Think Forward.

Et si le Maroc retrouvait un peu d'authenticité... 1361

En février 2016, le chef du gouvernement marocain d’alors, présidait une commission consacrée à l'artisanat. J’aime bien appeler ce secteur « industrie marocaine » . La taille de cette activité en fait une véritable industrie ; le terme artisanat la cantonne dans l’exotisme et la marginalité. C'est là un autre indice de l’épistémicide subit par notre culture , notre histoire et notre patrimoine . Le but affiché lors de la réunion à laquelle j’ai fait référence plus haut, était de relancer cette importante activité sociale, économique et culturelle. Véritable richesse du pays. Officiellement, dans un avenir alors projeté proche, il était question de générer 115.000 emplois additionnels, d'atteindre 60.000 lauréats de la formation professionnelle et de créer entre 15.000 et 17.000 entreprises. Ceci devait se traduire par une augmentation des exportations et un PIB de 4 milliards de dirhams. C’était il y a 7 ans. Depuis qu’en est-il réellement ? Passons sur les proportions et les chiffres jamais atteints et disons que depuis, la précarité du secteur s’est davantage confirmée, que de nombreux métiers sont encore plus que jamais menacés et que bien des emplois ont été détruits. Aujourd’hui l’espoir est grand que parmi le dispositif pour éponger les conséquences de la crise Covid19, et avec l’avènement d’un nouveau modèle économique, soient prises des mesures intelligentes et lancées des actions encourageantes en faveur de ce secteur vital pour une économie sociale nationale florissante. Le secteur a toujours été laissé pour compte dans une inadéquation totale entre le discours et les faits. On ne s’en soucie guère en fait ; peut-être parce qu’il nous a habitué à se débrouiller seul, à se réinventer de lui-même. Le moment n'est il pas venu pour couper court à la folklorisation de cette activité économique et de mettre fin au dénie dont elle souffre ; d’en redéfinir le contour et de l’inscrire parmi les activités industrielles. Le secteur n’est pris en compte que pour produire en direction des touristes et de l'étranger; combien même l'essentiel de la consommation des produits est assuré en interne et que pas un foyer n’en manque. Le secteur ne bénéficie que d’une attention mineure pour n’avoir été placé que sous la tutelle d’administrations mineures, alors qu’il concerne en fait les départements de l'intérieur, de l’éducation nationale, de l'industrie, celui chargé de l'urbanisme, celui de la culture, les régions, l'ordre des architectes, les chambres et autres. Ne faut il pas envisager ici une loi incitative, pour justement booster ce pan important de l'économie de manière forte et durable, concrétisant ainsi un véritable engagement volontariste de l'état. La beauté des arts marocains devrait être mise en valeur dans les manuels scolaires et enseignée parmi les arts fondateurs de notre nation millénaires. Au lieu de ne réfléchir qu'en terme d'exotisme et de tourisme, on pourrait dans cette loi, imposer que tout bâtiment public, tout grand projet, toute construction, puisse comporter obligatoirement des rappels et des touches de notre culture et de notre artisanat : zellige, stuc, pierre, des tuiles et j'en passe. Notre architecture et l’esthétique de nos bâtiments et villes y gagneraient énormément. Dans nos hôtels, nos administrations, nos hôpitaux, on retrouverait obligatoirement, selon cette loi, des produits marocains, des plafonds, des chaises, des tables, des couvertures, des draperies. Dans