By Mohammed Amine Qasserras

Morocco News Tribune

Kenitra, Morocco|Moroccan Directorate for Studies’ and Financial Projections revealed in a report on the Exports Competitiveness that the trade deficit increased about 5 times moving from 44 billion dirhams in 2000 to 201 billion dirhams in 2012

The report which is titled ” Morocco Exports Competitive, Any Outcome ?” pointed out that the trade deficit declined in the period between 2009 and 2010, respectively, to 151 and 148 billion dirhams due to the powerful decrease which imports had seen, compared to the exports.

This imbalance according to the reports is connected to the particular negative effects of the global economic crisis on both Morocco and its major trading partners.

The studies revealed that the shortfall which happened in imports during the period between 2000 and 2012 was as a result of the increasing in imports of energy-related products which their values much connected to prices changes and rates exchange at the international level as well as food products, and the importance of imports processing which are associated with the national economy investment dynamism.

The national economy increasing openness is not in a balance with exports and imports, the report indicated, stressing at the same time that the level of imports was significantly higher compared to the level of exports,

In 2000 and 2011 the average height of Moroccan goods exports was 7.5 per cent annual average versus 10.2 per cent for imports.

The report added that the rate of imports growth compared to exports was very weak in the period between 2000 and 2005, which means respectively 4.7 per cent and 9.2 per cent, shrinking in 2006 and 2011 respectively to 8.5 Bmadla and 11.2 per cent.

The recent exports growth is resulted in the effort to improve this sector in Morocco, which reached about 20 per cent in 2011 after the decline in 2009 and in spite of this rise, Morocco exports rate reached about 17 per cent between 2000 and 2011.

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By Mohammed Amine Qasserras

Morocco News Tribune

Kenitra, Morocco|The Giant Japanese electronics manufactorer Sony aims at expanding its activities in a number of African countries, including Morocco.

The Japanese corporation plans to establish new offices in Morocco, Ghana, Nigeria and Angola, where it will employ local talented people and explore new partners who have the ability to support the company’s growth strategy in Africa.

The company’s plan aims to create a radical shift in the experience in the world of consumer electronics by introducing the latest technology products and the opening a number of stores bearing the name of the company, and the establishment of service-centers in almost all African countries.

Mr. Hiroyasu Sugiyama, the Managing Director of Sony l of the corporation’ subsidiary in the Middle East and Africa, said “Africa is undoubtedly one of the most important markets for Sony, and we look forward, by 2015, to having a share around to 1.4 billion dollars in the field of consumer electronics, including cell phones, which are one of the fast-growing sectors.

According to the site “ITP” source, the director said that the figures are very encouraging and our direct focus is limited now to developing plans to help us move forward to achieve our goals, and he added that the strategy of Sony in Africa depends on four pillars which include products, customers, society, and operations.

It is noteworthy that the company “Sony” ranks first in the category of audio products in Africa, with a share of up to more than 40% of the market.

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By Mohammed Amine Qasserras

Morocco News Tribune

Kenitra, Morocco | Bank of Morocco officials said ” Morocco banking institutions are obliged to inform their customers in advance about the decisions of decreasingwithdrawal amounts permitted by ATM systems.

On the other hand, Moroccan daily’ Alalam’ reported that bank customers are entitled to submit a complaint to the Bank of Morocco If the terms of opening account contract were not respected.”

Some professional sources reported that a group of banks are working on agreeing on a certain maximum atm withdrawal amount because of a lack of liquidity.

The sources also pointed out that some of these banks lowered maximum atm withdrawal amount formerly from 5000 Dh ($591 )per day to 3,000 Dh ($354 ) , while other banks lowered that to 1,500 $177 )dirhams per day.

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By Mohammed Amine Qasserras

Morocco News Tribune

Kenitra, Morocco | Morocco and the Arab Republic of Egypt signed an agreement to double air traffic between the two countries up to 14 flights a week instead of seven trips.

Mohammed Ibrahim Sharif, head of the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority, said “We have started agreement with several countries to increase air traffic and an agreement already signed with the Moroccan side to increase air traffic between Egypt and Morocco from 7 flights a week to up to 14 flights”

“Besides Casablanca airport; we will have other trips between Cairo and Rabat airport,” The Egyptian official said according to “The Egyptian Today” website.

We are currently preparing for signing a similar agreement with Turkey to double trips between Cairo and the Burj Al Arab and Istanbul to 28 flights per week instead of 21 trips.

This initiative comes within the context of enhancing air transport agreements between Egypt and the a number of countries to promote tourism and travel to Egypt, the spokesman added.

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By Samira Arabi

Morocco News Tribune

Agadir, Morocco | Morocco’s agriculture ministry and Folea, Morocco’s oilseed-industry federation, signed an accord that would allow the oilseeds to be sown on 127,000 hectares (313,871 acres), according to a statement Tuesday.

According to business website Bloomberg, “farmers would plant sunflowers on 85,000 hectares by 2020 under the plan and rapeseed on 42,000 hectares, according to the statement,”

Morocco’s move is to almost triple the area seeded with oilseed crops in the country by 2020 in order to reduce the country’s dependence on vegetable-oil imports.

“Local production of cooking oil would rise to 93,000 metric tons a year, meeting 19 percent of national needs, from respective equivalents of 8,000 tons and 2 percent now, it showed,” the same source added. 

