Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06RABAT1111
2006-06-09 07:48:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Rabat
Cable title:
MOROCCO ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS
how-toVZCZCXRO3154 RR RUEHLMC DE RUEHRB #1111/01 1600748 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 090748Z JUN 06 FM AMEMBASSY RABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3967 INFO RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA 1780 RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 4028 RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 8920 RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT 3201 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4237 RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 1470 RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 5527 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 2974 RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC 0916 RUEAORC/USCBP WASHINGTON DC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION WASHINGTON DC RHMFIUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC RUEAEPA/HQ EPA WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 RABAT 001111
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/MAG, NEA/OFI AND INL/AAE
DEPT ALSO FOR EB/TPP, EB/IFD AND DRL/IL
STATE PASS USTR FOR DOUG BELL
STATE PASS USAID FOR JENNIFER RAGLAND
USDOC ITA/MAC/ANESA FOR NATE MASON
USDOC FOR FSC/OIO AND CLDP
USDOL FOR ILAB
PARIS FOR ZEYA
LONDON FOR TSOU
ROME FOR ROSE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD EAGR KNNP SOCI MO
SUBJECT: MOROCCO ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS
REF: 05 RABAT 1636
-----------------
Big Growth Ahead?
-----------------
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 RABAT 001111
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/MAG, NEA/OFI AND INL/AAE
DEPT ALSO FOR EB/TPP, EB/IFD AND DRL/IL
STATE PASS USTR FOR DOUG BELL
STATE PASS USAID FOR JENNIFER RAGLAND
USDOC ITA/MAC/ANESA FOR NATE MASON
USDOC FOR FSC/OIO AND CLDP
USDOL FOR ILAB
PARIS FOR ZEYA
LONDON FOR TSOU
ROME FOR ROSE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD EAGR KNNP SOCI MO
SUBJECT: MOROCCO ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS
REF: 05 RABAT 1636
--------------
Big Growth Ahead?
--------------
1. Moroccan economic think tank Centre Marocain de
Conjoncture (CMC) is forecasting that the economy will grow
by 7.1 percent in 2006, outpacing GOM forecasts of 5.4
percent. The CMC said strong farming output will be the
driver behind the growth. The GOM had predicted 5.4 percent
growth on the assumption of a cereals harvest of six million
tons, whereas the Ministry of Agriculture has more recently
said Morocco is expecting a harvest of 8.6 million tons, the
biggest crop in ten years. The projected 7.1 percent GDP
rate would be the highest since 1998 when the economy grew
by 7.7 percent. The economy is growing less dependent on
agriculture, but the swing from an anemic 1.8 percent growth
rate last year to an anticipated five to seven percent this
year underlines the fact that the economy is still highly
reliant on farming.
--------------
U.S.-Morocco Phosphates Deal
--------------
2. Maroc Phosphore, an affiliate of Moroccan state-owned
phosphates group OCP, signed a long term purchase agreement
with Minneapolis-based Mosaic Company through which the
Moroccan firm will supply Mosaic with 200,000 tons of
granular triple superphosphate (GTSP) per year for
distribution on the North American market. The deal runs
through 2011 and is renewable upon mutual agreement at that
time. State-owned OCP is the world's largest producer and
exporter of phosphate rock and the world's largest exporter
of phosphoric acid. The value of Morocco's phosphates and
chemical fertilizers exports increased by 50 percent in the
first four months of 2006 compared with the same period last
year.
--------------
Tender for U.S. Wheat
--------------
3. On May 30, the Moroccan cereals office (ONICL) accepted
importer bids for the first time under the U.S.-Morocco Free
Trade Agreement for licenses to import 40,000 tons of U.S.
durum wheat at the preferential duty granted under the
tariff rate quota (TRQ) of the agreement. Bids were
accepted from three importers for the full 40,000 tons
announced in ONICL's April 10 tender. Licenses to import
under the preferential TRQ duty were sold for $17.88 per
ton. This was the first tender enacted for U.S. wheat under
the FTA. It drew a total of 22 bids for 140,000 tons and
was attended by the largest players in the Moroccan durum
wheat market.
--------------
Nuclear Research Reactor Delayed
--------------
4. The start up of Morocco's much-delayed nuclear research
reactor has been pushed back to July or August, after the
arrival of damaged fuel rods from France. The two megawatt
RABAT 00001111 002 OF 002
reactor, built by General Atomics (Ref A),will be the pride
of Morocco's National Center for Energy, Sciences and
Nuclear Techniques (CNESTEN). Department of Energy
contractors and other visiting U.S. specialists routinely
report that CNESTEN's staff extremely technically competent
and that the center's directors go out of their way to
remain transparent in their preparations for the reactor's
commissioning.
--------------
Coupe du Monde, Out of Bounds?
