Morocco Records – Page 3 – Arabian Records (1st post : Eid Al Fitr – 01st Shawwal 1439 (AH) / 15th June 2018 ) / (BETA testing – Research

Morocco Produces Half of All Canned Sardines Worldwide

Morocco exports 90% of its sardines to 100 countries.

With a 3,500-kilometer-long coastline, Morocco produces half of all canned sardines available in supermarkets worldwide.

Mehdi Dhaloomal, Executive Manager of Moroccan canned sardine producer MIDAV, recently reported that the North African country annually produces 1.4 million tonnes of seafood, with sardines making up 850,000 of the collected seafood.

The Moroccan businessman stressed that Morocco has “exclusive” access to the sardina pilchardus walbaum which is a type of sardine that is only available in Bretagne, France, and southern Morocco.

Morocco notably fishes 60% of the sardina pilchardus walbaum that is primarily directed to exports – 90% of local sardines are exported.

Earlier this year, the Moroccan Ministry of Fisheries stated that canned sardines represented 53% of total seafood exports in 2021.

Besides sardines, frozen octopus and squid, as well as fishmeal, represent most of the 778,000 tonnes of Moroccan exported seafood, valued at MAD 24.2 billion ($2.46 billion).

Yet canned sardines remain a major food export of Morocco and Dhaloomal considers the country to be a “leader in the valorization” of sardines.

He further noted that the canned food sector in Morocco consists of roughly 50 Moroccan and international companies that are based along the country’s coastline.

Currently, the industrial zone of Sali delivers 30% of Moroccan production of sardines that is primarily exported to 100 countries. Export destinations include European countries such as the United Kingdom market, where 60% of consumed canned sardines come from Morocco.

Dhaloomal shared the prior statements at the first edition of the Safi Investor Day. The May 25 event gathered Moroccan and foreign investors operating or interested in the Marrakech-Safi region with the objective of celebrating the region and its assets, as well as attracting additional Moroccan and foreign capital.

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com

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MOROCCO

Morocco’s RS Berkane Win 2nd African Confederation Cup Title (CAF) with a Shootout Victory over South Africa’s Orlando Pirates

Moroccan side RS Berkane won their second African Confederation Cup title in three years after beating South Africa’s Orlando Pirates 5-4 on penalties following a 1-1 draw at Nigeria’s Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Friday 20th May.

Brahim El Bahraoui scored the winning penalty after Pirates keeper Richard Ofori, who had scored his side’s fourth spot kick, failed to save any of Berkane’s efforts.

Winger Thembinkosi Lorch turned from hero to zero as Pirates missed out on their maiden Confederation Cup triumph after also losing in the 2015 final.

He scored a bizarre 117th-minute equaliser to cancel out Youssef El Fahli’s penalty in the first half of extra time but had his effort blocked by keeper Hamza Hamiani in the shootout.

Hamiani was Berkane’s standout performer, producing some superb saves to keep his side in the game as Pirates looked the better side throughout.

Berkane lost on penalties to Egypt’s Zamalek in the 2019 final but won the trophy a year later. Another Moroccan side, Raja Casablanca, clinched the title last year.

Key saves

Hamiani kept out a low, angled effort from striker Kwame Peprah on 34 minutes before producing an even better save to smother a close-range effort from Deon Kavendji early in the second half, denying Orlando a certain goal.

He also comfortably collected a tame shot from Lorch, who was well-positioned to score following some slack defending.

Berkane, who rarely threatened, took the lead in the 97th minute when Pirates substitute Thabang Monare, who had just been on the pitch for a few minutes, clumsily stuck out a leg to foul an opponent following a corner.

El Fahli sent keeper Ofori the wrong way with a low effort as Berkane thought they had the match dead and buried.

But Pirates did not give up, with Tshegofatso Mabasa heading just wide from a corner before Lorch brought them level three minutes from the end of extra time.

After his initial effort was blocked by the defence, Mabasa collected the loose ball just inside the area and sent a stray pass that somehow eluded all defenders and found its way into the bottom corner past Hamiani, who had been unsighted by his own defence.

But Berkane had the last laugh in the shootout, converting all of their kicks, as Moroccan teams made it a hat-trick of straight Confederation Cup triumphs.

source/content: english.ahram.org.eg

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MOROCCO

Faouzi Annajah: Moroccan-French Businessman Behind Hydrogen SUV NamX

NamX’s prototype was unveiled earlier this week. Yet the car will not be available in the market until 2025.

Morocco-French businessman Faouzi Annajah, founder of NamX, has co-created the world’s first car partially powered by a patented removable hydrogen tank system.

