Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09RABAT305
2009-04-09 11:00:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rabat
Cable title:  

EMBASSY CONTACTS PROSPER AT MOROCCAN MFA

Tags:  PREL PINR PGOV MO 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRB #0305/01 0991100
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 091100Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9964
INFO RUCNMGH/MAGHREB COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000305 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/MAG AND INR/B

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2019
TAGS: PREL PINR PGOV MO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY CONTACTS PROSPER AT MOROCCAN MFA

Classified By: CDA Robert P. Jackson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000305

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/MAG AND INR/B

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2019
TAGS: PREL PINR PGOV MO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY CONTACTS PROSPER AT MOROCCAN MFA

Classified By: CDA Robert P. Jackson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (SBU) Summary: After more than one and a half years of
waiting since current minister Fassi Fihri became Morocco,s
chief diplomat, there have been major staff changes at the
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MFA),reaching
the highest levels of career diplomats. Close Embassy
contacts have fared well, as have younger diplomats, English
speakers and women. End Summary.


2. (SBU) MFA Secretary General Youssef Amrani and Chief of
Staff Bourita confirmed to PolCouns April 2, some of the
changes, implemented last week and before, restructuring the
MFA. Amrani, who has been in place since November 2008 as
senior civil servant and effective Number Two at the Ministry
will retain responsibility as the senior point of contact
with the U.S. and Europe. (Note: He hosted the preparatory
meeting for the Forum for the Future and will remain in
charge of that effort. End Note.) He has gained
responsibility for personnel and management issues,
particularly launching a new diplomatic academy, for which
the MFA had acquired a building adjacent to its headquarters.
Former Ambassador to Turkey Mohammed Abdellah Zagour has
been brought back to take Amrani,s old job as Director
General for Bilateral Affairs.


3. (SBU) Amrani said former fellow Director General Mohammed
Azeroual will remain in charge of Arab and Islamic relations
but will hold the title of Inspector General, making him
effective number three at the MFA. Current Chief of Staff
Nasser Bourita has been given ambassadorial rank and will
take on the added responsibilities of being Director General
for Multilateral Affairs. As he had never relinquished his
International Organizations Directorate hat, his new rank has
given him additional oversight of Multilateral Economic
Affairs, while his Directorate title goes to long-time acting
and Deputy Azzedine Farhane, who has been our point person on
nonproliferation issues. Bourita will remain Chief of Staff
and retain his office next to his Minister, along with his
role as manager of the Western Sahara and human rights
portfolios.


4. (SBU) There are a number of other new Directors,

including both European and Multilateral Arab Affairs
(ex-Washington PolCouns Mohammed Arrouchi). Fouad Yazourgh,
the Acting Director of the Americas Division (Directorate des
Affaires Americaines) is now the official Director. His
Chief for North America, Wassane Zailachi, a valued contact,
departs May 1 to become DCM in Washington.


5. (C) It was also announced that current Africa Director
Abdelatif Bendahane was reconfirmed in his position, possibly
an offhand way of confirming his full stewardship of
relations with the region. (Note: He reports directly to
the Minister, and he claims to report sometimes independently
to the Palace, through Director General for Studies and
Documentation (DGED),i.e., external intelligence chief,
Director General Mohammed Yassine Mansouri. End Note.)
Directors are interviewing new potential division chiefs.


6. (SBU) The following represents a current list of high
ranking MFA officials by position as received via a
diplomatic note from the Moroccan MFA as of early April 2009:

-- Mr. Mohamed Azeroual, Ambassador, Inspector General,
Responsible for Middle East Issues;

-- Mr. Abdellah Zagour, Ambassador, Director General for
Bilateral Relations, Responsible for Bilateral Relations with
European Countries;

-- Mr. Nasser Bourita, Ambassador, Director General for
Multilateral Relations and Global Cooperation, Chief of Staff
of the Minister;

-- Mr. Ali El M'Hamdi, Ambassador, Director of Social and
Consular Affairs;

-- Mr. Adbelouahab Bellouki, Ambassador, Chief of Protocol;

-- Mr. Lahcen Azoulay, Ambassador, Director of Judicial and
Treaty Affairs;

-- Mr. Badr Eddine Allali, Ambassador, Director of Asian and
Oceania Affairs;

-- Mr. Fouad Yazourh, Director of American Affairs;

-- Mr. Nabil Adghoghi, Director of European Affairs,
Responsible for the European Union and Euro-Mediterranean
Affairs;

-- Mr. Ahmed Tazi, Director of Cultural, Scientific, and
Technical Cooperation;

-- Mr. Azzedine Ferhane, Director of United Nations and
International Organization Affairs;

-- Ms. Zakia El Midaoui, Director of Multilateral Cooperation;

-- Mr. Karim Medrek, Director of Communications;


-- Mr. Addellilah El Housni, Director of Personnel and
Training;

-- Mr. Mohamed Amine Belhaj, Director of Financial Affairs
and Equipment;

-- Ms. Nour Al Houda Marakchi, Director of Sectoral Studies
and Coordination;

-- Ms. Farida Jaidi, Ambassador, Diplomatic Counselor; and

-- Mr. Abderrahmane Drissi Alami, Ambassador, Diplomatic
Counselor.


7. (C) Comment: Well-known friends of the Embassy and USG
have fared well in these changes. The promotions and some
appointments at the staff level also are notable for bringing
in younger, often English-speaking diplomats, with an
increased profile for women. In addition to bringing in new
blood, the changes have also weeded out older, more
pan-Arabist and Francophone fossils. While some of the
structure is being regularized, actual functions in the
Ministry will remain a better guide to an individual's role
and influence than formal titles. End Comment.


*****************************************
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website;
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Moro cco
*****************************************

Jackson