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Morocco World
4 days ago
- Politics
- Morocco World
Survey Warns of Civic Shortcomings Threatening Morocco's Image Ahead of World Cup 2030
Rabat — The Moroccan Center for Citizenship published a survey this week, assessing public perceptions and practices, offering a glimpse into priority areas for awareness, especially as Morocco is hosting major international events like the World Cup 2030. The survey, which took place between February and March, studies public space behavior, interpersonal respect, and other public practices related to civic conduct in Morocco. Understanding survey demographics The survey featured 1,173 participants, with 75.9% being males and 24.1% being females. Age distribution among those who were surveyed included a segment aged between 30-39, and this represented 32.6% of the participants. People aged between 20 to 29 represented 28.4% of the survey, while those aged 40 to 49 represented 11.4%. About 33.2% of the people surveyed were public employees, followed by students, private-sector workers, and as few as 103% are unemployed. Retirees make up 5.8% of the survey.f Respondents with a master's degree or higher represent 43.5%, and those who hold a bachelor's degree represent 40.7%. Rabat-Sale-Kenitra had the highest participation rate, followed by Casablanca-Settat, and Fez- Meknes, as well as Marrakech-Safi, and Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima in addition to the Oriental. Results of the survey The survey studied negative behaviors that could damage Morocco's reputation during the 2030 World Cup. Participants identified several concerns, including commercial fraud, poor hygiene, and customer exploitation. 'Practices like overcharging or offering poor-quality services were considered the most damaging by 84.8% of respondents,' the survey reads, noting that 81.7% of the people who took part in the survey expressed concern over behaviors that tarnish the environmental and visual appeal of cities. About 77% of respondents also cited aggressive or organized begging in tourist areas and stadiums, noting that such behaviour could negatively affect tourists and visitors. 'Lack of clean public restrooms in tourist areas and stadiums,' the report shows, noting that 73.6% of respondents see this issue against Morocco's infrastructure quality. In addition to similar civil conduct, the report notably highlighted issues like taxis' involvement in rejecting customers or tourists, or inflating prices. About 73% of respondents see similar practices as annoying. Among the challenges cited in the survey are poor emergency and health services, with 71.7% said they are dissatisfied. The concerns also cover disregard for queues and public order in stadiums, transport, shops, and public spaces, verbal and physical harassment of female tourists, stressful harassment, reckless driving, disregard for traffic laws, as well as other attitudes against tourists. Recommendation The center concluded its survey with a series of recommendations, including fostering civic behavior education into the curriculum at all levels, with an emphasis on empowering the family institution as a key actor in shaping civic behavior. The center also recommends the launch of national awareness campaigns targeting society at large about desirable behaviors in public spaces, using traditional and digital media. It also promotes influencers' involvement in promoting a culture of respect, discipline, and tolerance. The center also stressed the importance of raising awareness about laws related to civic behavior, simplifying channels for reporting uncivil behaviors, and establishing a local civil enforcement police force with clear mandates to apply the law fairly and effectively. Tags: 2010 World Cup2018 FIFA World Cup
Voice of America
02-03-2025
- General
- Voice of America
Morocco urges people to not buy sheep for Eid al-Adha celebrations
Sheep come running when Larbi El Ghazouani pours alfalfa and straw into their troughs twice a day. The 55-year-old farmer had counted on selling the bulk of his 130 sheep to Moroccans preparing for early June's Eid Al-Adha holiday, but now his hopes are unraveling and he expects to lose around half of his investment. That's because, in a surprising break from tradition, King Mohammed VI on Wednesday urged Moroccans to forgo buying sheep to be sacrificed during this year's holiday amid record inflation and climate change. A seven-year drought has decimated the country's livestock, causing sheep prices to surge beyond the reach of working class families. "Performing it (the sacrifice) in these difficult circumstances will cause real harm to large segments of our people, especially those with limited income," the king, who is also Morocco's highest religious authority, wrote in letter read on state-run Al Aoula television. Drought has driven some of his neighbors to stop breeding livestock, so he said he understood the circumstances that led to the king's decision. He still plans to breed more ewes to be sold before next year's holiday. But for breeders like him, the cancelling of Eid festivities will deal a heavy blow. It costs El Ghazouani roughly 1,500 Moroccan dirhams ($150) to feed a sheep for one year on a diet of straw, alfalfa and fava