Morocco
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Reform in Morocco
Plagued by inertia
The former Secretary-General of Transparency Maroc Azzedine Akesbi was in Germany in June for a research project he is conducting as a fellow at the German Development Institute (DIE). With a view to the upcoming parliamentary elections in Morocco on 7 October 2016, Martina Sabra spoke with the economist and education expert on political reforms and the fight against corruption in the country
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Religion and politics in Morocco
Blurred lines
In Tunisia, the Ennahda Party has announced it is decoupling its political work from ongoing efforts to establish an Islamic social model. In Morocco too, the Justice and Development Party is presenting itself as a primary advocate for the separation of both spheres. In this essay, Ali Anouzla examines what lies behind the rhetoric
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Migration pact with Africa
The EU′s paper tiger
The EU claims that the migration pact with Africa is a completely new initiative. Rather than reshaping patterns of migration, however, Europe′s desperate politics of symbolism would merely seem to focus on stemming the flow. By Ludger Schadomsky
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Western Sahara – the last colony in Africa
″Armed resistance is their only choice″
With Rabat′s latest Dakhla proposal promising even deeper economic penetration of Western Sahara, many Sahrawis are left wondering if a referendum favouring independence can ever undo Morocco′s presence in the territory. Report from Dakhla by Matthew Greene
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Book review: Youssef Fadel′s ″A Rare Blue Bird Flies With Me″
Behind the prison wall
Shortlisted for the International Prize for Arab Fiction, Fadel′s ninth novel, ″A Rare Blue Bird Flies With Me″ is set during Morocco′s Years of Lead. Exploiting the injustice of the status quo under Hassan II, this poignant tale also addresses the domestic vulnerability of its female characters within a heavily patriarchal context. Sherif Dhaimish read the book
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Obituary: Oud virtuoso Said Chraibi
A genius bows out
Said Chraibi was famous throughout Morocco as an icon of traditional music and a genius with the Arab lute. The virtuoso oud player died in Casablanca on 3 March at the age of 65. An obituary by Suleman Taufiq
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Interview with the Moroccan writer Mahi Binebine
Forging a future
Since the publication of his most recent novel, "Horses of God" (2013), based on a true story about young suicide bombers, Moroccan author and artist Mahi Binebine has been spending time working with disadvantaged youngsters in the slums of his native country. Interview by Michaela Maria Muller
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"The Happy Marriage" by Tahar Ben Jelloun
"A war won through subterfuge"
The institution of marriage takes a battering in this sour tale of romance, masterfully presented by Tahar Ben Jelloun. Sherif Dhaimish read the book
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Album review: ″Abbar el Hamada″ by Aziza Brahim
The agony of dispossession
While singing about the hopes and aspirations of her own people, Aziza Brahim has created an album of songs which captures the plight of refugees and displaced peoples everywhere. Richard Marcus listened to this powerful and heartrending collection
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Interview with Leila Alaoui
Morocco's art scene: a coin with two faces
While the Moroccan art scene still suffers from censorship, the main source of new artistic stimulus is the Moroccan diaspora. Melanie Christina Mohr spoke to the Moroccan-French artist Leila Alaoui about transnational perspectives, migration and photography
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Al-Halqa in Marrakesh
Morocco's last storytellers
The art of storytelling has always been part of Arab culture. Yet it is a tradition with an uncertain future. Filmmaker Thomas Ladenburger's exploration of the world of Moroccan storytellers provides a fascinating insight into the intangible cultural heritage of humanity. By Melanie Christina Mohr
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Human rights violations in Morocco
City of roses, city of torture
The case of the Belgian-Moroccan national Ali Aarrass shines a spotlight on persistent human rights violations and the existence of torture prisons in Morocco. While the monarchy remains silent, the public deliberately looks the other way. By Susanne Kaiser