nos administrations, nos entreprises et nos universités, nos bureaux à l'esthétique pauvre, mal inspirée, seraient ornés par de belles tables de chez nous, sculptées, gravés ou peintes avec du tawrik et autres motifs. Les salons seraient marocains avec lkhdadi et lhifate. Les marbres, zellij et pierres reprendraient leur place dans le revêtement des sols. Dans nos écoles, nos lycées et universités, tables, chaises et tableaux ne ressembleraient plus à ceux de Chine ou de France, mais auraient obligatoirement une touche bien marghribia. Cela éduquerait le goût de nos enfants et développerait leur sentiment d'appartenance. Imaginons l'effet qu'aurait de belles portes ressemblant à bab Boujloud, bab Mansour Laalej ou bab Doukkala, pour nos administrations, édifices publics. Imaginons les portes dans les stades qui abriteront les rencontres de la Coupe du Monde 2030, porter les noms de célèbres portes du pays. Nos stades n’en seraient que plus beaux et nos grandes institutions plus accueillantes. Pensons un instant à la beauté des portes de nos maisons, reprenant les designs et motifs des portes d’entrée des maisons des anciennes médinas. Imaginons nos gars et aéroports ainsi. La richesse de notre patrimoine, avec nos bronzes, notre tadelakt, nos tuiles, nos couleurs, la finesse et le doigté de nos artisans sont uniques et s’adaptent sans complexe à la modernité tout en assurant un bien-être et la personnalité puissante du pays. Imaginons les draps, les oreillers, les coussins dans nos hôtels, brodés par nos petites mains, qui avec du terz R'bati, qui avec du terz fassi, d’Azemour ou de Meknès. Imaginons que disparaissent de nos bureaux et de nos couloirs ces tapis insipides et moches au profit de hssira, de hanbal et de zerbia de Taznakht, de l’Atlas, de Chichaoua ou de Rabat. Imaginons le mobilier urbain de nos villes, nos feux rouges, nos lampadaires, nos balcons avec un cachet bien de chez nous : du fer forgé, du bronze coulé ou gravé et je ne sais quels autres matériaux travaillés par nos artisans, emprunts de leur génie. Imaginons l'impact sur l'esthétique de nos villes, nos rues et nos ruelles. Là, ce ne serait plus que quelques milliers d'emplois ou quelques centaines d'entreprises de crées, mais bien de milliards d'heures de travail qu'on assurerait à des milliers d'entreprises à des centaines de milliers de nos compatriotes. L’initiative favoriserait une demande pérenne et la réduction drastique de nos importations avec un effet notoire sur notre balance de paiement. Beaucoup, beaucoup de femmes et d'hommes tourneraient alors à jamais dos à la précarité et participeraient activement à l’enrichissement du pays, par un développement durable et solidement ancré. Le premier client de leur labeur serait national et certain, car garantie par la loi. Ce serait aussi la meilleure promotion que l'on puisse faire du pays, de sa culture, de son artisanat et de son patrimoine unique. La chance et que tous nos métiers et arts ancestraux se conjuguent parfaitement avec l'architecture et la décoration moderne et avec des usages pratiques. C'est un atout fantastique. Au fait qu'ont fait les architectes étrangers à leur arrivée massive au Maroc au début du siècle passé, sinon marier l'artisanat et les métiers marocains à l'architecture moderne...cela s'appelle l'art déco. Le centre de Casablanca en reste un fleuron mondial...aspect plus que menacé de nos jours, hélas. Ce serait enfin le meilleur legs que l’on ferait à notre descendance… Aziz Daouda
Aziz Daouda