NamX’s patented technology consists of a fixed hydrogen tank and six removable capsules.

Set to be released in 2025, NamX responds to the rising demand for hydrogen and hybrid cars amid an increasingly prevailing shift towards clean energy sources and decarbonization worldwide.

“Our double ambition is to become a new reference in the world of zero-emission cars, and to constantly explore new territories to facilitate mobility of our consumers,” Faouzi ANNAJAH, Founder and President of NAMX said in a press release. “ NAMX is a collective project built with the best industrial and technical partners in Europe and Africa.”

The European-African project gathered the support of renowned stakeholders on both continents including Ibrahima Sissoko, founder of over 30 companies, Pierre-Yves Geels, former VP strategy of Matra automotive, Alain Diboine, former Director of the R&D Division at Renault, Mustapha Mokass, clean energy and carbon finance expert, and Raphaël Schoetgen, former Chairman of Hydrogen Europe and international hydrogen expert.

NamX was co-designed by Thomas de Lussac, co-founder of NamX, and Kevin Rice, Chief Creative Officer of Italian car design firm Pininfarina. Inspired by science fiction and American designs of the 50s and 60s, Lussac “chose to give the vehicle’s shape the cutting edge of the coming era.”

NamX is the first car designed by Pininfarina that was created from the back to the front with an eye-catching feature, an X-shaped chassis.

Commenting on the hydrogen SUV, Paolo Pininfarina, President of the Italian design firm, said that “the NAMX HUV [hybrid utility vehicle] is simply at the heart of our DNA: inventing the best driving experience to infinite mobility, with style.”

Upon its release in the final quarter of 2025, NamX will be marketed in two different versions including an entry-level rear-wheel drive with a regulated top speed of 200 km/h and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds. The second option provides a four-wheel drive with a regulated top speed of 250 km/h and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds.

The two versions will have a price tag ranging between €65,000 and €95,000.

The NamX prototype was first unveiled on May 11 in the Pininfarina headquarters in Cambiano. The public will have a glimpse of NamX at the upcoming Paris Motor Show scheduled between October 17 and 23, 2022.

As Annajah’s home country, Morocco might host the production operations of NamX, the founder told a Moroccan news outlet, promising future announcements on the matter.

As a leading African automotive hub, Morocco has attracted renowned international automotive manufacturers including ones interested in developing hybrid and electric cars.

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com

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Faouzi Annajah: Moroccan-French Businessman Behind Hydrogen SUV NamX

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FRENCH / MOROCCAN

Morocco’s Youness Mustafa Gharbi Wins Quran Recitation Skill, Scent of Speech (Otr Elkalam)’ Category in the ‘Saudi International Holy Quran Competition ‘ 2022

Gharbi is one of a number of Moroccans who have won similar prizes.

Youness Gharbi is the latest in a list of other Moroccans to have claimed a prize for his Quran recitation skills, this time in Saudi Arabia.

Visually impaired Gharbi won the “Otr Elkalam” competition on Wednesday, with a prize of SAR 5 million ($1.3 million).

He received his prize during a ceremony celebrating the completion of the international Quran reciting competition whose name is Arabic for the fragrance of speech.

The Chairman of the board of directors of Saudi’s general entertainment authority , Turki Al-Seikh, delivered the prize to Youness Gharbi and another British contestant Mohamed Ayoub who came in second place.

Mohamed Ayoub received an award of a little over half a million dollars.

In the call to prayer category, a Turkish contestant came in first place, Muhsin Kara, receiving SAR 2 million ($533,200), while another Turkish contestant Albijan Celik came in second place, winning a prize of SAR1 million ($266,600).

Saudi contestant Anas Al-Rahili came in fourth place with a SAR250,000 ($66,650) award.

During the ceremony, the event organizers announced that the “Otr Elkalam” competition will open its doors for international Quran reciters during Ramadan next year.

The “Otr Elkalam” competition was organized by the Saudi government’s General Entertainment Authority this month, to coincide with Ramadan.

Moroccans are no strangers to winning Quran reciting awards. In 2020, Five Moroccans won a Quran reciting competition award in Abu Dhabi during a virtual ceremony.

Nearly all prizewinners of the Abu Dhabi competition were Moroccans.

Moroccan Fatima-Zahrae Mrabet claimed the first place in the women’s “All Nationalities” category, and Moroccan Kaoutar Zribi and Chaimae Lchab trailed behind respectively in second and third place.

Moroccan men equally distinguished themselves at the ceremony, with Anas Mhamdi ranking first in the men’s “All Nationalities” category and Abdellah Bela ranking third within a different category.

