Briefing Day in DC, Brunch in Paris, Lost Luggage + Wicked Jet Lag
Our group of seven young political leaders plus escort and ACYPL CEO Linda Rotunno safely made it to Tunis today. I forgot how uncomfortable it is to sleep on planes and how much jet lag messes with your head. Sadly, my luggage remains at the Dulles airport (supposedly), but is supposed to arrive tomorrow. In the meantime, I'm solidifying my new friendships by borrowing necessities like mascara, hairbrush, and underwear (not necessarily in that order)...
Being in Washington, DC is always awe-inspiring to me. That feeling was magnified by the level of access ACYPL provides for delegates. We met M'hamed Ezzine Chelaifa, Ambassador of Tunisia (the third man to hold the post since the Arab Spring kicked off in Tunis in 2011), followed by Rachad Bouhlal, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco. Chelaifa was soft spoken but stressed the need for a free trade agreement with the United States and mutual interests around preventing terrorism at the Libyan border.
Bouhlal was much more the stereotypical diplomat or political type. He fed us amazing honey-dripping pistachio pastries to whet our appetites for next week's journey to Morocco. Both ambassadors were eager to tell us how their countries are not like other North African or Middle Eastern states.
Bouhlal said four things make Morocco stand out in the region:
1. Women's role in society and (relative) equality.
2. The fact that all political parties are involved in governing (Morocco, like Tunisia, has a multi-party parliamentary form of government). The reparations process that examined the previous king's sketchy human rights record (read "Stolen Lives" for more on that) helped gain buy-in from all sides to move the country forward.
3. The fact that the King is the "Commander of the Faithful," and the faithful, the ambassador clarified, means all people, not just the Muslim majority. He stressed that the King is above politics and beloved and listened to by all.
4. That religion is for everyone and can not be part of a party platform. This seems to be the Moroccan version of separation of church and state, which I'm sure we'll learn more about once we are there. The Islamist party currently leads the coalition in power after gaining a majority 27% of the vote.
Also, technology is a driving factor in both countries. Bouhlal said Morocco has the fastest internet in Africa and more cell phones than people. Mobile technology is spurring micro-entrepreneurs, he said, citing a man who recently came by his house to offer irrigation help. Bouhlal asked the man to check back every so often, and the man presented a card with his cell phone number on it and said he would need to call him next time. Given the man looked like a beggar, Bouhlal said, he was surprised he had his own mobile phone. This technology means anyone can be an entrepreneur, he said.
Mobile technology also helps the Embassy keep track of the diaspora in Morocco, estimated at 350,000 in the US alone. Because there is only one consulate (in NYC), Bouhlal relies on e-government to expedite paperwork and solve constituents' problems without much staff support.
Another interesting fact about Morocco...just a few years ago, only 50% of the country had electricity. Today, 97% of Moroccans have reliable energy, thanks largely to the country's investment in solar. I'm interested to hear more about how that happened and so quickly.
Not having oil or gas and historic status as protectorates rather than French colonies have made Moroccans and Tunisians scrappier and more entrepreneurial than citizens of neighboring countries. They have not depended solely on one country or industry for support nor experienced the bloodshed that has characterized much of the region since the 1950s and 1960s.
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