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By Samira Arabi

Morocco News Tribune

Agadir, Morocco |Idriss Azami Al Idrissi, Minister for the Budget that said the decision made by the Moroccan government recently to cut 15 billion dirhams (1.8 billion dollars) of investment spending was aimed at maintaining balances on macroeconomic and budgetary control.

The minister added that the government would not touch the system of subsidies for food and energy.

Azami said on Friday that we found that “ that the volume of investment in 2013 exceeded what was expected for the year, and therefore had to be adjust the size of the investment.”

He also said the was predicted to be around 13 billion dirhams, but it went up to 21 billion dirhams.

The Minister explained that reforming system of subsidies has to be comprehensive and take into account the poor social groups and the economic and social prospects.”

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By Samira Arabi

Morocco News Tribune

Agadir, Morocco |More than half of 9.3 million tourists visited Morocco in 2011 were French or Spanish, but those groups arrived in smaller numbers that before and stayed fewer nights due to financial crises in their nations, which prompts Morocco’s Tourism officials to look for ways to attract more visitors from Britain, Germany and Saudi Arabia, the Associated Press reported Thursday.

“A lot of people put Morocco in the same basket as the other countries even though Morocco has known a different road in terms of political reform,” Tourism minister said as reported by AP.

“It has required a lot of communication in order to put Morocco in a different light than what has been reported in some media.” he added.

Morocco looks at Germany and the United Kingdom, whose economies have not witnesses the economic recession as European neighbors, as their main targets for the ministry’s campaign to attract new visitors.

The kingdom receives 500,000 visitors annually from Britain with hopes of getting “something like a million”, according Haddad.

The minister also aims at getting more tourists from Gulf countries whose people refrain from going to their favorite destinations such as Egypt and Lebanon due to the instability and lack of security sights in these countries.

In this regard, Haddad commented that “We have seen a huge growth in that market, about 20 percent last year.”

As for a long-term strategy, Morocco’s tourism ministry plan to attract more visitors from China.

Tourism is considered a key industry sector in Morocco, employing some 470,000 people in this country of 32 million.

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By Mohamed Amine Qasserras

Morocco News Tribune

Rabat, Morocco | Within the framework of Ecole Mohammadia d’ingénieurs‘s activities (Mohammadia Engineering School), a group of engineering students have taken the initiative to contribute to enhancing and development of some micro enterprises related to women, reported by the Saudi magazine sayidati which cares for Arab women issues

The initiative belongs to a group of EMI female students who all supported and brought “Aavolka” project into being.

“Aavolka”, a Tamazight name for the enterprise which means beauty, was interstitially created by a university graduate named Khadija who had lived some years of unemployment.

Kadija decided to set up her enterprise taking advantage of her mother and grandmother’s experience in traditional aesthetics and beauty in the beginning of the nineties.

Khadija’s project started in her house that then it has expanded gradually, encouraging her to translate before her dream into a reality in 2009 through creating women’s cooperative company to prepare recipes for natural beauty along with providing training in the field for a number of housewives,

The young engineers have adopted the project through supervising and preparing a plan for more commercialization via advertising and media.

Iman Bouayad one of the student working on the project, said as was reported by Saidati website “this is part of several initiatives that engineers students undertake to enhance their training and communication with fresh projects as well as providing support and skills to enhance their qualities,”

The students working on the project stated that Khadija’s initiative meets all the standers of quality and it is certified by official laboratories.

The students, through their supervision of the project, work on ensuring more safety procedures and high product quality as well as on looking for partnerships with international institutions to develop and promote the product to reach international productions level that respects the environment.

Iman, another project partner, showed high motivation and satisfaction in engaging in such work.

” working within the field of natural herbs is a useful experience and comfortable,” she said.

The entrepreneur Khadija stated that the secret of solidarity among women is the engagement in a clean and natural environment led by the smell of herbs and fruits that make the work a real pleasure with flavor of cooperation and love.

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By Mohamed Hikal

Morocco News Tribune

Taroudant, Morocco | The Canadian agency ‘Exports and Development’ granted Morocco a considerable sum of money to the tune of 500 million Euros in order to support investments and Canadian exports to Morocco.

The treaty signed jointly by the Canadian ‘Exports and Development’ and the Moroccan Economy and Finance Ministry, aims at solidifying financial cooperation between the two countries through enabling Canadian enterprises to finance their investments in Morocco and facilitating access to Canadian products and services in Morocco.

According to Nizar Baraka, Finance Minister, who was talking to the press, the treaty aimed at setting the framework appropriate for cooperation between Canadian enterprises and investors willing to have access the Moroccan market.

This step will enable Canada to have a proper investment and trade zone and a window on Africa as a whole.

As for Morocco, Baraka said that his ministry will help Canadians become familiar with the Moroccan economy and present all possibilities and opportunities offered by the kingdom.

The minister pinpointed also at the importance of the giant ‘Bombardier’ as a worthwhile Canadian investment in Morocco.

It is worth mentioning that exchanges between Morocco and Canada attained 522.6 million Dollars in 2012 when it was only 418.9 million Dollars in 2011 with a 25 per cent increase.

Besides, Moroccan imports reached 368.5 million Dollars in 2012 whereas exports were at about 154.2 million Dollars.

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