MISSION PLAN FOR ADVANCING DEMOCRATIC REFORMS IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000022

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/OFI, NEA/MAG AND PDAS CHENEY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/06/2016
TAGS: EAID ECON KDEM PGOV SCUL KMPI MO
SUBJECT: MISSION PLAN FOR ADVANCING DEMOCRATIC REFORMS IN
MOROCCO: STATUS REPORT #3

REF: A. STATE 806071


B. RABAT 1026

C. RABAT 1388

D. RABAT 2073

Classified By: AMBASSADOR THOMAS T. RILEY FOR REASONS 1.4 B & D


1. (U) Per ref A Action Request, Post submits the following
quarterly assessment of its Democratic Reform Strategy as
outlined in ref B. Our report is keyed to the Milestones (M)
and Tactics (T) outlined in our strategy and provides an
update through December 31, 2005. Update narratives contain
both a summary of GOM progress towards the Milestone and
executed or pending post activities to implement the Tactics.

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2. (C) Objective One: Competent,
Effective, Responsive Government
--------------

M: Morocco maintains MCA eligibility by meeting reform
criteria for FY 06, October 2005.

-- Assessment: On November 8, the USG announced that Morocco
had successfully maintained its MCA eligibility for FY06.
This milestone is now complete.

M: Political parties implement the political party law
currently under consideration in parliament making parties
more transparent, effective, democratic and responsive,
December 2005.

T: Direct post and MEPI implementer engagement with political
parties to encourage adoption and application of the new law.

-- Assessment: The political party law passed both houses of
parliament. This follows the Ambassador's advocacy efforts
with the Speaker of the Parliament, the Minister of Justice
and others, and two roundtable debates with Members of
Parliament (MP) and civil society on the political party law
organized by the Mission. MEPI implementer NDI is preparing
a training seminar on implementation of the new law for
delivery upon passage.

M: Parliament improves its capacities to meet its
constitutional responsibilities by 1) adopting a new external
communication strategy, December 2005; 2) asserting its
authority to review, adopt, and monitor the national budget,
December 2006.

T: MEPI implementers and USAID's Parliament Support Project
provide the technical assistance required.

-- Assessment: USAID awarded a three-year contract to The
State University of NY (SUNY) in October 2004. In addition,
USAID has ongoing training activities for MPs and staff (both
chambers) on budget analysis and oversight. The
Parliamentary Support Project facilitated the development of
terms of reference for a procurement by Parliament of a
communications strategy. The program also brought Moroccan
MPs to Albany, New York City and Washington, DC in September
to study how to strengthen legislative committees, improve
budget oversight, and increase interaction between
legislators and citizens.

M: Enhance the availability and delivery of local government
services in response to citizen priorities by improving
access to private financial markets through a municipal
credit rating system, December 2006.

T: Implement USAID Local Governance and Transparency Program
providing specific performance measures to strengthen the
management and financial capacity of local governments.

-- Assessment: USAID awarded a three-year contract to RTI in
May 2005. One objective of the project is to improve local
city government performance by facilitating access to long

term financing. USAID has developed a detailed work plan for
2005-2006 and selected regions and municipalities for
implementation of the local government program. Mission will
use RTI performance measures to further assess program as
initiative moves ahead. USAID and RTI's team met with senior
local officials in several cities including Rabat and
Casablanca to assist in the implementation of the project at
the local level.

M: Coordination between public authorities and civil society
improves as evidenced by MCA national compact consultations,
January 2006.

T: Use MEPI and Mission events to promote coordination
between Moroccan government and civil society.

-- Assessment: Emboffs continue to brief GOM interlocutors
and NGOs on the MCA. The GOM has named a day-to-day MCA
contact, the Prime Minister's Economic Advisor Haya Bouhia,
and a working group to shepherd its MCA compact negotiations.
The GOM has made good progress on certain portions of the
required civil society dialogue, but the MCA team has yet to
determine if these efforts are sufficiently broad. A second
MCA team visited Morocco in December and reported good
progress in developing its Compact. A third MCA team visit
is planned for January 2006.

