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Morocco World
42 minutes ago
- Climate
- Morocco World
ANEF: Morocco Contains 8 Forest Fires Burning 20 Hectares in Last 24h
Marrakech – All forest fires registered across Morocco in the past 24 hours have been successfully contained, the National Water and Forest Agency (ANEF) announced Friday. The eight fires, including six in forest domains and two outside forest areas, affected approximately 20 hectares of land. The largest fire occurred in Tetouan province, burning 15 hectares of forest land. Authorities have contained the blaze, with operations to extinguish remaining hot spots still ongoing. Other affected areas include Khenifra (3.5 hectares), Chefchaouen (1.1 hectares), Khemisset (0.095 hectares), Casablanca (0.02 hectares), and Midelt (10 square meters), where a fire was naturally triggered by lightning. Additional fire outbreaks were reported outside forest domains in Taza and Sidi Slimane provinces. From January 1 to June 20, Morocco has recorded 111 forest fires, a figure below the ten-year average of 130 incidents. The total burned area stands at 130 hectares, representing just one-fourth of the average for the past decade. The successful containment comes despite ANEF's warning issued last Sunday. Based on scientific prediction models, the agency had identified high to extreme risk levels for forest fires between June 16 and 20 across several provinces. These include Azilal, Beni Mellal, Chefchaouen, Kenitra, Khemisset, Larache, Tanger-Assilah, Tetouan, M'diq-Fnideq, Taounate, Taza, Nador, Al Hoceima, and Ouezzane. ANEF is urging citizens to maintain maximum vigilance, particularly in high-risk forest zones. The agency stressed that people should not light fires in natural environments, avoid discarding cigarette butts or flammable waste, and immediately report any smoke or suspicious behavior to local authorities, forest agents, or civil protection services. The positive outcomes this year build on Morocco's impressive forest fire management record in 2024, when the country achieved an 86% reduction in burned areas compared to 2023. Last year, only 874 hectares were affected by 382 forest fires, making Morocco the Mediterranean country with the lowest burned area despite extreme weather conditions. For the 2025 season, ANEF has allocated MAD 160 million ($16 million) for prevention, surveillance, and firefighting efforts, with 90% dedicated to preventive measures. The agency continues implementing its 2023-2033 Intersectoral Master Plan to improve integrated fire risk management. Tags: ANEFforest fire in Moroccowildfire in Morocco
Morocco World
4 hours ago
- Climate
- Morocco World
Weather Office Says 2024 Was Hottest Year on Record in Morocco
Rabat – The General Directorate of Meteorology (DMG) has identified 2024 as the hottest year ever recorded in Morocco. The weather office presented its findings on Morocco's climate during an event on Friday, chaired by Minister of Equipment and Water Nizar Barakra. Moroccan news outlet Le360 quoted officials citing the assessment's data, with Baraka saying that Morocco has 'already surpassed a 2 degrees Celsius increase in 2024.' He said that the country crossed the critical threshold outlined in the Paris Agreement, which warns of irreversible effects beyond a global warming range of 1.5 and 2 degrees. The minister also acknowledged that 2024 was among the driest years since 1960, with rainfall dropping by over 45% compared to the annual average. The drought, which has affected Morocco for over six consecutive seasons, has affected the country's water resources, with snowfall shrinking to just 9,900 square kilometers. The number is far below the usual 50,000 square kilometers. These extreme weather events triggered flash floods in the southeast of the country, causing 'major flooding and human losses,' the general director of National Meteorology, Mohamed Dkhissi, said, pointing out that the lack of snowfall and weak precipitation have worsened hydrological conditions. He did not, however, rule out the possibility of a wetter year in 2026, reaffirming the Office's commitment to support the most vulnerable sectors. Drought in Morocco prompted the introduction of a series of measures, including the cancellation of Eid Al Adha sacrifice ritual this year due to the notable decrease in the country's livestock population. Earlier this month, the Moroccan government pledged a new support plan for livestock producers to improve their working conditions and to rebuild the national herd. The new approach includes easing the debt load of small and medium-scale breeders, with the government allocating $70 million to restructure loans for nearly 50,000 farmers. The program also includes subsidies to reduce the cost of feed, with authorities setting the price of barley at MAD 1.5 per kilogram, capped at seven million quintals. Morocco also banned the slaughtering of female goat to contribute to the rebuilding of the national herd. Tags: 2016 hottest year on record2017 one of hottest years