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com

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MOROCCO

MAScIR Develops 100% Moroccan Tuberculosis Diagnostic Test

Researchers from the MAScIR Foundation have developed a 100% Moroccan made molecular test for tuberculosis screening.

The test will provide health professionals with results within 30 minutes.

The test called MAScIR TB SS-LAMP “has the advantage of being precise and fast, delivering results in 30 minutes,” a press release from the foundation said on Friday.

The foundation, which is part of the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, said that the Pasteur Institute of Morocco validated the test. It is also registered with the Directorate of the Medicines and Pharmacy under the Ministry of Health and Social Protection.

The test constitutes a solution that facilitates “diagnosis as close as possible to patients at a controlled cost,” the researchers said.

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com

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MAScIR Develops 100% Moroccan Tuberculosis Diagnostic Test

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MOROCCO

UNWTO – World Tourism Organization’s First Regional Office for Africa to Open in Marrakech: December 2021

Morocco’s bid to host the first African office of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) was ratified at the 24th session of the Organization’s General Assembly.

The bid was approved amid strong competition from four other African countries, and UNWTO’s first regional office will open in Marrakech.

Morocco’s bid to host the first African office of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) was ratified at the 24th session of the Organization’s General Assembly.

The bid was approved amid strong competition from four other African countries, and UNWTO’s first regional office will open in Marrakech.

Ammor led the Moroccan delegation at UNWTO’s General Assembly, which was attended by more than 500 government officials and several tourism professionals from member countries.

Morocco’s participation shed light on the village of Sidi Kaouki in the province of Essaouira as “Best Tourism Village 2021.”

The seaside village of Sidi Kaouki was selected from more than 170 villages from 75 countries, echoing Morocco’s continuous efforts to build an eco-friendly destination for global tourism.

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com

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UNWTO Regional Office for Africa to Open in Marrakech. Credits: UNWTO

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MOROCCO

Sanae Abdi, Morocco-born Female Politician Elected to German Parliament in Historical First

The Moroccan-German woman won a seat in the Cologne 1 region under the banner of the Social Democratic Party.

Abdi is the first Moroccan woman to successfully be elected to Germany’s legislative body. Born in Tetouan, Abdi moved to Germany to attend the Adolf Reichwein Comprehensive School in Ludenscheid.

During this time, Abdi also joined the SPD in 2008, at the age of 22.

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com

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Sanae Abdi was elected to represent the Cologne I constituency after Sunday’s elections. Photo Credit: Sanae Abdi / pix: moroccoworldnews.com

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GERMANY / MOROCCO

Morocco’s El Amin Chentouf Smashes Own Paralympic Record to Win T12 Marathon Gold : Tokyo 2020 : September, 2021

El Amin Chentouf. Athlete. Paralympic Athlete.

Veteran El Amin Chentouf of Morocco defended his title in the T12 marathon for visually impaired athletes, smashing his own Paralympic record by over three minutes to finish in 2:21:43.

The 40-year-old retains his title after finishing more than more than four minutes ahead of silver medallist Clifford.

Further back in the field, Tunisian’s Wajdi Boukhili had been well placed to take the bronze until the 40km mark, where both he and compatriot Hatem Nasrallah slowed up to finish sixth and fourth, respectively. The bronze medal went to Tadashi Horikoshi of Japan.

Chentouf’s gold was the fourth for Morocco during the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, all of which have been won in athletics. Abdeslam Hili and Ayoub Sadni won gold in the men’s 400m in the T12 and T47 classes, respectively, and Zakariae Derhem topped the podium in the men’s shot put F33 class.

source/content : thenationalnews.com

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MOROCCO

Soufiane Bakkali Wins Morocco’s First Medal with Gold. Makes History at Tokyo 2020 Olympics : August 2021

Soufianne El Bakkali. Steeplechase runner. Athlete

Soufianne el Bakkali makes history, ends Kenya’s 3000m steeplechase domination.

The last time Kenya entered the 3000m stepplechase and did not finish first was the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, 57 years ago.

He thus became the first non-Kenyan born athlete to win the gold at the Olympics or World Championships since 1987.

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MOROCCO

Mohamed Benchaaboun Named Africa’s ‘Finance Minister of the Year’ : June 23rd, 2021

The African Banker, a quarterly magazine that covers Africa-related financial news, has named Moroccan Minister of Economy and Finance Mohamed Benchaaboun as Africa’s “Finance Minister of the Year.

The winners of the 2021 edition of the African Banker Trophies were celebrated on June 23, 2021, during the prestigious awards ceremony, organized on the sidelines of the Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank.

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MOROCCO