Think Forward.

Ouarzazate : d’un enclavement logistique à une urgence systémique de développement 54

Aziz Daouda, 1 d.
- Politics - Society - Business -
2.4 min read.
Les professionnels du tourisme et du cinéma à Ouarzazate ont une fois de plus exprimé leur colère avec force et clarté. Ce n’est pas la première fois qu’ils s’insurgent ainsi. À l’inverse, les citoyens murmurent leurs frustrations en sourdine. Même quand ils crient leur bouillonnement, leurs voix semblent bloquées par la hauteur des cimes de l’Atlas. Elles n’arrivent donc pas, ou pas clairement là où il faut. Depuis que Ouarzazate relève de la région d’Errachidia, les autorités et les instances élues régionales se focalisent sur leur ville et ses abords immédiats, reléguant Ouarzazate « de l’autre côté », à l’oubli. Ces cris ne sont donc plus de simples revendications sectorielles. Ils révèlent une crise structurelle multidimensionnelle qui dure depuis longtemps. Au-delà de la connectivité aérienne défaillante, symptôme le plus visible d’un isolement profond, se cache un modèle de développement territorial fragilisé et incohérent. Les professionnels opérant à Ouarzazate disent à qui veut l’entendre que l’attractivité touristique et cinématographique est en péril. Dans une économie mondialisée, la fluidité des flux détermine la compétitivité. L’absence de vols directs depuis les marchés émetteurs européens et nord-américains érode l’attractivité d’Ouarzazate, pilier économique local avec ses deux industries phares : tourisme et cinéma. La dépendance aux hubs de Casablanca ou Marrakech rompt la chaîne de valeur, tandis que l’imprévisibilité logistique rebute les tour-opérateurs et les productions internationales. À cela s’ajoute, faut-il le mentionner, la faiblesse étonnante des liaisons aériennes internes. Cet effet domino frappe l’économie locale. Les hôtels enregistrent une baisse de fréquentation, les marges se compriment, les investissements récents manquent de rentabilité. Les emplois indirects en guides, transporteurs, artisans, et restaurateurs s’en précarisent. Si les tour-opérateurs contournent la destination, les productions cinématographiques optent elles pour des rivaux plus accessibles. Les séjours raccourcissent de façon drastique. Ouarzazate n’est pas rejetée : elle est contournée, ce qui, dans le tourisme, équivaut à une disparition progressive. ### Le paradoxe minier : richesse sans retombées locales Le Sud-Est marocain regorge de ressources minières stratégiques : argent, manganèse, cobalt. Pourtant, la valeur générée échappe au territoire : - Faible redistribution locale : les revenus sont peu réinvestis en infrastructures, emplois qualifiés ou services publics. - Effet d’enclave : les sites miniers sont isolés, sans intégration économique. - Externalités négatives : la pression sur l’eau est très forte, entraînant une dégradation environnementale sans compensation. - Absence de transformation : l’exportation de matières brutes prive la région de chaînes de valeur industrielles. Ainsi, le territoire produit de la richesse sans bâtir son avenir, accentuant un sentiment d’injustice profonde. ### Défis de gouvernance et risques systémiques Sa Majesté le Roi Mohammed VI a maintes fois dénoncé le « Maroc à deux vitesses », pointant des défaillances graves en gouvernance. Pourtant, malgré une valorisation discursive sans précédent: hub cinématographique, porte du désert, Ouarzazate reste mal intégrée dans une stratégie de désenclavement véritable. Où est la coordination entre transports, tourisme et développement territorial ? Pourquoi les infrastructures immatérielles (connectivité, logistique) traînent-elles en comparaison avec d’autres régions du pays ? A-t-on une vision claire du rôle que Ouarzazate peut jouer dans l’économie nationale ? Le déficit criant transforme un potentiel énorme en fragilité. L’image pâtit gravement: accès complexe pour les voyageurs, incertitudes pour les productions. La perception étant un actif clé, une marginalisation silencieuse s’installe ansi, menaçant une sortie des radars internationaux : moins de nuitées touristiques, moins de films, moins d’investissements, moins d’emplois. Un cercle vicieux relègue ce véritable pôle d’excellence en périphérie oubliée. ### Repenser le modèle : leviers pour un développement cohérent L’enjeu dépasse le désenclavement tel que se l’imaginent certains. Il y a lieu de repenser le modèle dans son intégralité : - En faisant participer le secteur minier en levier à des fonds régionaux de développement, aux infrastructures et à la formation. - En créant des synergies entre l’ensemble des secteurs (mines, tourisme, énergie). - En garantissant une redistribution équitable des richesses. - En encourageant les cadres, notamment natifs ou originaires de la région, à s’y installer, à y retourner et à y investir. - En intégrant la région dans une vision nationale cohérente. Sans cela, Ouarzazate continuera à cumuler les paradoxes : - Riche en ressources, pauvre en retombées ; - Visible mondialement, marginalisée localement. À terme, ce n’est plus une crise économique et sociale qui pénalise Ouarzazate et ses habitants, mais une menace pour la cohésion territoriale et la justice tout court. Les cris d’Ouarzazate n’ont d’autre but que de faire prendre conscience de sa crise structurelle ignorée… Jusqu’à quand ?
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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Hassan II Trophy: Fifty Years of History, Memory, and Royal Vision... 107

