VZCZCXYZ0003
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRB #0782/01 2601547
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 171547Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0666

UNCLAS RABAT 000782 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/MAG, S/GPI M. KAREN WALKER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: BEXP BTIO EAID OEXC OIIP PGOV PHUM PREL SCUL SMIG
TSPL, EINV, MO 
SUBJECT: DIASPORA ENGAGEMENT MOROCCO 
 
REF: A STATE 86401 
      B CASABLANCA 144 (NOTAL) 
 
¶1. Summary. Far-flung and fluid, the Moroccan diaspora stretches 
throughout Europe, across the Atlantic Ocean, throughout the Middle 
East and North Africa (notably in Israel), and beyond.  Some 
diasporans are recent immigrants to their adoptive country; others 
are second- or third-generation.  Their occupations vary, and most 
preserve ties to their home country.  Moroccans maintain virtual 
ties as well, taking advantage of web-based technologies to share 
experiences, seek relationships, and exchange ideas.  The Moroccan 
government has established specific offices and organizations to 
engage the diaspora community.  Moroccans living abroad engage in a 
variety of ways with their countrymen in Morocco, although they have 
not as yet been mobilized to undertake any large-scale relief or 
support efforts.  End summary. 
 
--------------------------- 
Community and Collaboration 
--------------------------- 
 
¶2. The Moroccan diaspora (locally referred to as MREs, for 
"Marocains residents a l'etranger") is an identifiable community, 
and the nature of its connection to the homeland is diverse.  There 
are large Moroccan communities in several Western European countries 
- notably France, Spain, the Netherlands and Italy - as well as in 
Canada and the United States.  Moroccans also live throughout the 
MENA region, most notably in Israel, where approximately one million 
citizens (about 15% of the population) claim Moroccan ancestry, 
representing a key link between Israel and the Arab World. 
Moroccans residing abroad do so for a variety of reasons.  Most 
maintain ties to Morocco, and a large number return occasionally to 
spend time with kith and kin.  The U.S. Consulate General in 
Casablanca issues approximately 3,000 diversity visas each year, in 
addition to approximately 45,000 visitor visas, indicating that 
there is considerable interest among Moroccans in maintaining or 
developing ties with the United States. 
 
¶3. Moroccans residing abroad have a long tradition of remittances 
(ref B), with isolated instances of fund-raising abroad among 
expatriate Moroccans from the same village to support small-scale 
infrastructure projects back home.  The Government of Morocco is 
concerned about the well-being of Moroccans residing abroad, and it 
has established structures and strategies, described below, to 
support them and to support the preservation of Moroccan cultural, 
linguistic, and religious identity. 
 
¶4. The Moroccan Government is deeply concerned that some MREs living 
in Western Europe are promoting radical Islamist ideology in 
Morocco.  Socio-economic conditions in parts of Morocco make certain 
segments of the population more susceptible to radicalizing efforts. 
 Diaspora engagement that encourages the strengthening of economic 
ties with the goal of ameliorating difficult economic conditions and 
strengthening community linkages can contribute to national and 
international security and stability.  In this regard, USG 
counter-radicalization efforts with diaspora communities in Western 
Europe (Embassy Paris, for example, has targeted underprivileged 
immigrant communities in France to recruit participants for its 
International Visitor Leadership Program) could serve to weaken the 
pull of radical ideology.  The GOM is active in this regard, sending 
imams trained in Morocco to minister to diaspora communities in 
Western Europe, seeking to counter the influence of Wahhabi clerics 
by promoting an alternative, moderate and authentically Moroccan 
trend of Islam. 
 
¶5. The Embassy's Public Affairs Section administers the 
International Visitor Program and collaborates with the Moroccan 
American Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchange on the 
Fulbright and other academic exchange programs.  PAS has also 
organized several television cooperatives with local networks 
focused on the lives and attitudes of the Moroccan diaspora 
community in the U.S.  With these and other programs 
well-established and widely-popular in Morocco, the framework is in 
place to engage the Moroccan diaspora in the United States and 
foster further institutional affiliations with academic and 
professional communities across the Atlantic. 
 
¶6. Post will continue to reach out to government agencies and 
non-governmental organizations in Morocco in order to broaden 
insight into their relationships with Moroccans abroad.  Post 
welcomes feedback on Washington-based efforts to expand the 
knowledge base about the Moroccan diaspora in the United States. 
Among valuable knowledge management tools would be detailed 
socio-economic data on Moroccans resident in the US, to include 
information on their respective "home town" in Morocco, which would 
enable targeted outreach to the cities and villages that provide 
significant numbers of immigrants to the United States.  Properly 
resourced, outreach to the Moroccan diaspora in the US can marshal 
the connections they maintain with family, friends, and colleagues 
in Morocco in an effort to advance US objectives overseas. 
¶7. Post looks forward to working with S/GPI in advancing this 
important endeavor.  Point of contact for future reference and 
follow-up is Brian Shott, Deputy Political Counselor. 
 
