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FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
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RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 RABAT 000155 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR R/ECA AND NEA/MAG 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID SCUL KPAO KMCA PREL MO
SUBJECT: THE AMBASSADOR'S VISITS TO ZAGORA AND AGADIR 
 
¶1.  Summary: During January 24-25 visits to the provinces of 
Zagora and Agadir, the Ambassador called on ranking local 
officials, met with local civil society leaders, and visited 
a range of USG-funded projects.  The Ambassador and Embassy 
team found in Zagora a rural and remote province beset by 
drought and poverty, now betting primarily on tourism to 
attract investment and generate employment and development. 
The Agadir visit, during which the Ambassador was accompanied 
by Minister of Agriculture (and regional council President) 
Aziz Akennouch spotlighted planned MCC investments to support 
Morocco,s artisanal fishing industry.  In both areas, the 
Ambassador's trips yielded positive coverage in the national 
media including an extensive report on Moroccan State TV's 
Channel 1.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  The Ambassador and Mrs. Riley, supported by Mission 
personnel from Public Affairs, USAID, DAO, MCC and the 
political and economic sections visited the provinces of 
Zagora in the far southeast of Morocco and Agadir on the 
south central Atlantic coast January 24-25.  Flanked by 
enormous date palm oases, Zagora is situated at a bend in the 
great Draa Valley, where it turns abruptly west after a 
southeast trajectory from the high atlas, eventually ending 
at Tan-Tan on the Atlantic coast.  Agadir, the principal 
gateway to Southern Morocco, is the hub of Morocco,s 
agro-industry, and an important fishing port and tourist 
center.  The region's business climate was singled out for 
praise in USAID,s recent assessment of doing business in 
Morocco,s regions, and under the leadership of Regional 
Council President Aziz Akennouch, who accompanied the 
Ambassador, the region has embarked on an ambitious economic 
development program. 
 
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Zagora 
------ 
 
¶3.  Governor Ali Biougnouch, who heads a region that was the 
last to receive provincial status under the late King, 
highlighted an ambitious regional development program that 
has electrified over 98 percent of provincial communities and 
brought piped potable water to 90 percent of them.  Water 
availability is one of the most urgent issues before the 
province.  The local economy, traditionally based on 
agriculture, has been stunted by years of drought.  The 
province is now exploring the feasibility of bringing water 
from the Mansour Eddahabi Dam at Ouarzazate. 
 
¶4.  While Zagora is the most prolific producer of dates in 
the Kingdom, the Governor indicated that years of drought 
have led the province to increasingly pin its hopes for 
economic growth on the tourism sector.  The beauty of the 
local oases, flanked by the rugged walls of the Draa Valley 
and dotted with casbahs (traditional mud fortresses) could 
attract many more foreign tourists, he opined.  Already, he 
estimated, 60,000 tourists per year visit the province.  A 
number of four- and three-star hotels, along with restaurants 
and tour operators, have sprung up in Zagora in the past few 
years.  The geographic challenge (Zagora is three hours' 
drive from Ouarzazate, the nearest international airport) 
would be overcome if Regional Airlines, an internal carrier, 
follows through on a tentative plan to establish bi-weekly 
flight service at Zagora's one runway airstrip which boasts a 
small but shiny new terminal inaugurated by King Mohammed VI 
in late 2007. 
 
---------------------------- 
Building Civic Participation 
---------------------------- 
 
¶5.  The Ambassador visited the village of Bni Zoli and 
stopped at the "Bni Zoli Forum for Development and 
Communication," a non-governmental organization that 
encourages underprivileged youth in the Zagora area to become 
more involved in their community.  There he met with a group 
of local youth who benefited from a series of forum workshops 
last year on the Moroccan electoral process, human rights, 
religious tolerance, and the political process.  The 
workshops were made possible in part by a grant from the U.S. 
Embassy's Public Affairs Section in Rabat.  Also in Bni Zoli, 
the Ambassador viewed a brief exhibition soccer match staged 
by rival girls' teams.  The girl's soccer league, managed by 
the forum, aims to build confidence and self esteem in local 
teenage girls, funded in part by an Embassy grant.  After the 
match, the Ambassador and Mrs. Riley distributed new shin 
guards and uniforms to the enthusiastic girls. 
 