beans — a 50% spike from only three years ago. Now he and other breeders are preparing to wait. It will be another year of buying feed before they can sell them. "There's a difference between the years before the drought and what we're suffering today," he said, tending to sheep on his farm outside the city of Kenitra. "I wasted money on fodder and made an effort with these sheep." Eid al-Adha, which takes place this year in early June, is an annual "feast of sacrifice" in which Muslims slaughter livestock to honor a passage of the Quran in which the prophet Ibrahim prepared to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God, who intervened and replaced the child with a sheep. It's a major holiday from Senegal to Indonesia, with traditions so embedded that families have been known to take out loans to buy sheep. The prices have become so exorbitant that 55% of families surveyed by the Moroccan NGO Moroccan Center for Citizenship last year said they struggled to cover the costs of purchasing sheep and the utensils needed to prepare them. More than 7% of respondents said they either took out loans or borrowed money from acquaintances to buy the sacrificial sheep. The sheep price spikes are driven by increasingly sparse pastures, which offer less grazing room and raise the costs of feed for herders and farmers. Morocco's agricultural minister told reporters earlier this month that rainfall this season was currently 53% below the last 30 years' annual average and sheep and cattle herds had shrunk 38% since 2016, the last time Morocco conducted a livestock census. The price of preferred domestic sheep can often exceed monthly household earnings in Morocco, where the monthly minimum wage remains 3,000 Moroccan dirhams ($302). The country has in recent years subsidized and imported livestock, including from Romania, Spain and Australia, from which it plans to import 100,000 sheep this year. To keep prices steady, Morocco this year removed import duties and VAT on livestock and red meat. It's the first time in 29 years that Morocco has asked citizens to forgo holiday feasting and reflects that food prices remain a struggle for many despite Morocco's transformation from a largely agrarian nation to a mixed economy whose cities have some of the Middle East and Africa's most modern infrastructure. King Hassan II issued similar decrees three times throughout his reign, during wartime, drought and when the IMF mandated Morocco end food subsidies.
Euronews
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Drought-hit Morocco urges people not to buy sheep for Eid al-Adha celebrations
Morocco's King Mohammed VI has urged people not to buy sheep to slaughter during this year's Eid al-Adha festivities due to a huge decline in the country's herd. In a letter read on state-run Al Aoula television this week, the king said record inflation and climate change were to blame for soaring livestock prices and a shortage of sheep. "Our commitment to enabling you to fulfil this religious rite under the best conditions is accompanied by the duty to consider the climatic and economic challenges facing our country, which have led to a significant decline in livestock numbers," wrote King Mohammed VI — who is also the north African country's highest religious authority. "Performing it (the sacrifice) in these difficult circumstances will cause real harm to large segments of our people, especially those with limited income," he added. Eid al-Adha, which takes place this year in June, is an annual "feast of sacrifice" in which Muslims slaughter livestock to honour a passage of the Qu'ran in which the prophet Ibrahim prepared to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God, who intervened and replaced the child with a sheep. It is a major holiday for millions of Muslims worldwide — from Morocco to Indonesia — with traditions so embedded that families often take out loans in order to buy sheep. The cost of a sheep can often exceed monthly household earnings in Morocco, where the monthly minimum wage is about 3,000 Moroccan dirhams (€290). The prices have become so exorbitant that 55% of families surveyed by the NGO Moroccan Center for Citizenship last year said they struggled to cover the costs of purchasing sheep and the utensils needed to prepare them. The price spikes are driven by increasingly sparse pastures, which offer less grazing room and raise the costs of feed for herders and farmers. Morocco's agricultural minister said earlier this month that rainfall this season was currently 53% below the last 30 years' annual average, and that sheep and cattle herds had shrunk 38% since 2016, when the country last conducted a livestock census. The country has in recent years subsidised and imported livestock, including from Romania, Spain and Australia, from which it plans to import 100,000 sheep this year. In a bid to keep prices steady, Morocco this year removed import duties and VAT on livestock and red meat. It marks the first time in nearly three decades that Morocco has asked citizens to forgo holiday feasting at Eid al-Adha. Although Morocco has transformed from a largely agrarian nation to a mixed economy whose cities have some of the Middle East and Africa's most modern infrastructure, food prices remain a struggle for many people.