Aziz Daouda

Directeur Technique et du Développement de la Confédération Africaine d'Athlétisme. Passionné du Maroc, passionné d'Afrique. Concerné par ce qui se passe, formulant mon point de vue quand j'en ai un. Humaniste, j'essaye de l'être, humain je veux l'être. Mon histoire est intimement liée à l'athlétisme marocain et mondial. J'ai eu le privilège de participer à la gloire de mon pays .


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Morocco, History, and Geography: The Foundations of Political Reality and Territorial Integrity... 274

Politics cannot be separated from history or geography. It consists of a set of actions and decisions aimed at organizing a society internally, as well as in its relations with the rest of the world. It is always situated within a context shaped by the two fundamental dimensions of history and geography, which are by no means mere backdrops but rather provide the framework within which political projects, conflicts, and developments unfold. Politics may be influenced by an ideology—born of a philosophy—or simply shaped by a given context, but such influence rarely lasts. History plays a fundamental role in understanding political phenomena. A country’s institutions, laws, and values are rooted in its collective memory, an inheritance made up of major events, breaks, or continuities with the past. Borders, for example, are often drawn following wars or treaties, the outcome of ancient or recent conflicts. They remain visible marks of past rivalries, defeats, victories, and compromises. Relations—whether of solidarity or rivalry—between nations, regions, or communities are explained in light of shared or divergent histories. The present Kingdom of Morocco cannot be understood without reference to its millennial origins, to the centuries-old Sharifian Empire, nor to the successive dynasties that shaped its relationship to religion, allegiance, and the centralization of power throughout different eras. Similarly, geography significantly influences the choices and constraints of public policies. The distribution of natural resources conditions economic development, territorial organization, and power relations. Relief, climate, and access to maritime routes determine possibilities for urbanization, agriculture, communication, and defense. Border situations impose specific diplomatic and security policies, while landlocked or insular areas require tailored strategies. Some authors even describe Morocco as an “island country” due to its geographical configuration. It is therefore inconceivable to conceive of effective or legitimate politics without taking history and geography into account. Every choice, reform, or political ambition must be based on a deep understanding of the territory and collective memory; ignoring one or the other exposes one to illusion, misunderstanding, or even failure. Regarding the Sahara, referred to as the “Western Sahara,” the geography of this region is undeniably contiguous to Morocco, physically, demographically, and historically: the Saharan populations have largely contributed to the country’s evolution. Its history was written through the successive allegiances of its tribes to the sultans of Morocco, and the Sharifian kingdom thus constitutes a nation-state established long before the contemporary era. Weakened by having missed the crucial turn of the industrial revolution, the Sharifian Empire was dissected from south to north, but also from the east. The so-called Western Sahara was annexed by Spain, which exercised colonial control there from 1884 to 1975. This situation facilitated France’s domination over territories grouped into French West Africa, part of which later became Mauritania. France also appropriated the eastern part of the Sharifian Empire, annexed de facto to its departments conquered from the Ottoman Empire and called French Algeria. The remainder was placed under French protectorate, while northern Morocco came under Spanish rule. Independence, achieved in 1956, and the gradual decolonization of Sidi Ifni and Tarfaya concerned other regions only later. On November 28, 1960, France authorized the proclamation of Mauritania’s independence—a region then claimed by Morocco, as were territories under Spanish control that Morocco considered its own. At that time, there was a Moroccan ministry called the “Ministry of Mauritanian and Saharan Affairs,” headed by Mohammed Fal Ould Oumeir, a representative of those territories. From 1963 onwards, the kingdom raised the issue of the Spanish Sahara before the Decolonization Commission. The situation became complicated when newly created Mauritania also claimed the territory, notably to pressure Morocco, which did not recognize Mauritanian independence until 1969—nine years after its proclamation. Morocco continued to claim the Spanish Sahara peacefully, preventing the Liberation Army from pursuing military actions in the region. In 1973, the creation of the Polisario Front (Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el-Hamra and Rio de Oro) marked a new stage. This movement initially aimed to unite the Saharan territory with the “motherland.” But in a context of regional rivalries and ideological tensions, the Saharan question was instrumentalized by various actors. Muammar Gaddafi’s Libya played a decisive role in the rise of the separatist Polisario, supporting and arming the movement in a "revolutionary" and pan-Arabist logic, while seeking to destabilize the Moroccan monarchy. Later, Gaddafi himself admitted having made a “strategic mistake” in backing this group, which remains a destabilizing factor in the region today. In 1975, a peaceful turning point occurred: bolstered by the International Court of Justice’s opinion recognizing ties of allegiance between Saharan tribes and Moroccan sultans, the late King Hassan II launched the Green March to general surprise. This mobilization pushed Spain to withdraw from Laâyoune in favor of Morocco, which immediately reclaimed the territory. Mauritania, although having occupied adjacent zones, ultimately withdrew, leaving Morocco alone against the Polisario Front, actively supported by Algeria, which hosted, armed, financed, and elevated the movement into a “republic.” Houari Boumédiène’s Algeria exploited the situation to weaken its Moroccan neighbor, even calling the Saharan issue a “thorn in Morocco’s side,” a way of exacting revenge for the crushing defeat in 1963. This dispute has often overshadowed the deep history of ties between Morocco and these territories under Sharifian authority well before the colonial era. For Morocco, territorial integrity rests firmly on the constants of history and geography—major arguments. The rest is merely a temporary construction without foundation, destined to fade into oblivion in the near future. Moroccans know this very well… Perhaps not everyone else…