M: Parliamentary passage of banking sector reform law, 2005;
implementation of banking reform law and Central Bank reform
law, January 2006; parliamentary passage of anti-money
laundering legislation, January 2006.

-- Assessment: The bank reform bill is now before
Parliament, with passage possible in 2006. The Central Bank
reform law has passed and is now in the implementation stage.
The Anti-Money Laundering (AML) legislation has been
delivered to the Secretary General of the Government (SGG),
but has not yet been introduced to Parliament. ECON and PAS
organized a Special International Visitor Program (IVP) on
AML in 2004, which familiarized potential future members of
the GOM's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) envisioned by the
draft AML bill with U.S. practices. The Ambassador has
demarched the SGG directly regarding AML legislation. Post
and Washington visitors have lobbied key GOM ministries on
the importance of passage of the AML bill. In November 2005,
the semi-official Moroccan daily, La Matin, carried a front
page article on the importance of AML legislation. In
December 2005, six GOM officials attended AML training in the
U.S.

-------------- --

3. (C) Objective Two: Inclusion and Opportunity
-------------- --

M: Increased awareness of family code reforms on the part of
citizens, judges and other public authorities, especially in
rural areas as witnessed through increased use and
application of the provisions of the family code, December

2006.

T: Use MEPI and small grants programming to disseminate the
new reforms in imaginative and effective ways; signed the
USAID/MEPI Grant program for the development of
learner-friendly literacy materials on the family code in
July 2005; support an extension of current MEPI-funded
activities.

-- Assessment: Post executed a highly successfully MEPI Small
Grant to fund an NGO's efforts to promote understanding of
the new Moudawana family code through traveling theater
shows. USAID/MEPI implementer Global Rights is working with
local NGOs and associations to raise awareness of the
Moudawana. Global Rights revised a 422 page Arabic
facilitators program manual to include the new family code
provisions. Published in July 2004, over 1000 hard copies
and over 1000 CD-ROM versions have been distributed. Over
600 NGOs now use the manual. Global Rights has also

distributed 1000 copies of a poster explaining key Moudawana
provisions in Arabic, French, and Berber. Post endorses
Global Rights' request for additional MEPI funding to
continue its work in Morocco.

Academy for Educational Development (AED) is implementing
a MEPI-funded program which uses the Moudawana as subject
matter for literacy training as part of USAID's integrated
basic education and vocational training program. Situational
analysis of literacy materials and training capacity is to be
conducted in four key regions. A U.S. literacy expert
arrived in July for innovative methodology development.
Materials will be developed in the autumn with subsequent
grants to NGOs for training USAID to consolidate NGO reports
on numbers trained on women's rights for use in subsequent
assessments by post.

MEPI implementer World Learning (WL) is carrying out a USD
750,000 regional grant. WL has developed comic strips in
Moroccan Arabic and French making the provisions of the new
family code more accessible to the general public. These
comic strips have been distributed to associations throughout
Morocco in consultation with the Ministry of Social
Development, Family and Solidarity (SDFS). The Project
Director has met with the Ministers of Education and SDFS to
develop a plan to use the comic strips in school libraries
and classrooms. WL has distributed small grants to NGOs
working to increase awareness of the new family code in rural
areas. WL also conducted a baseline study assessing the
current understanding/awareness of the new family code in
urban and rural areas.

The Demos Institute is implementing a USD 250,000 MEPI
grant for building the capacity of Arab women NGOs and groups
that advocate for reforming family laws. A Demos led
conference included women from 13 Arab countries to discuss
plans for the production of a manual to aid capacity-building
for women's NGOs and advocacy strategies for promoting new
family laws.

M: Expand the number of literate Moroccans, including adults,
October 2005.