Morocco World
7 hours ago
- Business
- Morocco World
IFC to Support Maroc Telecom Subsidiaries in Chad, Mali with €370 million in Loans
Rabat – The International Finance Corporation (IFC) announced on Thursday a partnership with Maroc Telecom to support its subsidiaries in Chad and Mali through a two-loan program of €370 million. A statement from IFC said the partnership seeks to improve mobile connectivity and the quality of mobile internet, supporting the rollout of 4 services and expanding internet reach to more people and businesses across Chad and Mali. Mohamed Benchaaboun, CEO of Maroc Telecom, commented on the long-term partnership with IFC, noting that it will provide further opportunities to enhance their portfolio of offers and services like Mobile Money. 'With over 57 million customers outside of Morocco, Maroc Telecom provides all telecom services, from fixed line to mobile, and broadband data access,' IFC quoted Benchaaboun as saying in the statement, noting that IAM's operations recognize the importance of mobile data in accessing the internet. '4G services are helping to reduce the digital divide,' he said, adding that the partnership aims to contribute to boosting the two countries' development. Makhtar Diop, IFC Managing Director, also commented on the partnership, noting that similar support for companies like Maroc Telecom is a strategic priority for IFC, especially in conflict-affected areas. 'By mobilizing private capital to expand digital infrastructure, we're unlocking opportunities for innovation, skills development, and job creation across Africa- fully aligned with the continent's priorities,' he said. The partnership also aligns with the African Union's ambition to build a secure single digital market in Africa by 230. Maroc Telecom is one of the leading telecommunication operators across Morocco. The operator reported a revenue of MAD 36.7 billion or $3.67 billion last year, marking a 1.2% increase. The group attributed the increase to a 4.6% revenue growth from its Moov Africa subsidiaries. Operations on the continent recorded strong performance across key segments, with mobile data growing by 15.6%, fixed internet expanding by 21.1%, and Mobile Money services rising by 14.4%.
Business Times
9 hours ago
- Business
- Business Times
So you've taken over your family restaurant
RESTAURANTS are delicate things — especially mom-and-pop operations. Among the smallest of small businesses, the most successful attract customers with a combination of low costs, intense deliciousness, do-it-yourself charm and pure gumption. The hawker stands of Southeast Asia are famous examples of this. Diners forgive rough service, put up with long queues and forego white tablecloths — if not tables — for a chance to enjoy a secret sauce, that special spark, the elemental spirit passed down generation to generation. Scaling up these tiny treasures might maximise profits, but the risk is losing the magic. A line of cooks organised along Auguste Escoffier's kitchen brigade system may help churn out dishes and feed a lot more people efficiently, but certain recipes require exacting experience and a discriminating je ne sais quoi. They may not survive the transition. Customers who are used to lower prices will also grouse at the increased costs that come with more staff and expanded real estate. A purist or two will complain that you've sold out. I've been worrying about this because friends of mine are in the process of scaling up a mom-and-pop operation that had a legendary cult following here in London. People used to take 45-minute train rides from the middle of the city east to less-than-posh Leytonstone on a chance that a table — even if you had to share it — might open up at the Thai restaurant Singburi. That's because 'mom' — who took bookings only over the phone — said there was no availability unless diners didn't show up. 'Pop' started the restaurant in 1999, but Singburi's reputation got going after Sirichai Kularbwong joined him in the kitchen toward the end of the last decade. Over that period, his parents toyed with the idea of retirement and finally decided to do it at the end of 2024. By then, the hole-in-the-wall underdog had become the 73rd best restaurant in the UK. Will Singburi 2.0 — in a brightly modern, much bigger space in trendy Shoreditch — be able to replicate its former charms? Some favorites from its old chalkboard menu aren't on offer, and that will disappoint some followers. I'm a friend and fan of Kularbwong and his partners, and so, while I've tasted (and thoroughly enjoyed) a preview, I have to await popular acclaim — or the