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As factory plans await, Morocco donates 2,000 tons of fertilizer to Ghana

As factory plans await, Morocco donates 2,000 tons of fertilizer to Ghana

Ya Biladi10-06-2025
Morocco is donating 2,000 tons of fertilizer to Ghana, Ghanaian Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced on X. He also highlighted that food security cooperation between Rabat and Accra will include technical support for the construction of a modern fertilizer manufacturing plant in Ghana.
The topic of fertilizers was briefly discussed by Morocco's Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans Living Abroad, Nasser Bourita, during a press briefing last week in Rabat alongside his Ghanaian counterpart.
Just days earlier, Kenya's Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi, speaking from Casablanca, called on the Kingdom to accelerate the creation of a fertilizer blending plant in Kenya, a project expected to significantly lower input costs and boost yields for Kenyan farmers.
Both Kenya and Ghana support Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara, first proposed in 2007.
Morocco is also in talks with Tanzania, despite the country's recognition of the so-called «Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR)», to build a fertilizer production facility there.
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Meknes newborn finally registered under the name Massinissa after initial refusal
Meknes newborn finally registered under the name Massinissa after initial refusal

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Meknes newborn finally registered under the name Massinissa after initial refusal

In Meknes, a family's choice to name their newborn son Massinissa, after the historic Amazigh king, sparked administrative hurdles this week. A civil registry officer at the 8th district office in the Marjane 2 neighborhood refused to register the name, despite clear legal and judicial rulings granting parents the freedom to choose names, and official instructions requiring officers to register them or refer disputes to the High Commission within 24 hours, the family's lawyer, Sabri Lhou, denounced in a post on Facebook. Lhou said the officer «placed obstacles in the way, creating unnecessary difficulties to block my client's legal right to register his son under the name Massinissa, and demanded another name be chosen». The dispute ended after the intervention of the Governor of Meknes Province. In a follow-up post on August 12, the lawyer said the governor upheld the law and «restored the prestige, status, and authority of the name Massinissa». The father was contacted by the Marjane 2 office and informed that the earlier refusal had been overturned. The incident brings the issue of civil registry officers refusing Amazigh names back into the spotlight. In the past, many parents have seen their Amazigh name choices rejected, but the Moroccan government had made its position clear on the matter. In 2023, Morocco's High Commission of the Civil Registry reaffirmed that Moroccans are free to choose Arabic, Amazigh, Hassani, or Hebrew names, provided they respect morality and public order. Since then, and under decree No. 2.22.04 implementing Law 36.21, civil registry officers must accept all declared names, even if they raise concerns, and refer them to a higher committee for a decision. This committee must provide a justification, with results communicated digitally to both the officer and the applicant.

Moroccan DV-2025 Winners Face Race Against Time as US Visa Interviews Stall
Moroccan DV-2025 Winners Face Race Against Time as US Visa Interviews Stall

Morocco World

time2 days ago

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Moroccan DV-2025 Winners Face Race Against Time as US Visa Interviews Stall

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His professional journey continued at the Ministry of Interior's General Directorate of Local Authorities, where he managed a rural electrification project under French cooperation. After seven years there, Barrakad joined the National Office of Electricity (ONE) in 2000, handling cooperation with utilities and local authorities. At ONE, he managed relationships with various ministerial departments, particularly tourism, and was involved with the Plan Azur and Plan Biladi initiatives. His competence led to promotions, first as Rabat Regional Director in 2006 and later as Commercial and Marketing Director in 2009. In 2011, Barrakad was appointed to lead SMIT, marking the true beginning of his tourism sector adventure. Colleagues in the tourism industry appreciate him for his availability, good humor, and relational ease – qualities essential for successful negotiations in the complex tourism development landscape. Driving Morocco's tourism innovation and investment Under Barrakad's direction, SMIT has been instrumental in implementing Morocco's tourism vision. The agency played a key role in the post-pandemic tourism recovery, supporting businesses to improve service quality and implementing government support measures that saved companies and preserved jobs. SMIT is currently managing support for reconstruction and upgrading of tourism accommodations affected by the Al Haouz earthquake. This assistance enables impacted establishments to complete renovation work and resume operations. The agency's efforts have contributed to Morocco's record-breaking tourism performance. The country has achieved several historic milestones, including hosting 14.5 million tourists in 2023 and 8.9 million visitors in the first half of this year – a 19% increase over the same period in 2024. Barrakad is now focusing on technological innovation as a key driver for tourism investment. In January, SMIT co-organized an international conference on technological innovation and tourism investment in Marrakech, showcasing how digital technologies can identify new investment opportunities in the sector. The agency is particularly interested in empowering innovative startups to establish themselves in the increasingly competitive market. Though startups currently have a limited impact, Barrakad aims to increase their visibility through an approach combining technology and strategic partnerships. To support this initiative, authorities are offering incentives to young startup founders, including SMIT's incubation program with a budget of MAD 180 million ($18 million), Moukawala Siyahia with MAD 600 million ($60 million), and Go Siyaha with MAD 720 million ($72 million). The targeted startups include those specializing in leisure gaming, such as virtual and augmented reality, which can reconstruct the architecture of ruined monuments to enhance visitor experiences. Others focus on electronic payment security platforms that improve travel preparation and visitor stays. Barrakad expects these startups to reach critical mass by 2026, with nationwide implementation by 2030, helping Morocco achieve its goal of 26 million tourist arrivals by the end of the decade. Embracing green tourism as the next frontier SMIT's latest initiative focuses on sustainable tourism development. The agency will host a high-level forum on September 24 in Ifrane, exploring 'Green Tourism' perspectives in Morocco. The event will bring together over 200 Moroccan and international decision-makers, including ministers, investors, institutional representatives, experts, and local operators. The conference aims to showcase successful sustainable tourism experiences, promote investment opportunities in ecotourism, and encourage the emergence of small businesses in this sector. It will also strengthen synergies between tourism investments, environmental preservation, natural space enhancement, and sustainable agriculture initiatives. This green tourism push follows a February agreement between SMIT, the Regional Investment Center of Fès-Meknès, and the National Agency for Water and Forests. The agencies have designed an integrated development program for Ifrane National Park, one of Morocco's richest national parks in terms of natural and tourism potential. The program aims to stimulate tourism investment through public actions that enhance ecosystem attractiveness while positively impacting socioeconomic development. It includes eight tourism clusters focused on rejuvenation, with a total budget of MAD 734 million ($73.4 million), including MAD 641 million ($64.1 million) in public funding. SMIT has launched a call for interest to select candidates wishing to invest in ecotourism projects in Ifrane National Park, offering technical and financial support of up to MAD 500,000 ($50,000) per project to approximately twenty project developers. Tags: Forbes Middle East rankingsImad BarrakadTourism in Morocco

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