Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07RABAT150
2007-01-29 13:36:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Rabat
Cable title:
MOROCCO LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN FOR 2012 TANGIER EXPO
how-toVZCZCXYZ0016 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHRB #0150 0291336 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 291336Z JAN 07 FM AMEMBASSY RABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5688 INFO RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 0313 RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW 0274 RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA 2594
UNCLAS RABAT 000150
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON MA
SUBJECT: MOROCCO LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN FOR 2012 TANGIER EXPO
Sensitive but Unclassified-- entire text. Not for internet
distribution.
UNCLAS RABAT 000150
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON MA
SUBJECT: MOROCCO LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN FOR 2012 TANGIER EXPO
Sensitive but Unclassified-- entire text. Not for internet
distribution.
1. (U) Summary; The Moroccan government kicked off its
campaign for Tangier's bid for the 2012 International Expo by
convoking the diplomatic corps to the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs on Tuesday, January 23, for a presentation outlining
its plans. Minister-delegate Fassi-Fihri stressed the
importance Morocco attaches to Tangier's candidacy, noting
that it would be the first exposition to be held in an
African, Arab, or Muslim country. Officials outlined the
bid's theme of "Routes of the World and the Meeting of
Cultures: for a more United World," which seeks to emphasize
Tangier's role as a crossroads of the Western Mediterranean.
Moroccan officials conceded that they face tough competition
from Polish and Korean competitors, but outlined an active
campaign leading up to December's vote in the Bureau of
International Expos (BIE). End Summary.
2. (U) Ministry officials characterized the January 23
session as the official launch of Tangier's candidacy for the
2012 expo, and used the opportunity to outline their plans
for the event. Minister-delegate Fassi-Fihri, who chaired
the session, stressed Morocco's belief that the time has come
for an expo to occur on "African, Arab, and Muslim soil," and
noted that the theme chosen is intended to take advantage of
Tangier's role as a gateway between Africa and Europe by
stressing "Routes of the World and the Meeting of Cultures:
for a more Unified World." Officials outlined plans for a
circular exposition park of 100 hectares, which would open on
to the bay at Tangier. Five separate access points would
correspond to five subthemes: routes and systems of
transport, human and cultural paths, commercial routes,
virtual routes, and roads of the imagination.
3. (U) Tangier's governor, Mohammed Hassad, noted that the
exposition would require an investment of over 400 million
USD, but that it would generate nearly 100 million USD in
profits, which would enable the city to pursue new cultural
and social projects. He stressed the major infrastructure
investments and improvements that are already underway in the
Tangier area, including notably the Tanger-Med port, new
highways and train lines, the progressive transformation of
both residential and industrial areas in the city, and the
preservation of the city's patrimony. While conceding that
Tangier's current hotel capacity is only 1300 beds, he noted
that by 2012 the capacity of Tangier and its surrounding
region will increase to 40,000, well in excess of what the
expo would require. Urban transportation improvements are
also on the horizon, he said, to reinforce the city's
existing transportation network.
4. (U) According to organizers, the next key step is a visit
by representatives of the International Exposition Bureau
(BIE) to verify the viability of Tangier's candidacy. That
visit is scheduled for March 30-April 4. Noting that Tangier
faces competition from both Wroclaw in Poland and Yeosu in
South Korea, officials indicated Moroccan lobbying will
continue and intensify in the run-up to BIE's December vote.
5. (SBU) Comment: Hassad has already attracted extensive
attention throughout Morocco and internationally for his
dynamism and success in tackling and starting to reverse the
city's longstanding decline. Moroccan officials clearly view
the Expo as a way to further reinforce these efforts, given
expections of 6 million visitors during its planned three
month run. The Ambassador attended the briefing and in
comments to the press outlined the informal assistance he has
extended to expo organizers, in facilitating their contacts
with U.S. counterparts who have taken part in past Expos.
End Comment.
******************************************
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website;
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat
******************************************
Riley
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON MA
SUBJECT: MOROCCO LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN FOR 2012 TANGIER EXPO
Sensitive but Unclassified-- entire text. Not for internet
distribution.
1. (U) Summary; The Moroccan government kicked off its
campaign for Tangier's bid for the 2012 International Expo by
convoking the diplomatic corps to the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs on Tuesday, January 23, for a presentation outlining
its plans. Minister-delegate Fassi-Fihri stressed the
importance Morocco attaches to Tangier's candidacy, noting
that it would be the first exposition to be held in an
African, Arab, or Muslim country. Officials outlined the
bid's theme of "Routes of the World and the Meeting of
Cultures: for a more United World," which seeks to emphasize
Tangier's role as a crossroads of the Western Mediterranean.
Moroccan officials conceded that they face tough competition
from Polish and Korean competitors, but outlined an active
campaign leading up to December's vote in the Bureau of
International Expos (BIE). End Summary.
2. (U) Ministry officials characterized the January 23
session as the official launch of Tangier's candidacy for the
2012 expo, and used the opportunity to outline their plans
for the event. Minister-delegate Fassi-Fihri, who chaired
the session, stressed Morocco's belief that the time has come
for an expo to occur on "African, Arab, and Muslim soil," and
noted that the theme chosen is intended to take advantage of
Tangier's role as a gateway between Africa and Europe by
stressing "Routes of the World and the Meeting of Cultures:
for a more Unified World." Officials outlined plans for a
circular exposition park of 100 hectares, which would open on
to the bay at Tangier. Five separate access points would
correspond to five subthemes: routes and systems of
transport, human and cultural paths, commercial routes,
virtual routes, and roads of the imagination.
3. (U) Tangier's governor, Mohammed Hassad, noted that the
exposition would require an investment of over 400 million
USD, but that it would generate nearly 100 million USD in
profits, which would enable the city to pursue new cultural
and social projects. He stressed the major infrastructure
investments and improvements that are already underway in the
Tangier area, including notably the Tanger-Med port, new
highways and train lines, the progressive transformation of
both residential and industrial areas in the city, and the
preservation of the city's patrimony. While conceding that
Tangier's current hotel capacity is only 1300 beds, he noted
that by 2012 the capacity of Tangier and its surrounding
region will increase to 40,000, well in excess of what the
expo would require. Urban transportation improvements are
also on the horizon, he said, to reinforce the city's
existing transportation network.
4. (U) According to organizers, the next key step is a visit
by representatives of the International Exposition Bureau
(BIE) to verify the viability of Tangier's candidacy. That
visit is scheduled for March 30-April 4. Noting that Tangier
faces competition from both Wroclaw in Poland and Yeosu in
South Korea, officials indicated Moroccan lobbying will
continue and intensify in the run-up to BIE's December vote.
5. (SBU) Comment: Hassad has already attracted extensive
attention throughout Morocco and internationally for his
dynamism and success in tackling and starting to reverse the
city's longstanding decline. Moroccan officials clearly view
the Expo as a way to further reinforce these efforts, given
expections of 6 million visitors during its planned three
month run. The Ambassador attended the briefing and in
comments to the press outlined the informal assistance he has
extended to expo organizers, in facilitating their contacts
with U.S. counterparts who have taken part in past Expos.
End Comment.
******************************************
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website;
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat
******************************************
Riley