Day: June 11, 2024

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Morocco, Guest of Honor at Sharjah International Book Fair


Rabat – Morocco’s Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication and the Sharjah Book Authority (United Arab Emirates) signed, here Tuesday, an agreement to host Morocco as ‘guest of honor’ at the Sharjah International Book Fair, scheduled for November 6-17, 2024.

Co-chaired by Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohammed Mehdi Bensaid, and the Executive Chairman of the Sharjah Book Authority, Ahmed bin Rakkad Al-Ameri, the signing ceremony was attended by the Fair’s General Coordinator, Khoula Al-Mujaini, on the Emirati side, and the Director of Books, Libraries and Archives, Latifa Moftaqir, on the Moroccan side.

The signing of this agreement bears witness to the distinguished cultural relations between the Kingdom of Morocco and the United Arab Emirates, and responds to an invitation from the Sharjah Book Authority, which has designated Morocco as guest of honor at the Sharjah International Book Fair.

On this occasion, Bensaid stressed that this invitation comes at a time when Morocco-UAE relati
ons, under the wise leadership of the two countries’ leaders, are undergoing a qualitative leap that will enable the cultural sector to align itself with other fields of cooperation, hence the importance for both parties to work together to develop mechanisms to promote cultural relations to the rank of political and economic relations between the two brotherly countries.

In this respect, the Minister considered that the participation of the Kingdom of Morocco as guest of honor at the Sharjah International Book Fair represents the beginning of an advanced stage of coordination and cooperation, exchange of experiences and operationalization of any initiative favoring the broadening of prospects for joint action.

For his part, Al-Ameri pointed out that ‘the choice of the Kingdom of Morocco as guest of honor of the Sharjah International Book Fair for the year 2024 reflects our profound vision of strengthening cultural dialogue between peoples and consolidating the foundations of cultural understanding and coop
eration’.

‘Culture is not just an accumulation of knowledge, but rather an ecosystem made up of values, traditions and ideas that interact to forge our common human identity,’ he said, adding that ‘Morocco, with its rich history and ancestral civilization, represents a pioneering Arab model of positive interaction with diversity and cultural pluralism, and of blending different influences to form a singular cultural identity’.

‘Morocco’s presence as guest of honor at the Fair embodies the vision of His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed al-Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates and Emir of Sharjah, and the directives of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al-Qasimi, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Sharjah Book Authority in promoting cultural and civilizational exchanges with the world,’ he added.

The program for Moroccan participation at the Sharjah International Book Fair includes, in addition to documentary offerings, a series of cultural events, attended by the gotha of th
e intellectual and literary production sector, in addition to musical performances and artistic workshops relating to Moroccan cultural heritage.

Source: Agence Marocaine De Presse

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‘Treasures of Moroccan Traditional Arts’ Showcased at UNESCO


Paris – The ‘Treasures of Moroccan Traditional Arts’ were highlighted at a conference on Tuesday at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, on the sidelines of the 10th session of the General Assembly of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

At the opening of this conference, initiated by the Ministry of Tourism, Handicrafts and Social and Solidarity Economy and the UNESCO Office for the Maghreb, Morocco’s Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Samir Addahre, underlined the importance of the Kingdom’s efforts to promote the handicrafts sector. These included the adoption of an ambitious strategy for its development by 2030 and the implementation of a program to safeguard endangered crafts-related know-how by passing it on to younger generations, which was the subject of an agreement signed in November 2022 between the Ministry of Tourism, Handicrafts and Social and Solidarity Economy and the UNESCO office in Rabat.

The Moroccan official also noted the large and growing nu
mber of craft-related items on the representative list of the 2003 Convention.

As part of this drive, and in support of its handicraft communities, Morocco is giving priority to craft-related applications, such as the Moroccan Caftan application for the 2025 cycle, and the Zellige application currently being prepared for the 2027 cycle.

Morocco is also actively involved in the preparation of multinational candidature files for crafts.

Following the inscription in 2023 of the ‘Arts, skills and practices associated with metal engraving (gold, silver and copper)’ on the Representative List, the Kingdom is continuing to work towards the inscription of other craft skills, such as pisé as part of the ‘Art and traditions of building with earth’ joint dossier piloted by Morocco, and many other elements, such as ‘basketry’ and ‘the manufacture and practice of the Oud’.

Source: Agence Marocaine De Presse

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Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy: Morocco’s Experience Highlighted in Washington


Washington – Morocco’s ambassador to the United States, Youssef Amrani, on Monday took part, in Washington, in a meeting chaired by U.S. Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, Bonnie Jenkins, on the the Sustained Dialogue on Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology (SDPU).