T: The USAID MEPI-funded Literacy program, launched in July
2005 with classes focusing on literacy for adults,
particularly women in rural areas beginning October 2005.
Open ESF-funded new girls' homes enabling rural girls to
continue education beyond the sixth grade.

-- Assessment: In September 2005, USAID awarded grants to
three NGOs in different parts of the country to open
dormitory-style girls homes. Each home houses 20 girls while
they attend school away from their families. In December
2005, AED awarded MEPI-funded grants to 16 Moroccan NGOs for
literacy programs. Each NGO will train 100 women and will
participate in the development of literacy training material
based on the Moudawana.

M: Increase the relevance of education opportunities for
Moroccan young people (as measured by increased student
retention in the educational system, through 9th grade,
especially among girls and by access to vocational training),
November 2005.

T: USAID's integrated basic education and vocational training
program.

-- Assessment: Local teams in the program's four regions have
been identified and their plans finalized. Existing primary
teacher training materials were reviewed for adaptation at
the middle school level. Initial computer training for
teachers started and selected middle schools have received
their multi-media lab equipment. The CISCO network training
program has delivered job preparedness training to 300
students. One hundred recipients of Women in Technology
scholarships are taking CISCO network training at the
USAID-supported CISCO Academies with the first students

having graduated in summer 2005.

M: FTA Implementation begins, January 2006.

T: MEPI and USAID-funded technical assistance ongoing. USD 1
million MEPI-funded Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP)
Legal Review underway.

-- Assessment: All relevant legislation completed and FTA is
set to go into effect on January 1, 2006. CLDP report
drafted and in clearance within the USG. CLDP offering
additional technical assistance in standards training for
leather and tariff rate quota (TRQ) implementation.

M: Expanded understanding and enforcement of Morocco's new
labor code and labor requirements of U.S. Free Trade
Agreement, December 2006.

T: USD 3.0 million in DOL/ILAB grants to ILO to train labor
inspectors, labor unions and employers in new labor code and
disseminate public information concerning new code. MEPI USD
500,000 grant for Moroccan-hosted regional conference to
promote labor standards and explain FTA labor requirements
and to defray costs of Moroccan participation in December
2005 conference in Oman.

-- Assessment: A chief technical advisor (CTA) selected by
USDOL and ILO has conducted intensive training program of GOM
labor inspectorate underway since March 2005. CTA is
preparing handouts on the June 2003 Labor Code for employers'
associations unions, and others. USDOL joined with the GOM
and USTR in hosting a MEPI-sponsored North Africa ) Middle
East Labor Dialogue in Rabat. Six other Arab nations sent
delegations and several resident Arab foreign missions sent
observers. A total of 65 Middle East representatives took
part. Conference received extensive local and international
media coverage.

The first phase of a labor code training project ended in
June with 310 labor inspectors and 43 regional employment
representatives receiving training. A second phase is
planned to teach 30 inspectors how to train others in
inspection methods. In December, Oman hosted a Labor
Dialogue.

M: MCA Compact concluded and MCC-funded reform projects
begin, January-December 2006.

T: U.S. Embassy and Washington visitors monitor and actively
support MCA dialogue and compact finalization. MCC provides
in-country permanent staff to support implementation and
monitoring of MCA projects.

-- Assessment: GOM has identified its MCA point of contact
and Working Group. MCA Senior Country Director Michael
Grossman met with Prime Minister Jettou and Minister Delegate
of Foreign Affairs Fassi Fihri in August and the GOM
described its vision for its draft Compact and provided
additional details via Mission-facilitated DVC in September.
Grossman and staff returned to Morocco in late September to
visit rural areas, to meet with the GOM, private sector,
other donors and to continue discussions of the Compact. GOM
team traveled to Washington in November to present a second
version of the Compact proposal. In December, an MCA team
visited Morocco to focus on environmental, agricultural,
rural tourism and economic rate of return issues as well as
review the consultative process. The MCA team reported good
progress, but that six to nine months of work remain on the
Compact proposal.

