in Youth Capacity to Counter Hate Speech." Mr. Hilale highlighted His Majesty's emphasis on integrating youth into all development strategies, focusing on policies promoting equal opportunities, quality education, civic responsibility, and intellectual and professional empowerment. He emphasized that these efforts aim to protect youth from marginalization risks and empower them as agents of change in society. Mr. Hilale also praised Moroccan youth for actively engaging in combating hate speech and extremism, citing the effectiveness of Morocco's Integrated National Youth Strategy (2015-2030).

Source: LE MATIN DU SAHARA

Wheat Imports in Morocco Sharply Rise: Compensating for Decline in Local Production

Morocco is set to import a record amount of wheat this year to offset a sharp decline in domestic production. Forecasts indicate imports reaching 7.5 million tons, a significant 19% increase from the previous year, aiming to mitigate a nearly 40% drop in local wheat production compared to 2023. Morocco, now among Africa's leading wheat importers, is responding to increased demand across the continent. According to FAO data, wheat import demand in Africa is expected to reach a historic 55.6 million tons, up 2.2%.

This surge in Moroccan imports mirrors a global trend influenced by adverse weather conditions in major wheat-producing regions, particularly in Europe and Ukraine. The FAO forecasts a slight global wheat production decline this year due to challenging climate conditions. However, regions like North America expect increased production thanks to favorable weather, which could stabilize global wheat markets.

Source: Les Inspirations Eco

Tractafric Motors Introduces Great Wall in Morocco: A New Era in Automotive Distribution

Tractafric Motors, a subsidiary of Optorg and part of the century-old Al Mada Group, has strategically secured exclusive distribution rights for Great Wall, a leading Chinese SUV manufacturer, in Morocco. This ambitious initiative aims to capture a significant market share in Morocco's SUV segment, with a medium-term goal of 10%.

Tarafa Marouane, CEO of Optorg, highlighted the remarkable evolution of the Chinese automotive industry, attributing its success to massive investments, government incentives, and a vast domestic market. Marouane explained that choosing Great Wall aligns with a meticulous strategy, noting his recent visit to China to assess manufacturers' production and innovation capabilities. He underscored advanced automation on production lines and integration of 5G and AI in Chinese factories, ensuring superior manufacturing quality.

Current challenges and opportunities for Chinese brands in the automotive sector were also discussed, focusing on technological innovation, connectivity, and autonomous driving. Marouane predicted that cars would become true connected and intelligent extensions in the near future.

Source: Les Inspirations Eco

State Spending per Student in Morocco: An Analysis of Costs and Challenges

Each year, the Moroccan state allocates an average of 25,000 dirhams per university student, totaling over 1.2 million enrolled in the country's universities. However, despite this substantial investment, it falls significantly below international standards observed in major developed nations, where this ratio can be up to eight to ten times higher.

In Rabat, ministry corridors are bustling as forecasts for the 2025 Finance Bill are finalized. Each department, from Higher Education to Infrastructure, seeks budget increases, often curtailed by the Ministry of Finance's watchful eye on public spending.

In Higher Education, for instance, the goal is to surpass the 16.09 billion dirhams allocated in 2024, excluding staff salaries. Per student, this amounts to approximately 13,404 dirhams, slightly above the 12,360 dirhams from the previous year. However, including staff salaries raises the cost to 20,418 dirhams per student.

Budget negotiations are intricate, influenced not only by governmental priorities but also by ministers' political weight. The Ministry of Higher Education, for example, aims to secure funds for institution operation and support for teaching and research.

Source: Les Inspirations Eco

Toward the Era of Electronic Currency in Morocco: Bank Al-Maghrib Takes Action

Morocco is steadily moving towards adopting a national digital currency. While still in the conceptual stage, Bank Al-Maghrib (BAM) is advancing with determination through several crucial phases aimed at testing and preparing the ground for this major innovation.

The e-dirham, the codename for this future electronic currency, is progressing towards reality. BAM is sparing no effort, even mobilizing internationally renowned partners in the financial sector. Abderahim Bouazza, CEO of Bank Al-Maghrib, recently emphasized during Gitex Africa that the process is proceeding in two distinct phases.

"The first exploratory phase allowed us to test retail payments in digital currency and evaluate system functionalities," explained Bouazza. "The second phase will involve conducting a Proof of Concept (POC) with technical assistance from the World Bank and IMF," he added.

The use of crypto-assets (CA) was also addressed, highlighting their potential role in designing central bank digital currencies. "We have taken steps to regulate the use of crypto-assets through legislation currently under review, aimed at protecting users and preserving market integrity," Bouazza clarified.

This initiative marks a new era for Morocco's financial system, with BAM distinguishing itself through a gradual approach. Abdellatif Jouahri, Governor of Bank Al-Maghrib, announced in 2021 the establishment of commissions dedicated to electronic currency and crypto-assets. "We closely follow international experiences and remain in contact with pioneering central banks such as those in Canada, England, and Switzerland," he declared.

