Morocco News & Discussions

[Dai Toruko]

 

[Alithemoor1]

That is a nice song but the three singers are Algerian and so is the song. Although, Cheb Khaled got Moroccan citizenship recently.

 

[Alithemoor1]

A drive between Mdiq-Martil towns in Morocco.

Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech, Ifrane, etc 2013

 

[The SC]

@Alithemoor1

Any idea what these are for:


The Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie has chosen a Saab Seaeye Falcon underwater robotic vehicle for their search, rescue and recovery operations.

The Falcon will be deployed along Morocco’s 2000 km coastline and in the country’s many inland lakes.

The Gendarmerie liked that in strong currents the Falcon can manoeuver with precision and remain steady on task, whilst also fitted with a variety of tooling, cameras and sonar equipment, Saab Seaeye said.

Seaeye Falcon Features:

• 300 metre depth rating, 14 kilo payload
• Max 450 metre umbilical (1100 metres with F2 Fibre Optic Pack)
• Magnetically coupled brushless DC thrusters with velocity feedback loop
• 4 Vectored and 1 vertical thruster
• 50 kgf thrust with 1:1 power to weight ratio
• Distributed intelligence control system
• Integral system diagnostics
• High resolution colour camera on 180° Tilt Platform
• Variable intensity, 6400 Lumens of LED lighting
• Auto heading, depth, compass and rate gyro
• Portable surface control system with video overlay and daylight readable display
• Low drag umbilical
• Single phase A/C power input - auto selecting universal 100-270 VAC at 2.8 kW

Construction of the Peugeot-Citroen factory in Kenitram Morocco has started with the capacity of 200.000 cars per year and 200.000 engines.

With this factory, by 2019 Morocco's car production capacity will reach 700.000 cars with the goal of 1 million cars a year. 2020-2025

Some of the cars that will be manufactured in the plant:

Is Morocco working on making the engines locally?

 

[Alithemoor1]

@Alithemoor1

Any idea what these are for:


The Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie has chosen a Saab Seaeye Falcon underwater robotic vehicle for their search, rescue and recovery operations.

The Falcon will be deployed along Morocco’s 2000 km coastline and in the country’s many inland lakes.

The Gendarmerie liked that in strong currents the Falcon can manoeuver with precision and remain steady on task, whilst also fitted with a variety of tooling, cameras and sonar equipment, Saab Seaeye said.

Seaeye Falcon Features:

• 300 metre depth rating, 14 kilo payload
• Max 450 metre umbilical (1100 metres with F2 Fibre Optic Pack)
• Magnetically coupled brushless DC thrusters with velocity feedback loop
• 4 Vectored and 1 vertical thruster
• 50 kgf thrust with 1:1 power to weight ratio
• Distributed intelligence control system
• Integral system diagnostics
• High resolution colour camera on 180° Tilt Platform
• Variable intensity, 6400 Lumens of LED lighting
• Auto heading, depth, compass and rate gyro
• Portable surface control system with video overlay and daylight readable display
• Low drag umbilical
• Single phase A/C power input - auto selecting universal 100-270 VAC at 2.8 kW

Is Morocco working on making the engines locally?

I think they will be used for search and rescue as stated in the article. I am afraid I don't have any other details.

Concerning your second question, the local components for the Peugeot-Citroen factory will start at 60% and shortly after will reach 80%. The engines will be made in Morocco. The company is currently training 1500 engineer.
More information from the Moroccan Minister of Industry:

Rabat – Japanese Asahi Glass (AGC) announced that the AGC Automotive Europe, will establish its first automotive glass factory in Africa in the city of Kenitra, Morocco.

In a statement released on August 1, AGC Automotive Group said that they had reached an agreement with Induver , the leading glass processing company in Casablanca, in order to co-establish the first unit of the AGC Group in North Africa.

The statement added that the factory’s construction is underway and it is expected to begin production in 2019.

The AGC Group will create approximately 600 new jobs in Morocco and aims to be the hub of glass production in Africa.

The factory will become the 23rd global site producing for Asahi Glass providing automotive glass for around 1.1 million vehicles annually.

In recent years, Morocco has strived to become Africa’s industrial hub and a top destination for foreign investors, with many international companies pouring into the country to invest and grow their businesses.

