Some of my favorite photos from Rabat.
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Some of my favorite photos from Rabat.
Economic Opportunities in Tunisia and Morocco
As chair of the Missoula City Council's Economic Development committee, I was particularly interested in how Tunisia and Morocco fared economically, especially given their lack of oil resources.
Nineteen percent of Morocco's GDP comes from agriculture, and the country is cutting edge when it comes to renewable energy. They aim to produce 42 percent of their energy from renewables by 2020, much of it solar. Ninety-seven percent of the country gets at least some energy from solar power, thanks to a significant EU investment
Aeronautics is also blowing up in Morocco, with about a 100 companies that employee some 10,000 engineers, half of whom are women, we learned. Boeing’s bombardier jet is being built in Morocco.
Morocco leaders were quick to point out that the country has more cell phones than people and the fastest internet service in Africa. Technology is especially important to the diaspora because there is only one consulate in the entire U.S. (in NYC), so e-government is key being able to help citizens abroad.
Tunisia’s economy is newer and less advanced, but also more open to new ideas and businesses. Tunisians remind me of Montanans a bit...scrappy, entrepreneurial, friendly, and creative. Tunisia is very interested in foreign investment, especially from Americans. Right now there are less than 3,000 private enterprises in the country of 10 million and 63 of the companies are from the U.S. They want that number to grow, and see a free trade agreement as the best way to move forward. Another helpful tool that was mentioned by Tunisian leaders in the business community was to consolidate the U.S. Enterprise Funds into one program because it's too difficult and time-consuming to fill out multiple applications when you are a busy entrepreneur.
Tunisians also expressed interest in partnering directly with the states rather than the federal government, which seems smart to me. Most Americans could not find Tunisia on a map, and it seems like the federal government's interest will be more security-related than economic related. By partnering with states such as Montana, Florida, and Texas, ACYPL delegates could be more helpful in connecting Tunisian entrepreneurs with state business leaders and local politicians.
Many of the centrist parties in Tunisia advocate reducing the redistribution of wealth because it’s harmful for citizens' work ethic. They are most interested in fostering an entrepreneurial ecosystem (yes, they've read Brad Feld here) and a climate of risk taking in school and the private sector. This is a tough transition because people are financially worse off today than they were before the revolution in 2011. Many students still want to grow up to be government bureaucrats rather than entrepreneurs and there is great pressure on the state to create jobs for all citizens; in fact, the new constitution guarantees the right to a job.
Tunisia's top economic selling points seem to be that it's relatively safe for the region, and it has a great credit rating. It's also in a very strategic location to market to Africa and the EU.
More than once, we heard Tunisians describe their country as a Democratic start-up...meaning if the U.S. invests now, the returns will be big. Major opportunities include technology (Tunisian cell phones and tablets are being manufactured already), and there are efforts to industrialize agriculture. Three other booming sectors include renewable energy, education (with students coming up from Sub-Saharan countries, willing to pay), and waste management.
Since ACYPL is a political exchange program, Tunisians and Moroccans will be coming to the U.S. later this year, and hopefully to Montana. I look forward to being able to introduce them to my entrepreneur friends here and plug them in with the state Department of Commerce, Montana World Trade Center, and the Mansfield Center at the University of Montana.
Yes, I Saw Justin Timberlake Play Rabat
Every American should have the chance to see a famous musician outside of our country. Watching Justin Timberlake rock out in Rabat during the Mawazine Festival was soft diplomacy at its finest.
Morocco loved our country during those two hours. Teen girls screamed “Justin” in French accents and jockeyed to take the best selfies. At one point, the crowd, which I’d guess numbered 30,000 to 50,000, broke out in a popular soccer song that’s associated with a game beginning or pausing. I wouldn’t have recognized it without attending the show with a Tunisian friend.
The America the world still (mostly) loves is Justin Timberlake’s America. It embodies young people, a party, and a sense of fun and endless possibility. The universality of music lets us connect us despite our religious views or skin color. No one is talking about Israel or the U.S.’s inconsistent foreign policy post-Arab Spring when "SexyBack" is playing.
One of the most charming parts of the show was when JT covered "Heartbreak Hotel," an Elvis song, and explained that he came from Tennessee, home of the blues. Most of the young people around us did not seem to not know what he was talking about, but they enjoyed the cover all the same. Then he covered Michael Jackson’s “Shake Your Body Down to the Ground," and there wasn’t a soul standing still, and all of us knew every word.
