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On Monday, the King of Morocco presided over the opening of the Third Horse Fair in El Jadida. He was accompanied by his brother, Prince Moulay Rashid, and cousin Prince Moulay Ismail.
 Maghreb Arabe Presse The fair attracts dozens of participants from the Middle East and Europe, as well as nearly 700 horses. The event aims to both celebrate Moroccan equestrianism and set up jobs related to it.
Before the opening ceremony, the King and the two Princes were given a tour of the fair. They met with the Moroccan Fantasia (Tbourida) and a regiment of the cavalry of the French Republican Guard, which are honored guests this year.
The royals also were briefed on a new exhibition park worth 390 million dirhams, or $48 million, that is being built nearby. The park is expected to hold hundreds of horses, plus administrative offices, exhibition spaces and a children’s park.
As for the fair, it will run until Sunday, October 24th. About 250,000 are expected to come it, and see horse jumping shows, Tbourida shows and various exhibits.
Source: Maghreb Arabe Presse
 Maghreb Arabe Presse The King of Morocco was in Casablanca Wednesday to inaugurate a drop-in support center for female victims of violence. The facility is part of King Mohammed VI’s agenda to make women’s issues as important as men’s.
The support center, which cost 6 million dirhams, or $693,000, includes a library, a reception area, a multipurpose hall, workshops, an infirmary, a hosting space, a kitchen and other outbuildings.
It will give legal assistance and psychological support for the women.
The facility is part of the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH).
Source: Maghreb Arabe Presse
In Casablanca Monday, Morocco’s King Mohammed VI stopped by the Oukacha reformatory, which is a school for juvenile delinquents. He did this for his foundation for Inmates Reinsertion. Back in May 2006, the King signed agreements to improve the lives of prison inmates once they have completed their sentences.
 Maghreb Arabe Presse During his visit, Mohammed saw the reformatory’s vocational training center and the workshops. He even to the took the time to award certificates to ten of the best laureates.
His Majesty also toured a school built by the Education Ministry as part of an agreement with the Mohammed VI Foundation for Inmates Reinsertion. He also gave a high school degree to an inmate.
King Mohammed asked several questions during the tour. He asked about the results of the socio-professional reinsertion system, and about the achievements of the post-prison support centers.
At the end of his visit, the King oversaw the signing of a partnership agreement between his Foundation, the General delegation of the penitentiary and reinsertion administration (DGAPR) and the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM). The agreement aims to train inmates in certain professional fields so they could earn employment once they are out of a reformatory.
Source: Maghreb Arabe Presse
During the weekend, Morocco’s King Mohammed VI celebrated the eleventh year of his reign. The festivities, known as Fête du Trône, took place in Tangiers and Tetouan.
 Maghreb Arabe Presse To begin the celebrations, the King did what he normally does on national or religious holidays: pardon prisoners. Last year to mark a decade on the throne, Mohammed excused 25,000 prisoners. This year, however, it was only 980. Five were to be released immediately while the others saw their sentences reduced.
Then the King took to the airwaves to address his subjects with a lengthy speech. In it, he discussed Morocco’s development process and said it could only be done through four major guidelines. The first one, “should make sure the state, under my supervision, plays its strategic role in determining the nation’s basic options, implementing major projects, boosting, organizing and encouraging free enterprise and wisely-managed liberalization,” the monarch said.
He went on to say: “We need to consolidate the nation’s democratic system of governance. In this respect, I have sought to strengthen the rule of law, introduce thorough legislative and institutional reforms, as well as review legislation related to human rights protection. I have also endeavored to expand the scope of freedoms and encourage effective political practices by ensuring the citizens’ active participation in public life and close cooperation with the decision-makers.”
King Mohammed added that the third guideline concerns the pressing need to place the citizen at the heart of the development process. “This is why I launched the National Initiative for Human Development, which has enabled us over the past five years to achieve tangible results in the fight against poverty, social exclusion and marginalization.”
“Under the fourth guideline, our economy should be provided with the necessary ingredients for take-off and development, mainly in terms of infrastructure and planning. This has started to bear fruit with respect to strategy, and in the sectoral and social fields,” the King said, adding that “these infrastructure projects and plans have enabled us to upgrade our economy, boost productivity, enhance competitiveness, increase public investment, and create integrated, regional development hubs.”
 Maghreb Arabe Pressse The next day, in Tetouan, King Mohammed chaired an oath-swearing ceremony. With his brother, Moulay Rashid, and son Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, the King oversaw the graduation of military students, who are to protect and fight for their country.
In a speech, Mohammed highlighted the works of his grandfather – Mohammed V – during World War II. He also named the graduates after General de Gaulle due to the French leader’s “exemplary commitment to the values and ideals of bravery and of dedication to the safeguard of national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Next, King Mohammed – along with his brother, son, and daughter Princess Lalla Khadija – chaired the officers’ mess of the Tetouan Royal Guard, a luncheon on the occasion of the oath-taking ceremony by the newly-graduated officers.