Last week, Canadian-owned Bombardier Aerospace decided to move some of its operation from Northern Ireland to Morocco, and last month, the French aviation company Groupe Latécoère opened its first factory in the Kingdom..

Earlier this month, Morocco ranked among the TOP 5 African countries valued by investors during the 2016-2020 period, according to a survey on international investors’ perceptions of the potential of the country’s economy by 2020.

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Industrial Acceleration Plan: Over 300,000 Industry Jobs to Be Created by 2020

By Chaima Lahsini -

June 14, 2017 , 9:53 am

The minister of industry, trade and investment, Moulay Hafid Elalamy

Rabat – The Secretary of State for Investment has revealed that 300,000 new industry jobs will be created in the next three years as part of the Industrial Acceleration Plan (IPA).

Launched in 2014, the IPA is reaping what it sowed. One of the fastest-evolving sectors of the Moroccan economy, industry has come to be considered the Kingdom’s true growth engine, consolidating Morocco’s leadership in Africa.

One of the prospects of the Industrial Acceleration Plan was the creation of 1.3 million direct jobs in the industry sector for the 10 upcoming years. The figures of the State Secretariat for Investment show that since its implementation, 120,000 jobs have already been created, and 307,000 are engaged, making 427,000 posts in total.

On his Twitter account, Secretary Othman El Ferdaous shared figures of the trained human resources needed in diverse sectors related to industry at the end of May 2017, broken down by year, sector and profile.

In total, 278,015 profiles will follow the adequate training in these sectors. Textile leads the list of the most demanding sectors, with a total of 65,205 profiles to be trained throughout the next three years, as part of the performance contracts to be signed by the end of 2017.

In second place, the offshoring sector marks a need for 50,000 profiles to be trained, followed by the automotive and leather sector. OCP, meanwhile, has a total of 22,500 profiles to be trained over the next three years.

The Secretary of State also highlighted the needs for profiles to be formed by region. Thus, Casablanca-Settat is at the top of the list in terms of performance contracts signed at the end of May 2017, with 120,059 profiles to be formed by 2020.

The Tangier-Tétouan region comes second with no less than 49,656 engineers, operators, and technicians to be trained in the next three years. In the third place, the region of Rabat-Kénitra shows a need for 45,250 profiles over the same period.

According to the ministry, the industrial strategy for 2020 is based on two main objectives: first, the creation of half a million jobs, half of which is generated by Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and half from the restored national industrial fabric. Second, the creation of 9 percentage points from the industrial share in GDP, from 14 percent to 23 percent in 2020.

 

[Alithemoor1]

CAMCE SIGNING COMMERCIAL CONTRACT OF MOROCCO TIRE PLANT PROJECT
By: From: Posted: 2017-05-17 15:14:00 FontSize: Executive Vice President Ahmed Khayat of TIJAN.

The project contract amount stands at USD250 Million and locates at Kenitra City of Kingdom of Morocco. Its project content is to construct one plant with annual output of 3 million semi-steel radial tires for both passenger cars and light-duty trucks with a completion period of 30 months.

Assistant President Yang Dong attends the signing ceremony.

Tijan is a Saudi company.
http://www.camce.com.cn/en/enNews/enEN/201705/t20170517_154717.htm

 

[Alithemoor1]

Morocco Dismantles ISIS Terrorist Cell Planning Attacks in Essaouira

June 22, 2017 , 10:48 am


Rabat – Morocco’s Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ) dismantled Thursday a terrorist cell linked to the so-called Islamic (ISIS) in Essaouira, the Ministry of Interior has announced.

The dismantling of the four-member cell resulted in the confiscation of weapons and electronic devices, as well as a manuscript in which the members of this cell pledged their allegiance to the leader of “Daech,” another name for ISIS, and declare a “jihad” in Morocco called “the wilaya of the Islamic State in the Maghreb Al-aqsa [Morocco].”

The four detained individuals were preparing to carry out terrorist attacks in popular sites in Essaouira, according to the ministry. They also planned to expand the scope of their operations into other cities.

The suspects will appear in court as soon as the ongoing investigation of the public prosecutor ends, the ministry said.