The way people dressed fascinated me because it wasn’t much different from a U.S. concert. Rabat cools off in the evenings, so there were lots of people dressed in jeans and sweatshirts, but also lots of young women in tight jeans and midriff-baring tops. Veils were few and far between. Given the warnings we were given from ACYPL about how to dress and be respectful of Islam’s role in society in Tunisia and Morocco, I was continually surprised by the lack of difference I felt with regard to clothing choices.
Special shout out to L'Economiste and Atlantic Radio for giving us the tickets to the show!
Why Morocco and Tunisia Stand Out in the Arab World
In case you didn’t know, Tunisia and Morocco and not part of the Middle East. They are in North Africa and identify strongly with Europe (Tunis is just 70 km from Italy) and the other “Mahgreb” countries in North Africa, though Tunisia and Morocco are the most stable countries in the region. Both countries had fairly peaceful experiences during 2011’s Arab Spring, which began when a fruit vendor lit himself on fire on January 14th in Tunisia. Morocco, which is a monarchy, has undergone an “evolution” rather than a “revolution” with constitutional reforms to expand freedom and pluralism in society.
When our ACYPL delegation met with ambassadors from both countries prior to departing for Tunis, it became clear that America is not the only place with a sense of exceptionalism.
“We have nothing in common with the Gulf States,” said Rachad Bouhlal the Moroccan ambassador to the U.S. told us.
The countries also arguably have more in common with each other than their neighbors because they are historically more secular, with women have played a greater role in society since independence. Both were protectorates of France, rather than full-blown colonies, and both are very interested in tourism as a major economic driver. Also, they have no oil, which is a blessing (politically and socially) and a curse (because economically life is harder).
For millennia, Tunisia has been an important trade center between Europe and Africa. At its height, ancient Carthage, where the capital, Tunis, is today, served as the granary for most of the Roman Empire. Even though the average Tunisian was Western-oriented (especially compared with neighboring Algeria or Libya), the reign of Ben Ali, dictator from 1987 to the revolution in 2011, meant little to no freedom of expression. Critics of the dictator were regularly jailed and the state played a dominant role in economic life.
In Morocco, the focus on equality and parity for women in all spheres of life, the human rights reparations process that’s been happenings since the 1990s, and the stature of the King and his role in religion all differentiate the country from its neighbors.
The King is believed to be a direct descendant of the Prophet Mohammed and therefore the “Commander of the Faithful,” which to the government and average Morcoccans means all people of any faith, not just Muslims. The belief that was shared with us by Moroccan officials is that religion is for all and therefore it cannot belong to any one party or be part of a platform. This Moroccan value means that Islamist parties are much for moderate than in other countries in the region. As the ambassador explained: “The King is above political parties and that’s why he can bring people together.” The King's moral authority is clear. However, criticizing the King or his family is still illegal and other limits on free expression exist as well.
#fate #detoxthebox #justintimberlake #mawazine2014 #rabat
5 hour dinner with lots of new friends in Rabat! #acyplmorocco #foodcoma
5 hour dinner with lots of new friends in Rabat! #acyplmorocco #foodcoma
I rode a camel yesterday at El Djem!
Hello, is it me you're looking for? Lionel Richie is apparently big here in Tunis!
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.
That's me next to the Moroccan ambassador! They have the fastest Internet in Africa and more mobile phones than people #gigabitgirl #acypltunisia #acyplmorocco
Meeting with the Tunisian ambassador about bilateral relations and free trade @acypl #acypltunisia
Ambassador is the third to hold the post since the Arab Spring uprising began in Tunisia with a fruit vendor lighting himself on fire. He's hoping for a free trade agreement with the US to strengthen Tunisia's position as a gateway for foreign investment. #acypltunisia
Kickoff dinner in Washington, DC - yummy BBQ and rhubarb pie!
I’m about half way through this book and I just had to say that it is amazing and I love it! I keep saying I need to read more biographies/non-fiction and I am so glad I am finally listening to myself. I highly recommend this lovely book to you all - it is a shocking eye opener to all of the...
The required reading for my trip is amazing. Loving this one by Malika Oufkir!
The delicious tunisian Fricassée. For more visit : i-love-tunisia.tumblr.com
I am looking forward to eating this starting tomorrow!
Tunisia Bound, but First, DC!
I'm thrilled to be part of the American Council of Young Political Leaders delegation to Tunisia and Morocco May 18 - 29. I'll be blogging about my travels here.