M: Improve English Language instruction in Moroccan high and
middle schools, September 2006.

T: Regional English Language Office and Bureau of ECA
exchange programs to "train the trainer" in modern,
content-based ELT methods that focus on practical language
skills that enhance the marketability of graduates.
E


-- Assessment: Using funding from its Regional English
Language Office (RELO),PAS trained 54 Moroccan English
teachers in a summer 2005 institute. With MEPI funding this
will be expanded to 80 or more teachers in 2006. One hundred
thirty students participated in summer camps in Taghazout. In
October 2005, the English Access Microscholarship program
extended its one-year training program of 96 existing
students into a second year and increased the number of
first-year students to 477. This training is conducted by
Amideast, 10 American Language Centers throughout Morocco,
and the Ajef de l'Orient NGO.

The MEPI-funded "English in a Box" program began in
October with 22 sets of materials presented to youth centers
throughout Morocco and 11 sets to English ACCESS
Micro-scholarship schools. Twenty two Peace corps volunteers
also received training in this program. In November, PAS and
ECA funded English language specialist Kathy Nyikos to
conduct workshops on "Teaching in Large, Resource-challenged
classes" to nearly 400 teachers in five Moroccan cities.

-------------- -

4. (C) Objective Three: Freedom of Expression
-------------- -

M: Legislation is passed to revise the existing press code
and decriminalize libel. Journalists previously jailed for
libel freed, December 2005.

T: Provide MEPI-funded programs and IV programs on media law;
distribute IIP products promoting a free press advocacy at
all levels of Moroccan government for press freedom.

-- Assessment: GOM has not yet submitted this legislation to
Parliament, but work on the legislation is under way with
discussions ongoing between journalists and the Ministry of
Communications. The Ambassador has conducted advocacy on the
issue with the Ministers of Communications and Justice. In
2005, PAS conducted extensive outreach activities, sent five
Moroccan journalists to the U.S. for an exchange program on
media training and has plans to send eight to ten more in

2006. In September, the Ambassador conducted an interview
with a local francophone financial daily underscoring U.S.
support for free speech in Morocco.

Ambassador and DCM conducted advocacy related to press
freedom with senior GOM officials. In December, the American
Moroccan Institute hosted a conference in Rabat on U.S.-Arab
relations through the media.

M: Journalists adopt uniform, national, professional
standards for journalism ethics lending to enhanced
professional performance in media coverage, July 2006.

T: Renew Mission outreach and training programs to
professionalize the Moroccan media. Work with professional
associations to encourage adoption of journalistic ethical
standards.

-- Assessment: The journalist union has not formally adopted
a statement of ethics. PAS has included ethics training in
professional programs for journalists in seven cities,
distributed targeted material on journalism ethics and has
also sent five journalists on International Visitor (IV)
exchange programs which included an ethics component. PAS
expects to send another eight to ten journalists on IVs in
FY06. Six MEPI Programs related to journalistic ethics are
now in the vetting process. The Ministry of Communications
is negotiating with the Journalists' Union (JU) to develop a
National Code of Ethics for journalists. PAS is working to
identify an NGO to assist the JU in this regard. PAS will
program a speaker on these topics in February.

M: New licenses granted to radio and television outlets
signaling liberalization of the broadcast media sector,
February 2006.


T: Utilize MEPI-funded programs to teach marketing and
technical training for small radio station operators;
implement IV program to encourage broadcast entrepreneurs;
obtain training opportunities through IBB and Department of
State programs to enhance professionalism among private and
public broadcasters.

-- Assessment: The GOM has formed the governing body that
will be responsible for issuing licenses to new radio and
television stations, Haute Autorite de la Communication
Audiovisuelle (HACA). New licenses are scheduled to be
distributed in January 2006. In October, Ambassador and
Broadcaster's Board of Governors delegation held meetings
with the Minister of Communications and HACA regarding Radio
Sawa licensing. All parties agreed to regularize its status.