Aziz Daouda, 7 h.
- Society - Sports -
1.8 min read.
There are anniversaries that are more than mere numbers. They are milestones in a life, landmarks in memory. This 50th edition of the Hassan II Golf Trophy is one of them. And for me, it holds a special flavor: that of half a century of history that I have had the modest privilege of living through. I can still picture myself, young and enthusiastic, assigned by my friend Najib Salmi to cover the very first edition for *L’Opinion*. We didn't yet know we were witnessing the birth of an event destined to span decades and place Morocco on the world map of golf. At the time, the gamble seemed bold. Golf was not a popular sport in Morocco, let alone a vector for international image. But that gamble bore the mark of a vision. That of Hassan II. To put it bluntly: the Hassan II Trophy is not just a sports competition. It is the expression of a strategy. A way, for a visionary sovereign, to anticipate what modern diplomacy would become: a diplomacy of influence, image, cultural and sporting outreach. Hassan II understood, well before many others, that sport could be a universal language. A space where nations meet without rigid protocol, where elites exchange in an informal setting, and where a country's image is built with subtlety. Golf, in particular, offered that prestigious yet discreet dimension, perfectly aligned with his idea of Morocco's positioning. Golf in Morocco had its own tradition and unique flavor, which a certain Winston Churchill regularly came to savor... Over the editions, I watched this trophy grow. From a still-confidential tournament, it became a recognized stop on the international circuit. I saw champions come and go, infrastructure evolve, and organization professionalize. But more than that, I saw a royal intuition proven right, year after year. What strikes me today, looking back, is not just the event's longevity. It is its coherence. Nothing was left to chance. The choice of courses, the quality of hospitality, the attention to detail... all of it meets one demand: to make Morocco a reference. And then there is that human dimension, often overlooked in official reports. The encounters, the chats by the green, the bonds forged over the years. Najib Salmi is no longer here to share this moment, but I know he would have savored it, like me, this continuity. We had begun this adventure almost as curious onlookers; today we see it consecrated. Fifty editions later, the Hassan II Trophy is far more than a tournament. It is a legacy. That of a king whom history will surely remember as one of the greatest of the Alaouite dynasty, not only for his political acumen, but for his ability to see far, very far ahead. Today, the vision is renewed. His Majesty King Mohammed VI has revitalized the approach with vigor, and His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid ensures it translates into reality in the best possible way. And I, a mere chronicler of this long span of time, today measure the privilege of having been there at the beginning... and of still being here to recount its trajectory and savor the spectacle with the pride of a fulfilled citizen living his Moroccan identity.

