Morocco offers the world to Irving businesses
By Jess Paniszczyn

Just saying the word ‘Morocco’ congers up images of Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart immortalized in  Casablanca. However, that outdated Hollywood image belies the complexity and vitality of a young nation brimming with 34 million people. Through a series of events, the American Morocco Association of North Texas (AMANT) hoped to shine a ‘Spotlight on Morocco’ by introducing North Texas businesses to the opportunities available to expand their markets. To present the possibilities offered by Morocco to local businesses, AMANT hosted a luncheon with Morocco’s Ambassador to the United States, Aziz Mekouar, at the Four Seasons on Nov. 1. “We are trying to build good will and create a network, said Edward Rettta of Cross Culture Communications. “There are opportunities for American business people to do business with Morocco and Moroccans. “Morocco has been an ally of the United States for a very long time. Morocco is an Arab country that has been our friend. It was the first country to recognize the United States politically like in 1777. We have had treaties with Morocco longer than any other country.

There is a long history between the U.S. and Morocco,” he said. Moroccan representatives issued an open invitation to all Irving businesses to explore the possibilities of doing business in Morocco. Located in North Africa and sharing the Strait of Gibraltar with Spain,  Morocco offers a gateway to consumers in both Africa and Europe. “Morocco has a long history of good relationships with the United States,” said Ahmad Yanouri, president of AMANT. “Recently in 2004 there was a free trade agreement signed between the United States and Morocco. Basically there are no tariffs between the two countries when exporting to Morocco or importing from Morocco. It gives great advantage to businesses that go to Morocco.

“Morocco’s location is very strategic. It is on the tip of Africa, seven miles from Europe. It is a six hour flight from the United States. Merchandise arrives in seven days by boat. “Many American companies build manufacturing facilities in countries like China and Mexico and then export their goods to other countries. There are great opportunities to build similar facilities in Morocco, because it is very easy to export goods anywhere. Europe represents a very big market, as does the Arab world. “Morocco also has free trade agreements with Europe, many Arab countries, African countries and Turkey. This offers American companies in Morocco a market of about one billion people to sell to. “The Moroccan government is trying to entice businesses to go to Morocco through tax breaks. Some companies get five or ten years with no taxes. “Labor in Morocco is much cheaper than in the United States. You can hire qualified people with degrees in the Moroccan workforce for a fraction of what untrained labor costs here. Almost everybody in Morocco speaks French. A lot of people speak Spanish. And now English is becoming the favorite language there.” Morocco’s natural resources have captured the imagination of tourists looking for bargains as well as adventure. “The tourism business is booming because of Morocco’s location. I think each year about seven million tourists visit Morocco. About five years ago, only two million tourists visited each year. “Morocco has mountain resorts. We have almost 300 miles of the Mediterranean, and 500 to 600 miles of the Atlantic, so there are beautiful beaches. Marrakech is an exotic city where the weather in May is sometimes 100 degrees, if you drive 20 miles, you are in the snow. Looking from the city, you can see the snow on the mountain. It is really beautiful and a lot of tourists are coming.”

In an effort to help the people of Morocco through education, Faouzi Chaabi and his family are working to build a new university. “We are going to give 10 percent of our income to the university to educate Moroccan youth. Education is our principle lack,” Mr. Chaabi said. “We don’t have natural resources such as petrol like other people do. “The problem is we have been colonized by France and Spain until 1956. When we were liberated, we had a population of more than 90 percent who didn’t know how to read and write. So we had to construct schools. This is a very difficult thing to do. we still have people who do not go to school or who cannot follow in the school. We are struggling with providing schools for poor people, especially in the rural areas. “Another problem we have is continuing to educate people after high school. Some students go to private colleges where the subject taught is very specific like business administration, management or architecture. We also have our state owned universities that teach medicine, pharmacy or law. “What we want to do is to have a private university where everybody can come. We will choose maybe 30 to 40 percent of the students from poor families. They will not pay, but they are selected because of their minds. Their costs will be charged to the foundation. Another third will pay with credit and loans from the banks. Another third to 40 percent will pay normally. “This will allow us to have 1,000 graduates each year.” Top universities in both America and Morocco will serve as models for the new university the Chaabi family hopes to build. “The American system is very good. In the main university, you can have many, many, many various specialties. “My daughter just started this year at New York University. She is considering medical, engineering, physiology or marketing. This is wonderful. She can decide even after six months. This is something your universities have that we don’t have in Morocco,” he said. “The first university founded by King Hassan II with the King of Saudi Arabia is called ‘Al Akhaway Univeristy.’ It is a small university, but excellent. “We hope to do the same sort of thing building a larger university.

To create this university is a sacrifice. Just to construct this university we will pay 10 percent of our wealth. For running the university every year, we will give 10 percent of our income. The only effective way to fight terrorism is through education, according to Mr. Chaabi. “Our main problem is education. Don’t give me money. Don’t give me petrol. Give me the possibility to educate people. With education, you will never have terrorism. What happens now in many countries is extremists lack culture and education. When people don’t go to school and they meet somebody who tells them that if they will explode something and then for sure they will go to Paradise. The people believe what is said because they are not educated. “The American government has to help us in this way. The only things we need are partnerships to help us educate people,” he said.