--------------
5. With kickoff just hours away, Moroccans are facing for
the first time the dire possibility that national TV
stations RTM and 2M will not show the World Cup soccer
tournament. According to Moroccan government officials,
Saudi broadcasting company ART, which owns the
retransmission rights of all World Cup games for the Arab
world, has refused to negotiate with Moroccan public TV
stations to license viewing rights. ART offers the games by
private subscription costing 1,200 dirhams, or about $140,
far out of the range of most Moroccans. With their access
to pirated satellite TV channels TF1 and M6 recently cut
off, many Moroccans are in a state of panic. Cafes and bars
that have purchased the ART package stand to reap a windfall
from patrons who will pack these establishments for a
glimpse of the world's largest sporting event.
RILEY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/MAG, NEA/OFI AND INL/AAE
DEPT ALSO FOR EB/TPP, EB/IFD AND DRL/IL
STATE PASS USTR FOR DOUG BELL
STATE PASS USAID FOR JENNIFER RAGLAND
USDOC ITA/MAC/ANESA FOR NATE MASON
USDOC FOR FSC/OIO AND CLDP
USDOL FOR ILAB
PARIS FOR ZEYA
LONDON FOR TSOU
ROME FOR ROSE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD EAGR KNNP SOCI MO
SUBJECT: MOROCCO ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS
REF: 05 RABAT 1636
--------------
Big Growth Ahead?
--------------
1. Moroccan economic think tank Centre Marocain de
Conjoncture (CMC) is forecasting that the economy will grow
by 7.1 percent in 2006, outpacing GOM forecasts of 5.4
percent. The CMC said strong farming output will be the
driver behind the growth. The GOM had predicted 5.4 percent
growth on the assumption of a cereals harvest of six million
tons, whereas the Ministry of Agriculture has more recently
said Morocco is expecting a harvest of 8.6 million tons, the
biggest crop in ten years. The projected 7.1 percent GDP
rate would be the highest since 1998 when the economy grew
by 7.7 percent. The economy is growing less dependent on
agriculture, but the swing from an anemic 1.8 percent growth
rate last year to an anticipated five to seven percent this
year underlines the fact that the economy is still highly
reliant on farming.
--------------
U.S.-Morocco Phosphates Deal
--------------
2. Maroc Phosphore, an affiliate of Moroccan state-owned
phosphates group OCP, signed a long term purchase agreement
with Minneapolis-based Mosaic Company through which the
Moroccan firm will supply Mosaic with 200,000 tons of
granular triple superphosphate (GTSP) per year for
distribution on the North American market. The deal runs
through 2011 and is renewable upon mutual agreement at that
time. State-owned OCP is the world's largest producer and
exporter of phosphate rock and the world's largest exporter
of phosphoric acid. The value of Morocco's phosphates and
chemical fertilizers exports increased by 50 percent in the
first four months of 2006 compared with the same period last
year.
--------------
Tender for U.S. Wheat
--------------
3. On May 30, the Moroccan cereals office (ONICL) accepted
importer bids for the first time under the U.S.-Morocco Free
Trade Agreement for licenses to import 40,000 tons of U.S.
durum wheat at the preferential duty granted under the
tariff rate quota (TRQ) of the agreement. Bids were
accepted from three importers for the full 40,000 tons
announced in ONICL's April 10 tender. Licenses to import
under the preferential TRQ duty were sold for $17.88 per
ton. This was the first tender enacted for U.S. wheat under
the FTA. It drew a total of 22 bids for 140,000 tons and
was attended by the largest players in the Moroccan durum
wheat market.
--------------
Nuclear Research Reactor Delayed
--------------
4. The start up of Morocco's much-delayed nuclear research
reactor has been pushed back to July or August, after the
arrival of damaged fuel rods from France. The two megawatt
RABAT 00001111 002 OF 002
reactor, built by General Atomics (Ref A),will be the pride
of Morocco's National Center for Energy, Sciences and
Nuclear Techniques (CNESTEN). Department of Energy
contractors and other visiting U.S. specialists routinely
report that CNESTEN's staff extremely technically competent
and that the center's directors go out of their way to
remain transparent in their preparations for the reactor's
commissioning.
--------------
Coupe du Monde, Out of Bounds?
--------------
5. With kickoff just hours away, Moroccans are facing for
the first time the dire possibility that national TV
stations RTM and 2M will not show the World Cup soccer
tournament. According to Moroccan government officials,
Saudi broadcasting company ART, which owns the
retransmission rights of all World Cup games for the Arab
world, has refused to negotiate with Moroccan public TV
stations to license viewing rights. ART offers the games by
private subscription costing 1,200 dirhams, or about $140,
far out of the range of most Moroccans. With their access
to pirated satellite TV channels TF1 and M6 recently cut
off, many Moroccans are in a state of panic. Cafes and bars
that have purchased the ART package stand to reap a windfall
from patrons who will pack these establishments for a
glimpse of the world's largest sporting event.
RILEY