The dismantling operation came following the efforts that have made to counterattack that threatens that target stability in Morocco, the ministry added.

Over the past few years, Morocco made many efforts to eradicate terrorism and thwart any potential serious threat exposed to destabilize the country.

In December 2016, the Head of BCIJ Abdelhak El Khiyame announced that his agency had managed to thwart 341 terrorist attacks over the past 14 years. He noted that since 2002, the BCIJ had dismantled 167 cells, including 46 belonging to ISIS. 2,963 suspected terrorists, 277 of whom already had criminal records, had been arrested and referred to the judiciary courts.

In February, the Wali and Director General of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that 50 of the 168 terrorist cells dismantled since the September 11 terrorist attacks had had connection to foreign hotbeds of terrorism including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, and the Sahel.

 

[Alithemoor1]

Fascinating documentary about Morocco: Morocco from the Sky

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Hammouchi Heads Moroccan Delegation to Berlin to Boost Security Cooperation with Germany
By
Morocco World News
-
September 12, 2017

Rabat – Abdellatif Hammouchi, the head of Moroccan domestic intelligence and national policy, has met with key German security officials in Berlin.

Hammouchi headed a Moroccan security delegation to the German capital following an invitation by the country’s local security officials.

The chief of the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST) and General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) chief took part in discussions centered around major security issues, like countering terrorism threats, the return of foreign ISIS fighters, illegal immigration, money laundering, and providing security for sensitive sites.

Germany is one of several European countries seeking strong security cooperation with Morocco. The kingdom is already an ally of France, Spain, and Belgium in the fight against terrorism.

In October 2016, German Minister of Interior Thomas de Maizière visited the kingdom to meet with local officials in order to boost collaboration in the issues of security and immigration.

During the visit, the former Moroccan Minister of Interior Mohamed Hassad told his German counterpart that the kingdom would work to make bilateral cooperation reach levels similar to that reached with countries like Spain.

Morocco’s importance as a security partner was highlighted in December 2016 by the revelation that the kingdom had warned Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service (BND) about AnisAmri, the Tunisian ISIS recruit who carried out a deadly truck attack. The news was confirmed by a Moroccan official speaking on the condition of anonymity to Morocco World News, as well as by media sources in and outside the kingdom.

Moroccan security services had issued warnings to their German counterparts about Amri on two occasions, Sept. 19 and Oct. 11, drawing Germany’s attention to the fact that Amri was in contact with two ISIS extremists in Dortmund.

https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/20...on-berlin-boost-security-cooperation-germany/

Moroccan Nuclear Physicist Rajaa Cherkaoui El Moursli Honored at Islamic Science and Tech Summit in Kazakhstan
By
Morocco World News
-
September 12, 2017

By Chaimae Boulifa

Rabat – Moroccan energy and nuclear physicist Rajaa Cherkaoui El Moursli has been honored for her contribution and noteworthy achievements in science and technology fields in the Islamic world, during the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) First Islamic Summit on Science and Technology, held in the Kazakh capital of Astana on Sept. 10 and 11.

Distinguished by her scientific achievements in the field of nuclear physics, El Moursli was paid tribute by the OIC alongside four other selected scientists: Yusuf Yagci (Turkey), Mohamed-Slim Alouini (Tunisia), and Assan Jaye (Gambia).

“Convinced of the importance of acknowledging and commending Muslim scientists and researchers for their outstanding contributions to their areas of specialization, today, the OIC will be honoring a group of them with OIC S&T Achievement Award,” the OIC Secretary General, Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen, said in a ceremony held on the sidelines of the summit, according to OIC website.

“These prominent scientists have charted with their knowledge and excellence for the advancement and progress of their societies and countries,” he added.

El Moursli, a professor at Rabat’s Mohammed V University, was the first Moroccan womanto win the prestigious L’Oréal-UNESCO award recognizing the top women in science around the world, on March 20. This award was given for El Moursli’s discovery proving the existence of the Higgs Boson, the particle responsible for the creation of mass in the universe.

The Astana gathering, which aimed to shed light on scientific and technological issues, innovation, and scientific research, was attended by many heads of state, parliamentarians, government officials, researchers, and experts from Islamic countries, who shared their knowledge and experiences at the event.