M: Women prepare to launch candidacies for 2007 parliamentary
elections, December 2006.

T: MEPI and small grants to support women's representation in
the formal political system, September 2005-April 2006.

-- Assessment: Moroccans participated in two sessions of a
MEPI women's campaign school program in Tunis. USAID
requested ESF support for women's political participation.

M: Civil society organizations (CSO) assume their role in
defining, expressing and addressing the priority policy
concerns of organized groups of citizens, October 2006.

T: Promote CSO participation in international and regional
dialogues, including the Forum for the Future in Bahrain;
Design and launch a USAID program for institutional capacity
building and policy advocacy to support public participation
(unfunded); MEPI grants to support activities aimed at
building institutional capacity in civil society.

-- Assessment: A MEPI SPA Grant has partially funded
Tanmia.ma, an NGO web portal that will establish focal point
centers to get grassroots organizations "on-line." There was
strong Moroccan participation in the Democracy Assistance
Dialogue (DAD) for civil society meeting in Venice in July

2005. With strong support from Embassy Rabat, Morocco (with
leading roles played by the GOM and the Moroccan NGO Maroc
2020) hosted the Democracy Assistance Dialogue in Rabat in
October 2005, which for the first time brought together NGOs
and government representatives from around the region for a
discussion of democracy. The Forum for the Future, hosted by
Bahrain, offered civil society organizations an opportunity
to share their work and recommendations. Post is
investigating ECA and other grant mechanisms to enhance civil
society. In November, USAID conducted an assessment of civil
society participation in Morocco and will develop programs
for institutional capacity building and public advocacy
should ESF funding be available.

M: Youth acquire the civics knowledge and organizational
skills to constructively contribute to democratic life in
Morocco, December 2006.

T: Design and launch a USAID program for creating
youth organizations and civics education (unfunded); MEPI
grants to support creation of youth organizations, civic
education and the political participation of young people.

-- Assessment: USAID has made an initial proposal to
USAID/Washington on youth support/participation programs
focused on youth centers and organizations (this initiative
is dependent on the availability of ESF funding). Arab
CIVITAS has trained over 3,500 middle and high school
students on its "Project Citizen" modules in addition to
teachers and some university level students. This project
can only move forward with adequate ESF funding.

--------------


5. (C) Diplomatic Strategies
--------------

M: Ongoing dialogue and advocacy on reform efforts by
Ambassador, DCM and other Embassy officers with Moroccan
officials and civil society.

-- Assessment: Ambassador and DCM have demarched key GOM
interlocutors (including the MFA, the Prime Minister, and
other Ministers) on reform objectives. Post organized
roundtable exchanges between three separate Codels (Smith,
King, and Lugar) and Parliamentarians on democracy and
reform. Embassy conducted strong advocacy on freedom of
expression with Ministries of Justice, Foreign Affairs and
Communications. Ambassador lobbied key legislative and
executive branch officials on FTA-related legislation, MCA,
ML, and press freedom.

M: Vigorous public diploacy programs targeting reform
priorities.

-- Asessment: Ongoing. PAS is conducting regular outrach
activities including guest speakers, IV progams, media
placements and targeted information dstribution. sing PAS
funding, seven journalisttraining programs were held across
Morocco. Dar merica in Casablanca has organized one or more
dscussion programs each month on topics related to ur
overall reform strategy. The Ambassador has poken in a
variety of public venues (including frmal speeches and media
interviews) advocating ou reform agenda. PAS to provide
internet trainin in southern Morocco.

M: Semi-annual convening f the Assistant Secretary level
strategic dialoge to set benchmarks and evaluate progress.

-- Asessment: Nothing to report.