Source: AUJOURD'HUI LE MAROC

HACA Calls for Integrating Africa into Global Governance of Digital Platforms

At the UNESCO International Conference on Digital Platform Governance held on June 18 and 19, 2024, in Dubrovnik, Croatia, the High Authority of Audiovisual Communication of Morocco (HACA) issued a strong call to integrate Africa into global governance of digital platforms. Latifa Akharbach, President of HACA and Chairperson of the African Network of Communication Regulation Authorities, emphasized this ambition in her opening speech.

She highlighted the crucial importance for Africa to play a leading role in global regulation of digital platforms, advocating for a universal framework built on consensus that respects diversity. "As the youngest continent in the world, with 65% of its population under the age of 35, Africa must benefit from digital advances while protecting itself against disruptions," Ms. Akharbach stated.

This initiative aims to ensure active African participation in shaping international policies governing the digital economy, thereby ensuring equitable and relevant representation of African perspectives in global discussions on the digital future.

Source: Al Bayane

Moroccans Lead Foreign Contributors to Social Security in Spain

For the second consecutive month, Moroccans are the largest group of foreign contributors to Spain's social security system, according to the latest data from the Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration released this Tuesday.

By the end of May, there were 358,371 Moroccans affiliated with social security in Spain, marking an increase of nearly 11,500 compared to April. This number places Moroccans ahead of other groups of foreign workers and contributors to social security, surpassing Romanians with 351,890 contributors, according to the ministry.

Moroccan affiliates are followed by those from Colombia (205,890), Italy (194,182), Venezuela (157,784), and China (157,784), as reported by authorities.

The total number of foreign affiliates to social security reached a record level of 2,882,967 in May, increasing by 77,912 from the previous month. Since December 2019, before the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of foreign contributors has risen by 627,864 people.

In terms of origin, 925,282 come from European Union countries (32.1%) and 1,957,685 from third countries (67.9%). Notably, the system includes 70,675 members from Ukraine, with a significant increase of 23,416 since January 2022, before the Ukraine conflict began.

Source: Al Bayane

International Support for Morocco's Autonomy Plan for the Sahara at the UN's C24

During the regular session of the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization (C24) from June 10-21, Guatemala and Burundi reiterated their firm support for Morocco's territorial integrity, sovereignty, and its autonomy initiative to resolve the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara.

Guatemala's Permanent Ambassador to the United Nations, Carla Maria Rodríguez Mancia, reaffirmed that Morocco's autonomy initiative presented in 2007 represents a realistic, credible, and serious basis for achieving a negotiated solution that respects the Kingdom's territorial integrity and national sovereignty. She praised the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy to relaunch the political process, emphasizing the importance of resolving this conflict for stability and security in the Maghreb region.

Meanwhile, the Burundian representative also expressed full support for Morocco's territorial integrity and its autonomy initiative. He highlighted the opening of various countries' consulates general in Laâyoune and Dakhla, noting that this step strengthens economic and social opportunities in the Moroccan Sahara, thereby contributing to regional development, stability, and influence.

The Burundian diplomat also commended the socio-economic progress achieved through Morocco's New Development Model initiated in 2015, which has improved living conditions for local populations and fostered human development in the region.

Source: Liberation

Cambium Networks Equips Moroccan Universities with High-Performance Wi-Fi

Cambium Networks, a global leader in wireless network solutions, has unveiled its partnership with Morocco to provide a next-generation Wi-Fi network in the country's universities. This strategic initiative aims to connect 12 major public universities across more than 200 campuses throughout the kingdom.

Selected for its advanced technology, Cambium Networks will deploy its Wi-Fi 6 solutions in collaboration with 3GCOM, a renowned service integrator. These solutions, including the Wi-Fi 6 XV2-2X indoor and XV2-T0 outdoor access points, were specifically chosen for their efficiency and ability to deliver multi-gigabit connectivity at an optimized cost.

Noureddine Chikhaoui, Commercial Director of 3GCOM, emphasized the significant advantage of Cambium Networks products in terms of coverage and reduced installation costs. Over 18,000 access points will be deployed, facilitating access to essential digital resources for over 1.3 million students, faculty members, and administrative staff across Morocco.

The advanced cloud management features and seamless integration with existing infrastructure ensure simplified administration and reliable performance for critical educational applications such as online learning, virtual testing, and multimedia collaboration.

Morgan Kurk, CEO of Cambium Networks, underscored the company's commitment to providing robust and affordable solutions to support modern digital education. He highlighted Cambium Networks' unique ability to meet growing connectivity needs in educational environments, ensuring a seamless and high-quality learning experience.

Source: Liberation