Moroccan professor Abdellatif Bencherifa wins International Prize for German Geography
Renowned internationally, Bencherifa's expertise spans cultural geography, rural development sociology, and change studies. His research primarily focuses on Morocco's rural regions, including oases and mountain areas, pastoralism, migration, and development.
In addition to his academic work, he explores fundamental philosophical questions within geography, while also bringing deep expertise in public policy, educational leadership, and territorial governance. He has authored or edited seven books and around 50 scholarly articles in French, Arabic, English, German, and Spanish.
After earning his bachelor's degree in 1973, Bencherifa pursued postgraduate studies in human and social geography at Mohammed V University in Rabat, completing them in 1978. He later obtained a State Doctorate from Clark University in the United States in 1986.
Alongside his academic research, he served as vice-dean of the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences at Mohammed V University (1990–1994), and vice-president of Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane (1994–2002). He was later appointed president of Moulay Ismaïl University in Meknes (2002–2005).
Bencherifa was also a member of the first administrative council of the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture (IRCAM) between 2002 and 2005. He contributed to the Fiftieth Anniversary Report and served on the Consultative Commission on Advanced Regionalization (2010–2011).
Outside academia, he held several senior territorial positions between 2005 and 2016, including wali of the Gharb-Chrarda-Bni Hssen region, director of personnel at the Ministry of the Interior, and wali-director general of local authorities. He returned to academia in 2017, joining the International University of Rabat.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Morocco World
4 hours ago
- Morocco World
Moroccan Universities to Introduce Arabic in Science, Engineering, and Medicine
Rabat — Morocco has taken a decisive step in reshaping its higher education system with the publication of Official Gazette No. 7430, which enacts provisions of Framework Law No. 51.17 on the education and training system. The measure enforces that universities and professional schools that rely on foreign languages of instruction include at least one module in the Arabic language within their scientific, technical, and professional programs, which are mostly taught in foreign languages. Framework Law No. 51.17, adopted by Parliament in 2019, laid out a roadmap for an ambitious reform of Morocco's education system. One of its central pillars is the concept of linguistic engineering, designed to restore the role of Arabic in higher education while maintaining Morocco's commitment to multilingualism. Article 32 of the law explicitly requires the introduction of a course taught in Arabic in programs where instruction is primarily delivered in foreign languages. The publication of this decision in the Official Gazette on August 14 is what gives it binding force. It transforms the provision from legislative text into a legal requirement, compelling institutions such as faculties of science, engineering schools, and medical colleges to adapt their programs accordingly. For the first time, Arabic will formally enter domains of higher education that have long been dominated by French, English, or Spanish. This development carries both symbolic and practical significance. On the one hand, it reinforces the position of Arabic as a language of knowledge and science, reflecting Morocco's cultural and linguistic identity. On the other hand, it represents a concrete shift in the academic landscape, as universities now face the task of rethinking curricula to align with the new linguistic requirements. The entry into force of this measure through Official Gazette No. 7430 marks the beginning of a new phase in Morocco's educational reform. It signals the country's determination to balance its long-standing tradition of multilingual education with a renewed commitment to ensuring that Arabic plays a central role in scientific and professional training. Tags: Arabic languageeducation reformMoroccan Universities
Morocco World
7 hours ago
- Morocco World
Moroccan Youth: Between Dreams and Harsh Reality Amid Rising Unemployment
Marrakech – Young Moroccans, representing 34.4% of the population according to the High Commission for Planning (HCP)'s 2024 data, stand at a crossroads despite constituting a potential 'golden demographic opportunity' for the country's development. According to a report by the Moroccan League for Human Rights (LMDDH) published yesterday to mark International Youth Day on August 12, Moroccan youth encounter formidable barriers in employment, political participation, education, health, and social integration. The report, themed around the UN's 'Local Youth Action for Sustainable Development Goals and Beyond 2030,' delivers a comprehensive analysis of the current situation backed by official statistics. Unemployment persists as one of the most critical issues affecting young Moroccans. The report cites that the overall unemployment rate reached 12.8% in the second quarter of 2025, but the figure skyrockets among youth aged 15-24, hitting between 35.8% and 36.7% between February and August. The outlook appears even bleaker for those with higher education degrees, with unemployment rates reaching 19.6% in February and surging to approximately 40% in some regions by July. According to official figures, Morocco requires around 240,000 jobs annually, while nearly 350,000 young people enter the labor market each year. This adds heavy pressure on available opportunities, deepens the supply-demand gap, and calls for structural reforms, effective public policies, and investment in promising sectors to absorb more youth. The report notes that 67% of working youth find themselves trapped in the informal sector, which typically lacks social protection and decent working conditions, heightening their vulnerability. 'This reflects the substantial disconnect between educational outcomes and job market requirements,' states the LMDDH report, urging a review of economic and educational policies to ensure better alignment between skills supply and demand. Political participation among youth remains worryingly scarce despite repeated calls for greater involvement. Analysis of electoral rolls revealed that youth registration plummeted from 30% of the total electorate in 2011 to merely 20% by March 2024. 