------------------------ 
Institutional Structures 
------------------------ 
 
¶8. There are several organizations based in Morocco and abroad that 
engage the Moroccan diaspora.  At the governmental level, primary 
among these is the office of the Minster Delegate to the Prime 
Minister for Affairs Concerning Moroccans Residing Abroad.  The 
current Minister Delegate is Mohammad Ameur, and underpinning the 
work of the office are three main principles:  defense of the 
interests of Moroccan nationals wherever they are; preservation of 
national linguistic, religious, and cultural identity; and active 
incorporation of Moroccan nationals living abroad into the human, 
economic, and social development of Morocco. 
 
¶9. The Hassan II Foundation for Moroccans Residing Abroad was 
established in 1990; its current president is Princess Lalla Meryem, 
daughter of the late King Hassan II.  The Foundation is comprised of 
six operational units:  Education, Cultural Exchanges, Sport, and 
Youth; Legal Assistance; Social Assistance; Economic Development; 
Cooperation and Partnership; and Communication.  The Foundation 
works through a variety of programs; more information is available 
(in French) at http://www.alwatan.ma. 
 
¶10. The Council for the Moroccan Community Abroad (CCME) was created 
by royal decree in December 2007.  It consists of 50 members serving 
four-year terms, and is charged with developing policy 
recommendations regarding emigration for the King.  The CCME 
recently completed a survey of nearly 3000 Moroccans residing in 
various European countries; according to the results, three-quarters 
of Moroccans living abroad return annually to Morocco.  As many as 
60% of the respondents say they transfer money back to Morocco, 
either directly to individuals or their families, or in the form of 
support for a village project. 
 
¶11. The High Atlas Foundation, founded by a former Peace Corps 
volunteer, maintains offices in both Morocco and the United States. 
It hosted an Iftar dinner in New York on September 16 to help raise 
money to advance the Foundation's "One Million Tree Campaign," which 
was launched in 2006 and has to-date planted over 140,000 fruit 
trees in Morocco. 
 
¶12. Several U.S.-based organizations engage the Moroccan diaspora in 
the United States; among them are the Association of Moroccan 
Professionals in America, the Moroccan American Center for Policy, 
the Moroccan Foundation, the American-Moroccan Institute, Friends of 
Morocco, and the Moroccan American Coalition.  Post received an 
invitation to the Coalition's fourth annual convention, to be held 
in Washington, DC in October.  The theme of the convention is 
"Connect, Inspire, Grow," and the program envisions guest speakers 
from both sides of the Atlantic. 
 
------------------------------- 
Culture and Commensal Tradition 
------------------------------- 
 
¶13. Nearly all Moroccans are Muslims, and with the Islamic holy 
month of Ramadan underway (August 22-o/a September 20) most of them 
fast from sunrise to sunset, breaking it with a ritualized meal 
called Iftar.  For most Moroccans the traditional meal includes 
dates, a lentil stew called "harira," and an assortment of sweet and 
savory pastries.  Standard fare in homes and some 
restaurants-including at "T.G.I Friday's" and McDonald's-the 
contents of the Iftar meal is considered uniquely Moroccan.  As 
reported by the Moroccan news agency MAP, Moroccans living in the 
United States view Ramadan as an opportunity to stay attuned to 
their country of origin and to revive the traditions that marked 
Ramadan back home as they seek the "must have" Moroccan 
specialties. 
 
----------------- 
Virtual Community 
----------------- 
 
¶14. The MoroccoBoard News Service (http://www.moroccoboard.com) 
houses information about the Moroccan diaspora in the United States 
and about Morocco-related events.  The site includes a section 
urging Moroccan Americans to participate in the 2010 U.S. Census and 
providing brief background information about the census and its 
purpose, which suggests that site managers consider it important to 
help educate Moroccan-Americans and promote their inclusion in U.S. 
social and political processes. 
 
¶15. Another rich website is MoroccoUSA.com 
(http://www.moroccousa.com).  Based in Chicago, the site's expressed 
mission is to serve the Moroccan community in the US and abroad.  It 
boasts over 14,000 subscribed members and features links to a range 
of resources, on-line discussion forums, advertisements, and other 
information. 
 
Millard