Ahmed Faras: The Eternal Legend of Moroccan Football 500

I have been fortunate enough to know Ahmed Faras. It is unbearable for me to speak of him in the past tense, someone who has been part of my life for so long. It had been ages since he last touched a ball. Few are still alive who saw him play, those who, match after match, would await his dribble, his runs down the wing, his shot, his goal. Faras was an outstanding man, with an incredible shyness and reserve. Even when present somewhere, he was always on the sidelines: discreet, courteous, kind, with deep sensitivity, affection, and great touchiness. But Faras will always be part of the present. He is a true legend of Moroccan and African football; legends never die. Fedala saw him born in the cold of December 1947. Mohammedia would be his city and Chabab his eternal club. At the time, there was no such thing as a transfer market, no migrations, no football mercenary spirit. You were born in a club, learned to play there, and you stayed. His temperament was not that of a typical striker: there was no aggressiveness, no cunning. He compensated with his genius and never needed to dive or roll on the ground to sway a referee or create confusion. His genius spared him all that. He was an exceptional striker who marked the history of Moroccan and continental football. The turf at El Bachir football stadium helped him, at that time, it was the best in Morocco. Ahmed Faras was the product of a generation shaped by the structured environment of the youth sports schools run by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, a system supposedly dismantled by so-called administrative and political reforms. Yet, it was there that Morocco's champions were formed, across all sports. His early path was marked by the guidance of renowned trainers such as Lakhmiri, who helped shape numerous Moroccan talents. This solid foundation allowed him to develop technical skills and a sense of teamwork very early on, which would become hallmarks of his play. Ahmed Faras spent his entire career at Chabab Mohammedia, from 1965 to 1982, never having a professional contract—such things didn’t exist in Morocco then. There’s no need to mention signing bonuses or performance awards, even with the national team. His loyalty to Chabab is remarkable. He would lead the club to a Moroccan championship and become its top scorer. He would bring along with him his playing friends—Acila, Glaoua, Haddadi, and many more. Faras was a pillar of the Moroccan national team. With 36 goals in 94 caps, what a historic scorer for the Atlas Lions! He captained the national team for eight years, playing in the 1970 World Cup in Mexico and the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. In 1975, Ahmed Faras entered the legend by becoming the first Moroccan to win the African Ballon d’Or, an award that underlined the quality and consistency of his play. This distinction placed him among the greatest players on the continent, competing with the top African stars of his era. There was talk of a transfer to Real Madrid...but at the time Moroccan league players were barred from moving abroad under penalty of losing their place in the national team. The idea was, thus, to strengthen the domestic league... The peak of his career was surely the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN), won by Morocco in Ethiopia. Faras was the leader on the pitch, the tournament’s top scorer, and his influence was decisive for this historic triumph—the only major African title that Morocco has ever won. He scored crucial goals against Nigeria and Egypt in that tournament, perfectly embodying the role of playmaker and team leader on the field. To this day, he remains the only Moroccan captain ever to lift the coveted African trophy. I have been a few times to that ground in Addis Ababa where he lifted the trophy, and every time, his image dominates my thoughts. An indelible black-and-white, forever etched in the history of the Kingdom and in the memory of Moroccans who followed the match at the time through the voice of one Ahmed Elgharbi...no live broadcasts back then. He was a respected and heeded captain, guided by great coaches: Abdelkader Lakhmiri, Blagoe Vidinic, Abdellah Settati, Jabrane, and especially Gheorghe Mardarescu during that epic campaign in the land of Emperor Haile Selassie. His charisma and vision of the game were crucial in unifying the team and leading them to the summit of African football. Faras embodied the spirit of conquest and national pride throughout the tournament. The squad was selected and led by an outstanding manager as well Colonel Mehdi Belmejdoub. His name is forever bound to that legendary achievement, a symbol of the potential of Moroccan football when guided by exemplary leadership, committed and knowledgeable managers, and players who were true warriors for their jersey’s colors. Ahmed Faras was not just a talented player. After his retirement, he continued to share his passion, getting involved in youth training, passing on his knowledge and love for the game to the new generation. He has been a source of inspiration for so many generations of players. Knowing Lhaj Ahmed Faras meant knowing a symbol of loyalty, talent, and unique leadership in Moroccan sports. His name will forever remain inscribed in collective memory as that of a football giant, whose legacy goes beyond sport to inspire entire generations. Rest in peace, my friend. One day, a great football stadium in this country will bear your name, and it will be fitting, if the players follow your example, honor your career, and if the public rises to your greatness, paying tribute to your distinguished name. So Lhaj Ahmed Faras, if you ever meet Acila up there, ask him to give you another nice pass, and tell Glaoua to defend well... Know that your star shines and will always shine above us in the sky of the beautiful country you cherished so much. ---