'There exists an iron dome that permanently and structurally limits youth integration into electoral and democratic life,' the report points out, noting that youth representation in elected institutions has also diminished compared to previous elections. A failing education system leaves youth unprepared The educational system grapples with profound shortcomings that directly impact youth development and prospects. According to the report, school dropout rates, while showing improvement nationally to 4.4% by March, persist at alarming levels in rural areas where 14.2% of those aged 15-17 abandoned their studies in 2024. Classroom overcrowding continues to undermine educational quality, with 12.9% of secondary schools suffering from this issue in August. The report indicates that approximately 15,000 classrooms exceed 41 students, hampering teacher effectiveness and student learning outcomes. Higher education institutions struggle with multiple structural deficiencies, including overcrowding in open-access programs, inadequate infrastructure, and insufficient funding for scientific research. The LMDDH report emphasizes that many university programs fall short of equipping students with the skills and competencies employers seek, widening the divide between educational outcomes and economic needs. Vocational training, while recognized as vital for bridging this gap, demands expanded coverage, diversified specializations, and robust partnerships with the private sector to maintain relevance to evolving job market requirements. Mental health services for youth remain woefully inadequate, with the Minister of Health revealing in April that Morocco has only 319 psychiatrists in the public sector, far below the World Health Organization (WHO)'s recommended minimum of 15.3 psychiatrists per 10,000 people. The report also draws attention to rising suicide rates among young people. While exact statistics remain disputed, with the Ministry of Health acknowledging it lacks precise figures specifically for youth, the report stresses that available data from various sources indicate concerning trends that underscore the urgent need to strengthen mental health services and provide psychological support for young people. Addiction, migration, and crime threaten youth futures Drug abuse among Moroccan youth has reached disturbing proportions. According to the High Commission for Planning, 9.4% of young people aged 15-24 admitted to consuming hashish at least once in their lives as of 2023. The report references a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime study from 2025 documenting troubling patterns, including a significant surge in pharmaceutical drug misuse among minors and modest increases in cocaine and heroin consumption. The Economic, Social, and Environmental Council (CESE) reported in August that Morocco counts six million smokers, including half a million minors, while gambling ensnares 3.3 million people, 40% of whom stand at direct risk of addiction. Irregular migration or 'harraga' proliferates among desperate youth. In 2024, authorities intercepted 78,685 irregular migration attempts, a 4.6% increase from the previous year. More tragically, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) documented approximately 2,000 deaths or disappearances in the Strait of Gibraltar and Atlantic Ocean, with 78% being youth under thirty. Crime and delinquency rates among young people have escalated markedly. According to the General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration, inmates under 30 years old totaled 18,754 in 2024, constituting 43% of the total prison population. The Public Prosecutor's Office reported that 63% of crimes committed in public places in 2023 were perpetrated by youth between 16 and 25 years old. Racism and hate speech targeting youth have intensified, particularly in digital spaces. A 2023 survey by the LMDDH and the Moroccan Center for Citizenship revealed 87% of young participants endorsed preventing African migrants from sub-Saharan countries from entering Morocco, while 55% opposed Morocco becoming a host country for migrants. The report observed that youth aged 18-35 exhibited 'more aggressive and more fanatical discourse.' To tackle these multifaceted issues, the LMDDH proposes implementing a comprehensive national plan to curb school dropouts, overhauling university curricula to better match job market needs, initiating a 'Safe Migration Program' with seasonal visas, establishing early integration centers for psychological and social intervention, and forming a national observatory to monitor crime and youth issues. Achieving sustainable development in Morocco hinges largely on the state's capacity to invest in youth and cultivate an appropriate environment for their prosperity, argues the report. This requires strong political commitment, coordination between various government sectors, and genuine involvement of young people themselves in shaping policies that affect their lives, it concludes. Tags: Moroccan YouthYoung Moroccans
Morocco World
9 hours ago
- Morocco World
ONEE Invests $13.2 Million to Secure Water Supply for Greater Agadir
Marrakech – The National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE) launched a strategic water project on Wednesday to secure the drinking water supply for the Souss-Massa region. The initiative aims to address the alarming water deficit in the area through the doubling of a key section of the regional water pipeline from the Moulay Abdellah Dam, located north of Agadir. ONEE Director General Tarik Hamane and Souss-Massa Regional Wali Said Amzazi, Governor of Agadir Ida Outanane Prefecture, officially inaugurated the project. The MAD 132 million ($13.2 million) investment is part of Morocco's broader water stress management program. The project involves the supply, transport, and installation of 13 km of steel-coated adduction pipes with a diameter of 1,000 mm. These pipes will transfer water from the Tamri treatment station, which has an expanded capacity of 1,100 liters per second, to Agadir's reservoirs. Additionally, the infrastructure will transport drinking water produced by two monobloc desalination stations currently under construction, which will add another 200 liters per second to the region's water capacity. The initiative will also strengthen the region's water security during maintenance periods of the Chtouka Ait Baha seawater desalination station. It will enhance flexibility in managing surface water resources from both the Abdelmoumen and Moulay Abdellah dams. ONEE is financing the project through a loan from the Islamic Development Bank (IDB). The system is expected to be operational by December. The project was launched during celebrations of the 72nd anniversary of the Revolution of the King and the People and the Youth Day. The project aligns with King Mohammed VI's directives to combat water scarcity in Morocco. In his 2024 Throne Day speech, the King stressed the urgency of addressing Morocco's water crisis, noting that water availability had dropped from 2,000 cubic meters per capita in 1960 to less than 600 cubic meters. He called for accelerated implementation of major water transfer projects between hydraulic basins and construction of seawater desalination plants. More recently, in his 2025 Throne Day, the monarch emphasized the need for 'a proactive and sustainable water resources management model, given the worsening water stress and climate change,' particularly as Morocco faces significant water challenges following 'successive years of drought.' The King announced the launch of 'large-scale projects in the fields of water and food security,' recognizing water security as one of Morocco's most pressing challenges. This focus on water management is a key pillar of Morocco's new integrated territorial development program, called for by the sovereign, which aims to ensure a dignified life for all Moroccan citizens. Sustainable water resource management has been identified as one of the four essential pillars of this national initiative, alongside job creation, strengthening basic social services, and launching integrated territorial development projects that guarantee wider regionalization and reject what the King described as a 'Morocco moving at two speeds.' The program seeks to ensure that development benefits reach all citizens, regardless of their social group or region.