The summit, designed to encourage scientists in Islamic countries, is the first of its kind, dedicated to have government officials discuss science and technology and decide the agenda of innovation and scientific research for the next decade.

https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/20...nored-islamic-science-tech-summit-kazakhstan/

Moroccan Automotive Sector 1st in MENA Region: BMI Research
By
Chaima Lahsini
-
September 6, 2017

Rabat – The Moroccan automotive market is leading the way in the MENA region as the best performer in BMI Research Group’s Autos Production Risk/Reward Index, due to the kingdom’s strong production growth outlook, low labour costs, and favorable industry policy.

In its latest industry trend analysis, the research firm, a Fitch Group company, presents its outlook for Morocco’s automotive sector. With an overall Autos Production RRI score of 48.9 out of 100, BMI ranked the Moroccan auto sector as the most attractive market in the MENA region for production opportunities.

Analyzed based on numerous factors, the kingdom manages to surpass the regional average on many fronts. However, the research firm believes there is still room for this industry to improve, mainly in terms of “the country’s logistics network and [in] growing the active labour force.”

BMI explains Morocco’s high score in the region with its vehicle production growth, which scored 98.2 points out of 100. While the country has indeed been attracting many foreign investors throughout the past years due to its growing potential, the firm forecasts Morocco’s production growth to average 18.5 percent a year till 2021. BMI points out in its analysis that this score is mainly due to the small vehicle producers currently present in the country.

One of the other main factors making Morocco’s automotive sector attractive to foreign investors is its average labour cost, rated 89.1 points out of 100. In addition to the low labour prices, the kingdom’s industry policy and the government’s efforts in developing the sector also plays a key role in luring in more manufacturers to invest in the country.

Despite its regional achievements, BMI points out that the Moroccan automotive industry is still below the global average of 50.0, adding that these results “reflect its still nascent status.”

The firm stresses that the country still has room to develop, mainly by catching up on some of its lower scores in certain components. BMI underlines Morocco’s underperformance in the Country Rewards components, where it scores just 10.9 points out of 100 for the size of its labour force, and 12.7 points for the manufacturing sector in general as a percentage of gross value added. However, BMI expects the latter to improve over time as “sectors such as auto manufacturing develop further.”

For BMI, one of the key factors in Morocco’s attractiveness to foreign investors is its geographical position between MENA and Europe and the trade opportunities that brings. However, the firm highlights the kingdom’s relatively low score on the Industry Risk side of 32.7 for logistics risk, which measures the quality and reliability of the country’s logistics network, stressing Morocco’s need to focus on this particular area.

https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/20...tomotive-sector-1st-mena-region-bmi-research/

Positive news. Good.

 

[The SC]

Here is a nice one too.. Algerian again but very close to Moroccan RAI.. lovable music:

And here is some Moroccan popular RAI.. I am also familiar with Turkish Music.. mostly the Andalusian one..

Morocco will launch Africa's biggest solar farm

The plant will be the world's largest concentrated solar power plant and power one million homes

Construction of Morocco's Noor I solar power plant, is nearing completion near Ouarzazate.

Morocco will host the world’s largest concentrated solar power plant at the edge of the Sahara desert, to help generate renewable electricity which will power nearly half of the country by 2020.

The first phase of the project, a 160 MW power plant called Noor 1, will be completed next month, the Guardian reports.





We are not an oil producer. We import 94pc of our energy as fossil fuels from abroad and that has big consequences for our state budget.
Hakima el-Haite, Morocco Minister of Environment
http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?tex...olar-farm.html?WT.mc_id=tmgoff_pq_tw_20150423

The project, which will be built in the Moroccan city of Ouarzazate, involves installing a complex of four linked solar plants (Noor 1 is the first) which will occupy a space as big as Morocco’s capital city, Rabat, and produce roughly 500 MW of electricity - enough to power one million homes.

According to African Development Bank Group, which financed the first phase of the project, Morocco imports almost 97pc of its energy to meet its energy needs, as of 2013. "Noor 1 will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, avoiding the emission of 240,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year over a 25-year period," the bank said in its announcement.

