Here are the main headlines developed by the national press for this Tuesday, November 19, September 2024
L’Opinion
• From November 15 to 16, no less than 230 experts and researchers, from various national and international universities and research centers, met in Rabat to brainstorm on the role of scientific research in the analysis of phenomena criminals. The objective is to develop innovative tools to improve analytical approaches to crime, while strengthening research capacities through the exchange of expertise and good practices. Organized by the Ministry of Justice in partnership with the Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation and the Council of Europe, this symposium was marked by the formation of a network of experts in this area and by the signing of several agreements to develop R&D within Moroccan universities.
• Every year, Morocco suffers the costly consequences of natural disasters, with average losses estimated at 8 billion dirhams, or 0.8% of national GDP, according to a recent report from the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE). Floods, droughts and even tsunami risks expose the country to multidimensional challenges which reveal major gaps in risk management. This alarming observation calls for a profound review of prevention, management and resilience mechanisms to limit these economic and human impacts.
• As of midnight on November 6, 2024, the Jerada Power Plant had produced a total of 2.29 billion kilowatt hours of electricity this year, exceeding the annual target by 0.25%, or 56 days ahead of schedule. During the summer of 2024, in the midst of an unprecedented and prolonged heat wave, the need for a stable power supply in the project area was more critical than ever. In response, POWERCHINA installed an air-cooling spray system, enabling the station to maintain full-load, high-backpressure operation for an extended period and support the Moroccan power grid during periods of peak demand. Thanks to a series of support measures, POWERCHINA successfully carried out its operations to reduce summer consumption peaks and recorded no unplanned outages for 200 days, a record, thus guaranteeing a safe and stable summer electricity supply in the Eastern Morocco.
The morning
• The government intends to activate its roadmap dedicated to the evaluation of public policies. Technical assistance will thus be mobilized to support the Convergence and Public Policy Evaluation Department in carrying out this mission. This will involve implementing and monitoring the transformation and convergence of public policies and designing an evaluation process.
• The African Development Bank supports a Strategic Support Program for the Ministry of Economy and Finance to accelerate the promotion of public-private partnership in Morocco. This technical assistance aims to support the operationalization of the new regulatory framework in this area through capacity building of the National PPP Commission. The objective is to further develop the use of this method of partnership for the financing, construction and operation of public infrastructure.
• The House of Representatives adopted the 2025 Finance Bill last Friday in a rather tense atmosphere, with 171 votes for, 56 against and one abstention. The opposition, led by the USFP, the PJD and the PPS, waged a fierce battle, in Commissions and in plenary, against a text which, according to it, does not meet the social expectations of Moroccans. The three political parties detailed their grievances during a stormy plenary session, pointing out in particular the institutional imbalance, the marginalization of the opposition and the insufficiency of social measures. At the heart of their criticism: the government’s inability to respond to the challenges linked to the preservation of purchasing power and the promotion of employment, in a context marked by growing social tensions.
• Aluminum du Maroc announced the merger-absorption of its subsidiary Industube in order to consolidate its position on the market and meet the growing needs of its customers, both in Morocco and internationally. This initiative marks a key step in the group’s growth, aiming to diversify its offering and improve its competitiveness, particularly in the construction and industrial sectors. Thanks to this merger, Aluminum du Maroc significantly increases its production capacity for aluminum profiles, now reaching 27,000 tonnes per year in extrusion, an increase of 35%.
Liberation
• King Mohammed VI has put food security and the sustainability of food systems at the heart of strategic priorities for Africa and a priority of His strategy for South-South and triangular cooperation, in particular, towards Africa, Morocco’s permanent representative to the UN in New York, Omar Hilale, said in Geneva. Thanks to this proactive Royal policy, Morocco was able to implement an “integrated approach”, which aims to guarantee food availability, promote sustainable agricultural and rural development, favor the protection of natural resources and adapt to climate change, underlined Hilale, who spoke during an exceptional session of the Crans Montana Forum (November 14-16).
Al Alam
• The Secretary of State for Foreign Trade, Omar Hejira, affirmed that the government continues to fulfill its obligations, as evidenced by the provisions of the PLF 2025. In a speech to the House of Representatives, Hejira declared that “a This figure alone sums up the desire to reform, to continue the construction process and to implement major projects. This desire is perceptible through the 340 billion dirhams allocated to public investment, job creation and the development of our country, he said, adding that the goal is to progress serenely towards 2030 and to ensure the political and international influence of Morocco.
Al Ittihad alichtiraki
• The quantity of psychotropic substances seized on Saturday at the Tangier Med Port amounted to 188,102 “ecstasy” type tablets and narcotics, indicated the Tangier police headquarters. Border control and search operations, carried out with the participation of the police dog brigade, initially made it possible to seize 155,703 “ecstasy” type tablets, hidden in specially designed cavities in the cabin of a truck coming from a European country, said the same source in a press release.
Al-Ahdath al-Maghribia
• The Independent Union of Public Sector Doctors (SIMSP) announced that its protests will continue for three weeks with national strikes and demonstrations in all regions of the Kingdom. The first week will see a national strike on November 19, 20 and 21 in all health establishments except emergency and intensive care units. These strikes, according to a SIMSP press release, take place due to the “exclusion” of doctors from salary increases compared to other public sector agents, denouncing the lack of attention paid to their demands, in particular the creation of two grades after the off-scale, as has been agreed since 2011.
Assahra Al-Maghribia
• Younes Sekkouri, Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills, launched a new phase of consultations with unions regarding the draft law regulating the strike, with the aim of cooling anger provoked by the discussion of the content of this text in the first chamber, launched unilaterally by the government before reaching an agreement with the unions. Sekkouri received, at the ministry’s headquarters, a delegation from the National Union of Labor in Morocco (UNMT), led by Mohamed Zouiten, secretary general of this union. The meeting was an opportunity to provide the union’s observations and proposals regarding this bill.