Afterward, the King met with several expatriates, mostly from Europe, who were suffering from chronic illnesses.
Source: AFP, Maghreb Arabe Presse
 AP Photo/Abdeljalil Bounhar Earlier Monday, the President of Gabon arrived in Morocco for a three day state visit.
President Ali Bongo Ondimba came to the northern city of Tangiers and was greeted by King Mohammed VI. With the King were his son and heir, Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, and his brother, Prince Moulay Rashid.
This is Bongo’s first official visit to Morocco since he was elected President in October, following the death of his father and former Gabonese leader, Omar Bongo Ondimba.
It is expected that the President will be a guest of honor at a state dinner the King will be hosting.
The King of Morocco spent the past two days in the city of Fnideq. There, he laid foundation stones and opened facilities, thus establishing a new era the northern city.
 Maghreb Arabe Presse On Wednesday, King Mohammed VI placed the signifying stone for a sea wall built to protect a fish unloading site. Costing $6 million dollars, the wall is meant to improve the site, increase the fishing days and income of local traditional fishermen.
Later in the day, the King laid another foundation stone – this time at the Institute of Applied Technology. Due to open in September 2011 with 700 students expected each year, the $2.7 million project will provide training in management, computer networks, accountancy, secretarial work and office automation.
 Maghreb Arabe Presse The next day, Mohammed inaugurated Fnideq’s multi-sport field which is part of major sporting center. With $14.8 million spent on this facility, it is meant to promote local talent and help sports and youth clubs.
Finally, the King laid his third foundation stone in the city. It was for a $15.5 million socio-medical complex which will have places for TB examination, respiratory infections, cancer treatments, hemodialysis and kidney diseases plus a dentist clinic and rooms for medical staff training and meetings. His Majesty was briefed on how this complex will further help the health service in Fnideq.
The city of Fnideq is located at Morocco’s northern most tip, almost touching Spain’s Ceuta enclave. It has a population of about 55,000.
On Monday, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Casablanca for a global forum on the Mideast peace process. He was welcomed by Moroccan King Mohammed VI.
The two leaders discussed a number of issues, but most importantly, the Palestinian territories.
Abbas is in Morocco for the Al Quds International Forum, which King Mohammed is the patron of.
 Maghreb Arab Presse
 Maghreb Arabe Presse The King of Morocco officially opened the country’s Parliament in its capital of Rabat on Friday. In his speech to the Parliament’s two houses, King Mohammed VI stressed the need for legal framework for economic and social council.
“The aim is to develop a model Moroccan economic and social council that serves as an expert constitutional institution thanks to the quality of the advice and recommendations it gives regarding the nation’s chief economic issues,” he said.
The King also called for the council members to come from a diverse background. In other words, there should a substantial number of women, those from civil society and members of higher institutions.
King Mohammed added that the council must be open to all competent citizens, “in accordance with my wish to involve in the council all skilled Moroccans, wherever they may be.”
Furthermore, the Council should “give priority to drawing up – in the foreseeable future – the new social charter I have called for, and to give its opinion on the coordination and interplay between development plans and sector-based policies” and should seek to give concrete substance to the regional dimension of those plans.
“The setting up of this new council is a further step towards good governance in the area of development. I want the latter to be a pillar of our action to consolidate the dignity of our people and contribute to effective citizenship,” said King Mohammed.
It has been announced that the 28 year-old cousin of King Mohammed VI, Prince Moulay Ismail, is engaged to marry German Muslim Anissa Lehmkuhl.
The King will chair the wedding, which will take place this Saturday, September 26th.
Miss Lehmkuhl is the daughter of a former German military attache to Morocco. Her parents, Omar and Amina, converted to Islam while living in the country.
King Mohammed VI returned to work earlier this week after resting from a stomach infection. He has been in Casablanca, opening facilities, laying foundation stones, and presiding over Ramadan lectures in the city.
 Maghreb Arabe Presse On Tuesday, the King opened an educational center for young people. The 1,395 square meter facility will teach about 600 local youths skills that would help them in the job market.
Wednesday, the monarch opened an addictology service, and laid the foundation stone of a children’s house in the Ibn Rochd University Hospital. The addictology center will treat those battling addiction to various things, such as drugs and the Internet, plus study addiction. There are rooms for addicts needing overnight treatment. As for the children’s house, that is meant for schooling children who will be hospitalized long-term.
 Maghreb Arabe Presse On Thursday, King Mohammed laid another foundation stone, this time for a construction training center. The center is funded by the Mohammed V Foundation, which was set up in honor of the King’s grandfather.
Over the last three days, King Mohammed has been supervising Ramadan lectures given by various imams from Morocco and North Africa. He was accompanied by his younger brother, Prince Moulay Rachid, and cousin Moulay Ismail. The religious leaders have been discussing the Muslim holy month, reading parts of the Koran, and telling those in attendance how to live a more holy life.
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