M: CODEL and congresional staff involvement in visits to
Parliament

-- Assessment: Post used a lunch in honor of CODEL Smith in
May to lobby for banking reform and AML Legislation. CODEL
Smith also conducted a successful roundtable with
Parliamentarians on a range of political and economic issues.
In August, CODEL King discussed Morocco's democratic
transition with Parliamentarians. Senator Lugar met with
reformers in August. In July, the National Congress of State
Legislators (NCSL) held a seminar for 40 parliamentary staff
to improve research and communication. NCSL held a regional
parliamentary workshop in November, bringing legislators and
staff from Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia together with three
state senators from the legislatures of Alaska, Illinois and
Nevada. In December, a delegation from the American Council
of Young Political Leaders met with parliamentary leaders and
youth groups.

M: MCC engagement with GOM and civil society on compact
negotiations

-- Assessment: Post organized the January 2005 visit of then
MCC CEO Paul Applegarth. Post continues its regular
diplomatic engagement with the GOM on MCA issues, including
lobbying for conclusion of the Compact and strengthening of
the civil society dialogue component and addressing GOM
technical and policy questions on MCA. MCC Senior Country
Director Grossman visited Morocco in August, participated in
a Mission-facilitated DVC with the GOM in September and
returned for a second visit in September. In November, GOM
representatives presented their revised Compact proposal in
Washington. In December, another MCA team visited Morocco
and remarked that it was evident that there had been
engagement with civil society, but it remained unclear if
this was sufficient to satisfy the MCC process.

M: Regular Scheduled USTR/MFA Meetings to review FTA
implementation per the agreement text.

-- Assessment: Post facilitated regular contact between USTR
and the GOM, which led to the approval of the FTA that will
go into effect on January 1, 2006. The USG and GOM will
continue to meet on a regular, but less frequent basis to
ensure that the FTA is being managed properly.

M: Intervention by senior officials on the margins of
international fora to reiterate importance of reform in the
region.

-- Assessment: U/S Burns met FM Bennaisa on September 21 the
margins of UNGA and discussed reform issues. NEA DAS
Carpenter met with Deputy Foreign Minister Taib Fassi Fihri
on the margins of the DAD to discuss progress on Moroccan
political openness. At the Forum for the Future, U.S. and
Moroccan representatives consulted on the Fund for the
Future. Morocco is among the initial contributors to the
Fund for the Future and has provided political support for
the Foundation for the Future.

--------------

6. (C) Resource Requirements
--------------

M: English-Language Training: Provide English language
training to up to 2,000 underprivileged young Moroccans,
similar to the current English Access Micro-Scholarship
Program, in 10 of Morocco's cities where the disappointment,
disaffection and disengagement of a large number of urban
poor is a growing problem. In addition to the practical and
marketable language skill this would provide, the program
would also connect the students to the world outside of their
disadvantaged neighborhoods, introduce them to American
culture and values and, both through lesson content and
targeted programs, encourage their participation in civil
society.

-- Assessment: Amideast held summer camps for 573
participants under the English Access Micro-Scholarship
Program funded through MEPI and NEA/PD. Post has scaled back
plans to provide training for the additional 1,400 students
originally envisioned due to a lack of funding. Full
scholarships, via a $14,000 Regional English language office
grant allowed 130 participants to attend summer camps held in
Taghazout run by the Peace Corps.

M: Additional Media training.

-- UPDATE: PAS secured funding for English language training
for approximately 100 journalists in eight cities. PAS is
currently reviewing six MEPI proposals for additional
training.

M: Increased civil society capacity building

-- UPDATE: MEPI RO conducted Strategic Planning for Local
Organizations for Moroccan NGOs in Casablanca September
24-25. USAID civil society programming assessment done in
November. Activities are being delayed due to a lack of
funding.

M: Additional Youth organizing/civic participation

-- UPDATE: NDI is forming cadre of young officials by
involving party youth movements in training programs. The
embassy hosted an informal gathering of Moroccan youth in
mid-August to elicit views on issues of concern.
Recommendation to include youth issues into broader public
participation project including civil society. Further
activities are postponed due to a lack of funding.






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Riley