opposite — along with them after the restaurant officially opens this week. I'm rooting for them and sharing in the anxiety, almost like family. I take some comfort from the recent remaking of another family-run Thai restaurant. In Copenhagen last month, at Noma chef Rene Redzepi's MAD symposium on the future of food, Justin Pichetrungsi — who'd been working for Walt Disney Co as an animator — gave a speech describing how he had to change careers in 2019 when his chef father suffered a stroke. He took over Anajak, a four-decade-old traditional Thai restaurant. He proceeded to innovate (think Thai Taco Tuesdays), turning it into one of the most sought-after reservations in Los Angeles. He instituted his changes, including a huge list of natural wines, while in close consultation with his father and the kinfolk who'd always helped run the place. Pichetrungsi won the 2023 James Beard Award for best chef in California. His mother, who remains in charge of making Anajak's mango sticky rice, wore the medal when he returned to LA with the prize, and proudly got fruit stains on it. Sometimes family may just be what a restaurant in jeopardy needs. In February 2003 — despondent over an unexpected demotion in the unforgiving world of French haute cuisine — Bernard Loiseau, the celebrated chef of Cote d'Or, a three-Michelin star restaurant in Burgundy, walked up to the upstairs bedroom where he usually took a nap after lunch service. He then shot himself in the head. There was heated debate in the media over what part of the system was to blame for the tragedy. Then the world moved on. But not Loiseau's family. The chef was the relentless genius at the centre of not just Cote d'Or, but also the eponymous company he built around it. Indeed, Bernard Loiseau SA was traded on the Paris stock exchange. How could such a personality-driven enterprise exist without him? His culinary reputation was also the only real thing his grieving family could claim ownership of. So his widow Dominique decided to press on. With most of her late husband's staff, she persevered, keeping Cote d'Or going. Eventually, two of their three children — daughters Bérangère and Blanche — would become part of the operations. Bérangère took over the front of the house and the management of the finances; and Blanche would join the kitchen. It hasn't been easy. In a poignant speech at MAD, Bérangère talked about channeling her father through his writings and documents to figure out how to move forward with the restaurant and the company. Nevertheless, in the 22 years since his death, Cote d'Or hasn't only expanded to include the small hotel Relais Bernard Loiseau and several other properties, it's also kept its Michelin stars. In 2003, Dominique told French television soon after his suicide, 'All these exceptional beings who give you the impression of so much assurance, they are all very fragile. They all have such strong moments of doubt.' But she and her daughters came to the rescue. And because of them, Bernard Loiseau has a living legacy in the world. BLOOMBERG
Morocco World
10 hours ago
- Business
- Morocco World
Morocco Welcomes 7.2 Million Tourists in First Five Months of 2025
Rabat – Morocco has welcomed a new record of 7.2 million tourists during the first five months of 2025. A statement from Morocco's Ministry of Tourism has said the number marks a 22% increase compared to the same period last year. The number represents an increase of 1.3 million tourists and a remarkable 68% growth compared to 2019. The ministry celebrated the momentum, noting that the data confirms the upward trend that started in 2024. The results also confirm Morocco's position on the global tourism roadmap, the statement added, noting that the growth strengthens the country's standing as a leading international travel destination. The ministry emphasized that the results reaffirm Morocco's trajectory toward its goal of attracting 26 million tourists by 2030. The tourism sector is among the key sectors contributing to Morocco's economy. In February, the Exchange Office said travel revenues amounted to MAD 112.5 billion ($11.1 billion) last year, showing a growth of 7.5% compared to a year earlier. Travel expenditures, meanwhile, reached MAD 29.36 billion ($2.9 billion), showing an increase of 22.9% year-on-year increase. In 2024, Morocco welcomed 17.4 million tourists, with arrivals representing a 20% increase compared to 2023. The data is unprecedented in Morocco and has exceeded the target set by the country for 2026. The number of arrivals also made Morocco the most-visited country in all of Africa. 'Over the five years, Morocco has averaged USD 3.5 billion in FDI annually across all sectors,' UN Tourism said recently, noting that $2.2 billion was allocated to the sector between 2014 and 2023. Tags: ecotourism in moroccotourists in morocco