Arab News
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Morocco urges people to not buy sheep for Eid Al-Adha celebrations
OULAD SLAMA: Sheep come running when Larbi El Ghazouani pours alfalfa and straw into their troughs twice a day. The 55-year-old farmer had counted on selling the bulk of his 130 sheep to Moroccans preparing for early June's Eid Al-Adha holiday, but now his hopes are unraveling and he expects to lose around half of his because, in a surprising break from tradition, King Mohammed VI on Wednesday urged Moroccans to forgo buying sheep to be sacrificed during this year's holiday amid record inflation and climate change. A seven-year drought has decimated the country's livestock, causing sheep prices to surge beyond the reach of working class families.'Performing it (the sacrifice) in these difficult circumstances will cause real harm to large segments of our people, especially those with limited income,' the king, who is also Morocco's highest religious authority, wrote in letter read on state-run Al Aoula has driven some of his neighbors to stop breeding livestock, so he said he understood the circumstances that led to the king's decision. He still plans to breed more ewes to be sold before next year's holiday. But for breeders like him, the canceling of Eid festivities will deal a heavy costs El Ghazouani roughly 1,500 Moroccan dirhams ($150) to feed a sheep for one year on a diet of straw, alfalfa and fava beans — a 50 percent spike from only three years ago. Now he and other breeders are preparing to wait. It will be another year of buying feed before they can sell them.'There's a difference between the years before the drought and what we're suffering today,' he said, tending to sheep on his farm outside the city of Kenitra. 'I wasted money on fodder and made an effort with these sheep.'Eid Al-Adha, which takes place this year in early June, is an annual 'feast of sacrifice' in which Muslims slaughter livestock to honor a passage of the Qur'an in which the prophet Ibrahim prepared to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God, who intervened and replaced the child with a sheep. It's a major holiday from Senegal to Indonesia, with traditions so embedded that families have been known to take out loans to buy prices have become so exorbitant that 55 percent of families surveyed by the Moroccan NGO Moroccan Center for Citizenship last year said they struggled to cover the costs of purchasing sheep and the utensils needed to prepare them. More than 7 percent of respondents said they either took out loans or borrowed money from acquaintances to buy the sacrificial sheep price spikes are driven by increasingly sparse pastures, which offer less grazing room and raise the costs of feed for herders and farmers. Morocco's agricultural minister told reporters earlier this month that rainfall this season was currently 53 percent below the last 30 years' annual average and sheep and cattle herds had shrunk 38 percent since 2016, the last time Morocco conducted a livestock price of preferred domestic sheep can often exceed monthly household earnings in Morocco, where the monthly minimum wage remains 3,000 Moroccan dirhams ($302). The country has in recent years subsidized and imported livestock, including from Romania, Spain and Australia, from which it plans to import 100,000 sheep this year. To keep prices steady, Morocco this year removed import duties and VAT on livestock and red the first time in 29 years that Morocco has asked citizens to forgo holiday feasting and reflects that food prices remain a struggle for many despite Morocco's transformation from a largely agrarian nation to a mixed economy whose cities have some of the Middle East and Africa's most modern infrastructure. King Hassan II issued similar decrees three times throughout his reign, during wartime, drought and when the IMF mandated Morocco end food subsidies.
The Guardian
27-02-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
King asks Moroccans not to kill sheep for Eid al-Adha as drought reduces herds
King Mohammed VI has urged his fellow Moroccans not to slaughter sheep for upcoming Eid al-Adha festivities as the country grapples with dwindling herds due to a six-year drought. The request was delivered on Wednesday by the minister of Islamic affairs, Ahmed Toufiq, who read a letter on the monarch's behalf on the state-run Al Aoula TV channel. He cited economic hardship and the climate crisis as reasons for the rising prices of livestock and sheep shortage in the north African state. 'Performing it in these difficult circumstances will cause real harm to large segments of our people, especially those with limited income,' the king, who is also Morocco's highest religious authority, wrote in the letter. Eid al-Adha, which this year takes place in early June, is an annual 'feast of sacrifice' in which Muslims slaughter livestock to honour a passage of the Qur'an in which the prophet Ibrahim prepared to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God, who intervened and replaced the child with a sheep. It is a major holiday for millions of Muslims around the world, with traditions so embedded that families have been known to take out loans to buy sheep. Their purchasing power has reduced especially in many parts of north Africa, where an enduring drought has intensified inflation in recent years. The price of preferred domestic sheep can often exceed monthly household earnings in Morocco, where the monthly minimum wage is 3,000 dirhams (£240). Prices have become so exorbitant that 55% of families surveyed by the Moroccan Center for Citizenship, an NGO, last year said they struggled to cover the costs of buying sheep and the utensils needed to prepare them. The country has one of the highest red meat consumption rates in Africa and has lost a third of its national cattle and sheep population since 2016. In its 2025 budget, Morocco suspended import duties and a value-added tax on cattle and sheep to help stabilise domestic prices. On 20 February the government announced a deal to import up to 100,000 sheep from Australia. It has previously imported cattle from Brazil and Uruguay. The king's request is the first time in 29 years that Morocco has asked citizens to forgo holiday feasting. King Hassan II, Mohammed VI's predecessor and father, issued similar decrees three times throughout his reign, during wartime, drought and when the International Monetary Fund mandated an end to food subsidies in the country. Activist groups including trade unions have protested against the costs of basic food items and decried the government's efforts to curb rising prices as insufficient.