---------------- 
Girls' Education 
---------------- 
 
RABAT 00000155  002 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶6.  In the adjacent village of Tissergate, the Ambassador 
visited a girl's home that is part of a network of 
dormitories created by local non-governmental organizations 
with support from the U.S. Agency for International 
Development.  Part of the Rural Girls' Scholarship Project 
managed by the Girls, Educational Support Committee (CSSF) 
and its local NGO partner, the "Women's Association for 
Development and Solidarity" (AFDES), the program was 
developed to address one of the main impediments to girls' 
education in Morocco:  the lack of access to middle school 
for rural girls whose schools are located far from home. 
AFDES manages the home in Tissergate, a traditional 
mud-thatched house structure that currently houses 40 girls. 
AFDES also manages another girls, home in Bni Zoli.  In 
addition to lodging and food, the association provides 
tuition support to the girls, and often arranges extra 
curricular activities during weekends, sometimes along with 
the home in Bni Zoli. 
 
--------------------------------- 
Income Generation for the Poorest 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  In Asrir, an economically distressed neighborhood on the 
northern fringes of Zagora city, the Ambassador visited the 
"Association Salam," a grassroots NGO that aims to better the 
living conditions of local women and children.  Salam hosts 
projects such as literacy classes, courses in carpet-weaving 
and other income-generating activities, and training in 
animal husbandry, sanitation and health awareness.  Also in 
Asrir, the Ambassador and Mrs. Riley visited a kindergarten 
for local children aged 4 to 6, which frees the children's 
mothers to pursue remunerative work.  They distributed to 
each child a (privately donated) "goody bag" containing 
stationary supplies and small toys.  (Note:  The Association 
Salam is currently working on a proposal for a grant from the 
USG.  End note.) 
 
¶8.  The Governor re-joined the Ambassador for lunch with 
selected members of civil society (including local NGO 
activists, International Visitor Program alumni, journalists 
and teachers) to discuss current challenges and projects in 
the province.  The Ambassador also observed youth activities 
at the Zagora Youth Center, where he was serenaded by a teen 
choir.  He visited the Youth Center's library and made a 
donation of books from PAS, including texts from the Bureau 
of Educational and Cultural Affairs' book translation program. 
 
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Agadir 
------ 
 
¶9.  In Agadir, the Ambassador and Mrs. Riley, together with 
Minister Akennouch, visited a Japanese and Italian-financed 
prototype of the 20 fish landing sites that will be financed 
through the small-scale fisheries portion of Morocco,s 
Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Compact.  The Immessouane 
site, adjacent to one of Morocco,s most picturesque beaches, 
serves 800 artisanal fishermen operating 200 boats, and has 
permitted the fishing cooperative to more than double its 
turnover from 4.6 million MAD to 11.2 million MAD.  On site, 
the Ambassador viewed the varied operations of the 
fishermen's cooperative, including a small shop and 
restaurant, and motor repair facility.  Fishery officials 
stressed that the positive experience at Immessouane resulted 
not just from the Japanese-provided infrastructure, but from 
subsequent Italian engagement with the cooperative, 
highlighting the need for sustained engagement to ensure such 
a project's success.  Local officials added that fisheries 
are just one part of an integrated local development plan 
that also includes tourism and real estate development. 
 
¶10.  Subsequently, the party visited the project site in 
Tifnit for one of the planned MCC-financed landing sites. 
The cove currently harbors 450 fishermen operating 169 boats. 
 MCC will invest USD 3.9 million to construct the landing 
site, less than half the cost of the Immessouane facility. 
The savings results from discovery that the jetties that 
figured in the original landing sites Morocco developed (and 
which constituted 70 per cent of the cost of the project) 
though providing protection from the seas were actually 
counterproductive, and rapidly silted up. 
 
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Media 
----- 
 
¶11.  The Ambassador's visit to both provinces generated 
positive coverage in the national media.  Aujord'hui Le 
 
RABAT 00000155  003 OF 003 
 
 
Maroc, the leading French-language daily published a 
comprehensive account of the Ambassador's activities in the 
provinces.  State TV Channel One, with the highest audience 
in Morocco, broadcast an upbeat five minute report on the 
Zagora stop featuring footage of the Ambassador distributing 
sports equipment to disadvantaged girls, stopping at the 
Youth Center, and explaining the USAID grant to support 
girls' education.  A subsequent report highlighted the 
planned development at Tifnit. 
 
 
***************************************** 
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat 
***************************************** 
 
Riley