Moroccan Football: When Spectacle Becomes a Pretext for Confrontation... 284

Aziz Daouda, 1 d.
- Politics - Society - Sports -
2.8 min read.
There was, at the outset, a kind of almost naive optimism. By modernizing infrastructure, offering fans stadiums to international standards, professionalizing organization and hospitality, and shifting to what's now called the "fan experience," many believed Moroccan football would cross a threshold—not just sporting, but civic as well. The idea was simple: by elevating hosting conditions, public behavior would automatically improve. Recent events during FAR–Raja at the Moulay Abdallah Complex brutally contradict this hypothesis. A rude awakening that, naively, no one anticipated. What happened there is neither trivial, nor isolated, nor should it be dismissed as a mere incident. On the contrary, it's the symptom of a deeper malaise that categorically transcends the realm of football. The illusion of infrastructure as a driver of change has simply shattered. Morocco has massively invested in its sports facilities, eyeing continental and international ambitions, and of course a legacy and assets for youth and football. The Moulay Abdallah Complex, a showcase of this policy, is meant to embody this new era, with security, comfort, and organization. Yet these modern infrastructures failed to prevent scenes of violence, vandalism, and clashes. This highlights a fundamental analytical error. Social problems aren't solved by purely material responses. Stadiums aren't airtight bubbles insulated from society's tensions. They often mirror and amplify them. For some time now, they've become the venue and crucible for claims and expressions that go far beyond football. The fundamental question is to open our eyes. Are we dealing with football fans or organized groups, manipulated and spurred on as the spearhead of obscure agendas? Doesn't this echo the methods of the Open Society? It would be misleading to reduce these outbursts to mere "fan excesses." A portion of the crowd in the stands clearly isn't there for the football. In many cases, these are structured groups, mostly young, sometimes very young, who instrumentalize the sports event as a space for violent expression. They themselves are likely manipulated and victimized. The match then becomes a pretext, and the stadium a stage where power struggles unfold that have little to do with the game. Clashes with law enforcement aren't accidental. They're sought, prepared, sometimes even ritualized. Should we see manipulation at play? The question deserves to be asked without naivety. In numerous international contexts, fan movements have been infiltrated, instrumentalized, or co-opted for political, ideological, or criminal ends. Morocco isn't inherently immune to such drifts. Thinking otherwise is ingenuous. Faced with these derailments, another element stands out: the silence of certain clubs. This muteness is, at best, cowardice. At worst, implicit complicity or simply fear of confrontation. Clubs are the first affected. Their image and finances are directly hit by these behaviors. Their moral responsibility is engaged. Yet few take a clear, firm, public stance to condemn these acts and disavow these groups. Why this silence? Fear of losing part of their fan base? Inability to control groups that have become autonomous? Or calculation, viewing these radical fringes as contributors to stadium atmosphere and pressure despite everything? Whatever the reason, this stance is untenable. Clubs can't claim the benefits of popular support, enjoy colossal subsidies and investments at taxpayers' expense, while turning a blind eye to their gravest excesses. Treating them as incidents handed off to security services isn't acceptable. Clubs must speak out, express themselves, disavow, and openly condemn. FAR's leaders have just broken this silence with a statement denouncing what happened. All football clubs and their league likely need to go further. Why not join as civil parties? The image of clubs, football, and the country is severely damaged. This is also a matter of authority and societal project. At bottom, the issue transcends football. It points to a broader stake: authority, youth guidance, and meaning given to collective spaces. When youths use a match to "settle scores," it reveals deficits in integration, benchmarks, and prospects. The stadium becomes an outlet, but also a training ground for confrontation. Action is thus needed, and quickly. Youths all dressed in black eerily recall fascist movements from another era, another world. The response can't be purely securitarian, though necessary. It must be holistic: educational, social, cultural. It requires holding all actors accountable—notably, it bears repeating, parents, society, clubs, the federation, local authorities, and media. Labeling openly dangerous behaviors as "festive expressions" and broadcasting their images is reckless. It implicitly gives visibility to movements that thrive on it, demonstrating their power and attracting more followers and sympathizers. Some, naively, push crowds toward extreme behaviors through inappropriate narratives and semantics they don't master. More than ever, it's time to restore football's essence: a cultural moment of sharing, collective emotion, framed rivalry. When it becomes a battlefield, it loses its purpose. It's thus urgent to reaffirm clear lines: - Zero tolerance for organized violence - Clubs held accountable for their supporters - Professional league held accountable - Identification and sanctioning of troublemakers behind the scenes - Rebuilding a healthy bond between youth and sport. For without this, the world's finest stadiums will remain empty shells devoid of meaning, unable to contain tensions they're not meant to resolve. Moroccan football deserves better. And it's still time to right the course—if we face reality head-on, with intelligence and without complacency.