January 2003 / No. 21

Morocco is the tantalizing lower lip on the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea, a Muslim land so rich in mystique it seems to hover like a magic carpet somewhere between myth and reality. Tangier, Casablanca, Marrakesh – just the names of these cities and towns stirs a hint of spice in the nostrils of most, who cannot help but extol the country’s unique living history, its shimmering light, its art. Morocco is the ideal focal point for the whole of Africa and was one of the first countries to introduce Islam to the Europeans. An easy hop from Europe, it is a friendly, hectic and stimulating place. Open-air markets throughout the country are piled high with rugs, woodwork, and jewelry. The country’s prime produce is leather – said to be the softest in the world.

Crafts are a staple of Morocco. Its leatherwear has been a highly prized item among the cargo of traders since the sixteenth century. An equally rich heritage lives on in the production of carpets, pottery, jewelry, brassware and woodwork. Painted and sculpted panels for interior decoration are commonplace, and intricate tiled ornamentation still graces the interior of various religious buildings and homes. The mashrabiyya screens that allow Muslim women to observe the goings-on in the street unseen, survive also. While these items aren’t likely candidates for souvenirs, they do serve to show that Moroccan crafts aren’t completely dependent on the floods of tourists.

From the ‘standard’ Arabic culture, Morocco has developed an elaborate patchwork of artistic traditions. The thread holding it all together is music; from the classical style that developed in Muslim Spain and the storytelling musical traditions of the indigenous Berbers, through to the contemporary fusion of African, French, pop and rock. Spoken Moroccan Arabic is considerably different from the Arabic spoken in the Middle East. Various Berber dialects are widely spoken in the countryside and particularly in the mountains.

Morocco is the ideal focal point for the whole of Africa and was of the first countries to introduce Islam to the Europeans

Spectacularly diverse, Morocco’s area of 450,000 square kilometers combines sand, sea and snow in a way that one can only dream about. The southern coast stretches to the edge of the Western Sahara while to the north the bulk of Morocco’s population fills the foothills of the often snow-capped Atlas Mountains. The mountains provide a buffer against the country’s dangerously rowdy eastern neighbor, Algeria. Between the mountains and Morocco’s Atlantic coast are plateaus and plains which are fertile and well-watered. In the extreme south, at the edge of the Anti-Atlas, the gorges – like the rivers that flow at their bases – gradually peter out into the endless sand and stony wastes of the vast Sahara. The ‘coolest of the hottest countries’, Morocco’s colder months are most un-African. In the higher regions in particular, winter conditions can be positively Arctic.

Morocco is blessed with shores of varied and plentiful marine-life, to an extent that vast sections of its coast are rented out to countries from all over the world, even Japan

The Moroccan people have traditionally been fishers and farmers. However, in the past century the textile industry has been added to their list of occupations. Morocco is blessed with shores of varied and plentiful marine life, to an extent that vast sections of its coast are rented out to countries from all over the world, even Japan, to be fished throughout the year. Morocco’s vast fish reserves are valuable because of the quality and quantity they enjoy. Morocco also has a considerable agriculture sector, which produces an assortment of crop, fruits and vegetables. But its main export, especially to Iran, is from its phosphate reserves, which are the largest in the world.

Morocco does not have a sustainable light or heavy industry, and imports all of its raw materials, as well as automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, their spare parts and tires. It has not been able to manufacture its own household appliances and is wholly dependant on imports from abroad. In short, Morocco is dependant on others for everything other than textile, fish, fresh fruit and leather products and is therefore a very attractive market opportunity for foreign producers. Morocco’s main imports are: auto parts, a range of tires, motorcycles and bicycles and their spare parts, agriculture machinery, industrial machinery, medical and paramedical equipment and tools, all household appliances, construction materials – particularly ceramic and mosaics, cosmetics and health products, a variety of edibles, dried fruits particularly raisins, chemical substances for factories, oil and oil-compound substances for industries, decorative ornaments, couches, sofas and bedroom furniture.

Iran is an ideal partner for Morocco because of the similarities they share. Both are Muslim countries that enjoy an Islamic streak through their rich cultures, materializing on the mosaic dome of mosques, breathtaking carpet designs and calligraphy. They are common participants in 35 international organizations, and often voice the same concerns. While both host a diverse geographical terrain, they are akin in their diversity. The two states even share many of the same problems – periodic droughts, high unemployment rates, poverty and foreign investment scarcity. The list of similarities could go on. Still, there is an eerie vacancy in economic relations between the two countries that have so much to offer one another.

Dr. Seyed Mehdi Aletaha, an analyst and expert in the culture and economies of Arab states

“Today, Iran’s private sector is keener than ever to export its non-oil products to Northern Africa and the Mediterranean region, and Morocco has been the focus of their attention. Likewise, Morocco is eager to extend its economic, technical and cultural ties with Iran”, says Dr. Seyed Mehdi Aletaha, an analyst and expert in the culture and economies of Arab states.  During the last few years Aletaha has undertaken research and activities in an attempt to strengthen the economic ties of the two countries. “Mairex 2003” is what he has come up with.

Mairex is the first ever exhibition exclusive to Iranian goods and will be held with the assistance of the Iran and Moroccan governments, in Casablanca - Morocco on 1 - 10 June 2003. Aletaha believes “if Iran presents any of its products to the Moroccan market, they will surely enjoy an advantageous position”.