The $9 billion(£6 billion) project is the Moroccan government's plan to expand the desert country's renewable energy supply. “We are not an oil producer. We import 94pc of our energy as fossil fuels from abroad and that has big consequences for our state budget,” Morocco's environment minister, Hakima el-Haite, told the Guardian.

500,000 mirrors are lined up in rows to focus the sun's heat and drive generators Photo: AP Photo/Abdeljalil Bounhar

The CSP technology works by using 0.5 million crescent-shaped mirrors, in 8000 rows to concentrate the sun's rays onto a liquid. The liquid, mixed with water, heats up to 393C and creates steam that can, in turn, power a generator.

Because this system can store power for when the sun goes down, it will be able to generate power at night-time, a huge advantage compared to other solar power technologies.

The upcoming Noor 2 and 3 plants of the complex are set to launch in 2017. The two solar plants can apparently store energy for up to eight hours, which would provide solar energy in the Sahara and surrounding regions on a continuous basis.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ear...o-will-launch-Africas-biggest-solar-farm.html

 

[Saif al-Arab]

صور و فيديو |أسلحة و سيارات و آلاف اليوروهات.. هذه هي التفاصيل الكاملة لتفكيك الـBCIJ لشبكة دولية للإتجار في الكوكايين
أكتوبر 04, 2017

زنقة 20 . محمد أربعي

كشف المكتب المركزي للأبحاث القضائية اليوم الأربعاء تفاصيل ضبط حوالى 2,5 طن من الكوكايين الخام و إيقاف 13 شخصاً يشتبه في انتمائهم الى شبكة دولية للاتجار بالمخدرات.

الخيام أوضح خلال ندوة صحفية صباح يومه الأربعاء بسلا أن القيمة المالية للكمية المحجوزة من الكوكايين تبلغ 25 مليار و 850 مليون درهم، مشيراً إلى أن الاشخاص الموقوفين يحملون جنسيات اسبانية مغربية، وهولندية مغربية، الى جانب ضلوع شخصين آخرين موجودان في السجن.



و كشف “الخيام” أنه تم حجز مبالغ مالية تصل لآلاف اليوروهات و172.620 درهما، و 8 سيارات كانت تستعمل في نقل جزء من المخدرات لإيصالها نحو شمال المملكة أو الخارج، و أسلحة و خراطيش و هواتف متنقلة ولا سلكية.

وكان بلاغ للمديرية العامة للأمن الوطني امس الثلاثاء، قد اعلن أن الأبحاث والتحريات الأمنية المنجزة أسفرت عن حجز كمية قياسية من مخدر الكوكايين الخام ناهزت 2 طن و588 كيلوغراما (2588 كيلوغرام)، تم ضبط جزء منها على متن سيارة مسجلة بالخارج، وجزء آخر بضيعة فلاحية على الطريق الساحلية بين تمارة والصخيرات، والجزء الأكبر بضيعة فلاحية بالقرب من واد الشراط بإقليم بوزنيقة، بالإضافة إلى كمية أخرى بإقليم الناظور.



كما أسفرت عمليات الحجز أيضا عن ضبط 105 كيلوغرامات من مخدر الحشيش بضواحي الناظور، ومبلغ مالي بالعملة الأوروبية ناهز 391.520 أورو و172.620 درهما، بالإضافة إلى ست سيارات يشتبه في استخدامها لنقل وتهريب المخدرات والمؤثرات العقلية.



وأضاف البلاغ أن المعلومات الأولية للبحث تشير إلى أن شحنة الكوكايين المحجوزة هي من الكوكايين الخام الذي تتضاعف كميته الإجمالية ثلاث مرات بعد تصنيعه وعرضه للتداول في السوق، وذلك بقيمة مالية تناهز مئات الملايير من السنتيمات، كما أكدت إجراءات البحث أيضا أن هذه الشبكة الإجرامية لها امتدادات في عدة مدن مغربية، بينما يجري حاليا رصد ارتباطاتها المحتملة بشبكات إجرامية أخرى تنشط في مجال الاتجار في المخدرات على الصعيد الدولي.

الفيديو قيد التحميل …

http://www.rue20.com/صور-و-فيديو-أسلحة-و-سيارات-و-آلاف-اليور/

Great job.