During this meeting held at the State Department, Mr. Amrani welcomed efforts made within the framework of the SDPU initiative, “an important platform and a precious partner” for scientific and technological cooperation in several key sectors, particularly water, environment, food and health.

The diplomat stressed that the objectives of this initiative are in line with Morocco’s national priorities set out in the New Development Model, as well as with the Kingdom’s commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The ambassador said in this regard that Morocco takes part in activities related to SDPU in particular through its competent agencies, namely the National Center for Energy a
nd Nuclear Science and Technology (CNESTEN) and the Moroccan Agency for Nuclear and Radiological Safety and Security (AMSSNuR).

Since joining the IAEA in 1957, Morocco has introduced nuclear techniques for peaceful uses in various sectors and has benefited from the IAEA’s effective cooperation and support, including through training, expertise and the acquisition of cutting-edge equipment, he added.

AMSSNuR and CNESTEN are both recognized, at the regional and continental levels, as centers of excellence in capacity building, training and technical support, in addition to their regulatory missions in this area, the ambassador pointed out.

Regarding the support provided by Morocco to African countries in this area, the diplomat expressed the Kingdom’s readiness to promote triangular and multilateral cooperation initiatives, involving on the one hand the SDPU and the IAEA, and on the other the Member States concerned.

Such partnerships would further strengthen knowledge and expertise in this important area a
cross Africa, Mr. Amrani underlined.

The SDPU aims to expand the conversation on peaceful uses of nuclear technology and identify opportunities for enhancing access to such technology in a manner guided by the interest of those engaged in the dialogue.

With a participant-driven approach, the program brings together diverse stakeholders including national policy makers, the private sector, and the broader international development community.

Source: Agence Marocaine De Presse

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World Cup 2026 Qualifiers : Morocco Thrashes Congo 6-0


Agadir – The Moroccan National Football Team secured a large victory against Congo Brazzaville 6-0 on Tuesday at the Agadir Grand Stadium in the 4th round of Group E (African zone) qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

The Atlas Lions’ goals were scored by Azzeddine Ounahi (8′), Chadi Riad (16′), Ayoub El Kaabi (20′, 39′, 53′) and Soufiane Rahimi (62′).

Source: Agence Marocaine De Presse

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Govt. Head Holds Talks with Jordanian PM


Amman – The Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch held talks, on Tuesday, with the Jordanian Prime Minister Bisher Al-Khasawneh, on the sidelines of the High-Level International Conference on the Urgent Humanitarian Response for Gaza, held in the Dead Sea region (40 km south of Amman).

During the meeting, Akhannouch expressed his sincere congratulations to his Jordanian counterpart, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary (Silver Jubilee) of the Hashemite Sovereign’s accession to the throne.

He also welcomed Jordan’s initiative in hosting the International Conference on the Urgent Humanitarian Response for Gaza, and the Hashemite Kingdom’s interest in the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, highlighting the complementary roles of the two Sovereigns, HM King Mohammed VI and HM King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein, to put an end to the war on Gaza and to deliver humanitarian aid to the population, within the framework of Morocco’s chairmanship of the Al-Quds Committee and the Hashemite trusteeship over the Isla
mic and Christian sites in Al-Quds.

In addition, the two parties praised the depth of relations and the strength of the ties uniting the two Kingdoms, under the leadership of the two Sovereigns, HM King Mohammed VI and His brother HM King Abdullah II.

Furthermore, they reviewed a number of issues of common interest, underlining the shared determination of the two Kingdoms to promote the fraternal and cooperation ties uniting them, and to raise their bilateral cooperation to the level of a multidimensional strategic partnership, serving the common interests of the two countries and the two brotherly peoples.

In this context, Akhannouch reiterated Morocco’s determination, under the enlightened leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, to further consolidate these ties through the mechanism of the High Joint Commission, capable of breathing new life into bilateral cooperation in the economic, commercial and cultural areas.

On the Moroccan side, the meeting was attended by the Kingdom’s Ambassador in Amman, Fouad Ak
hrif, and the Director of Global Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Ismail Chakouri.

Akhannouch represents HM King Mohammed VI at the High-Level International Conference on the Urgent Humanitarian Response for Gaza, jointly organized by Jordan, Egypt and the United Nations.

Themed “The Call for Action: Urgent Humanitarian Response for Gaza”, the conference aims to identify means of strengthening the international community’s response to the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip.

The conference will be attended by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, heads of State and/or government from over 75 countries, and representatives of humanitarian organizations and international financial institutions.

Source: Agence Marocaine De Presse

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