A crackdown by European countries to track migrants without papers or official documentation got underway Monday amid a surge in refugees from Syria and the Middle East, officials and rights groups said.

In an interview with Hespress, The general consul of Morocco in New York, Mohamed Ben Abdeljalil, talked about the efforts of the embassy to serve Moroccan immigrants in forty eight American states, along with the cities entrusted to the Consulate of Washington.

On the sidelines of Morocco submitting an official request to postpone the upcoming African Cup of Nations 2015 due to the increasing Ebola epidemic threat, a request which was initially rejected by the CAF though promising the Moroccan officials to re-examine the case next November, the Moroccan Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Mohammed Ouzzine, told le360 that ”We can not take slightly the risk of the spread of the Ebola epidemic, especially that the World Health Organization (WHO) has rung the alarm bell about the turmoil that the Ebola is causing.”

Datecco's government wants January's Nations Cup soccer finals in the North African country to be postponed because of fears over the Ebola virus, state news agency MAP reported on Friday.

Mr Driss El Yazami, President of the council of the Moroccan community abroad

Driss El Yazami was born in 1952 in Fez.
Graduate of the training and development of journalists' center in Paris, Driss El Yazami is a member of the Advisory Council for Human Rights and former member of the Equity and Reconciliation Commission, he is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Foundation three cultures. Further, he's a delegate of "Generics", an association specializing in the history of foreigners and immigration in France, and he's the editor of the magazine "Migrance". He also served as the Former Vice-President of the French League for Human Rights (LDH), and former member of the Executive Committee of the Euro-Mediterranean Network for Human Rights. Driss El Yazami is currently the Secretary General of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), President of the Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the defenders of human rights and a member of the Board of Directors and the Advisory Board of the national Centre for the history of immigration in France.

Mr. El Yazami was also co-director of the film "France, land of Islam?" (OROLEIS, Paris, 1984) and the general curator of several exhibitions:
- "France strangers, France Liberties" (Marseille, Paris, Orléans, Strasbourg / 1989-1992);
- "In the mirror of the other, immigration in France and Germany" (Frankfurt, May 1993);
- "Generations, a century of history of North Africans in France" (Lyon, June 2009).
He took part in the drafting and coordination of several collective works:
- "For Human Rights" (Bilingual French-English - Syros-Artis, Paris, 1989);
- "Foreigners in France, guide to public and private sources(nineteenth-twentieth centuries), 4 volumes archives;
- "The Arab Paris" - (Discovery - 2003).

Driss El Yazami is the co-author (with Rémy Schwartz) of a report for the establishment of a national center for the history and culture of immigration, submitted in November 2001 to Lionel Jospin. He has also written several articles published in the French press (No borders, Baraka, Turmoil, Point, Libération, Differences, Project Migration society, the Journal magazines, Men and Migration Seen from left, Rights and freedoms, Studies, Migrance).

Mr. Abdellah Boussouf, Secretary General of the Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad

Born March 15, 1952 in Nador.

Abdellah Boussouf was appointed by His Majesty King Mohammed VI Secretary General of the Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad (CCME) on Friday December 21, 2007, serving until today.

Initially a historian, he received a Phd in 1991 on the subject of relationships in the Mediterranean in the thirteenth century.

In 1993, he served as the president of the Association of Strasbourg Mosque. He was responsible for the construction of the Great Mosque of Strasbourg, which is considered the first installation dedicated to the Muslim faith in Strasbourg.

In 2002 he was elected Vice-President of the French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM).

In 2006, he moved to Belgium to work at the Brussels Institute of Islamic Studies. He also served as the director of the Euro-Islamic center for Culture and Dialogue, based in Charleroi (Belgium).

Mr. Boussouf advocates a moderate Islam and open dialogue among religions and civilizations. In his many national and international interventions, Boussouf’s words invite to the discovery of the other and emphasize the importance of the cultural approximation.

Working group: "Culture, Education and identities"

Members

• Younes Ajarrai: President
• Mr. Hamed El Oufrassi, Rapporteur
• Najat AZMY
• Rachid BENZINE
• Paul DAHAN
• Mly Mehdi El Idrissi ZINI
• Omar EL Mourabet
• Raphy MARCIANO
• Observers
• Aziz nahya, Ministry of National Education, Higher Education, Staff Training and Scientific Research
• Mr. Hamou BENASSER, IRCAM
• Khadija EL GOUR, Ministry of Culture
• Brahim ABBAR, Hassan II Foundation for Moroccans living abroad
• Brahim Ounir, Ministry of the Moroccan community residing abroad
• Mohamed RIFKI, Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs
• Working Group: "Citizenship and Political Participation"

Members

• Abdou Menebhi, Rapporteur
• Driss Ajbali
• Amina Benlarbi
• Hamid Bichri
• Sidi Mohamed Farssi
• Mohamed Moussaoui
• Kamal RAHMOUNI
• Observers
• Mr. Jamal EL KAMIL, Ministry of Interior
• Mr. M'barek Bouderka, CCHR
• Mr. Abdelhadi ATTOBI, Diwan Al Madhalim
• Mr. Lahoussine AKJARAÏ, Ministry of the Moroccan community residing abroad
• Mohamed RIFKI, Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs
• Fouad BENMAKHLOUF, Hassan II Foundation for Moroccans living abroad
• Working group: "Administration, public rights of users and policies"

Members

• Abdelhamid El Jamri: President
• Mohamed Anwar Haidour: Rapporteur
• Mokhtar FERDAOUSSI
• Nadia Serhani
• Observers
• Abid youbi, Ministry of Justice
• Aziz Jillali SGHIR, Ministry of Interior
• Ahmed EL KHDAR, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation
• Mr. Jawad El Himdi, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation
• Mr. Mohammed BAALLAL, Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training, Department of Employment
• Mr. Mohammed SALHI, Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training, Department of Vocational Training
• Mohamed El Azami, Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity
• Fouad BENMAKHLOUF, Hassan II Foundation for Moroccans living abroad
• Ms. Bouchra EDDAOUIBI, Minister in Charge of Moroccans residing abroad
• Mohamed RIFKI, Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs
• Mr. Abdelouahab ABOUSSOF, Ministry of Economy and Finance Directorate of Customs
• Mr. Abdelmjid MOURHIR, Ministry of Economy and Finance Directorate of Customs
• Working group: "Scientific, technical and economic skills for inclusive development"

Members

• Faouzi LAKHDAR GHAZAL: President
• Daniel AMAR: Rapporteur
• Najib BENCHERIF
• Adil JAZOULI
• Abdelghani DADES
• Observers
• Khalid EL Hammoumi, Ministry of Social Development, Family and Solidarity
• Mr. Mohammed El Azami, Mohamed V Foundation for Solidarity
• Mrs. Ghita Zouggari, Ministry of the Moroccan community abroad
• Mohamed RIFKI, Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs
• Mr. Hamou BENASSER, IRCAM
• Fouad BENMAKHLOUF, Hassan II Foundation for Moroccans
• Mr. Moha Hamaoui, Ministry of Equipment and Transport
• Mohamed AKALLAL, Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Fishing
• Ms. Hassania Arsalan, Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Fishing
• Omar ATTOU EL YOUSSOUFI, Ministry of Higher Education
• Working Group: "Worship and Religious Education"

Members

• REDOUANE Abdallah, President
• Mohamed Kharchich, Rapporteur
• Ahmed Ayaou
• Ahmed EL HAMSS
• El El Khemmar BAKALI
• Observers
• Brahim ABBAR, Hassan II Foundation for Moroccans residing abroad
• Mr. Hamou BENASSER, IRCAM
• Dr Touriya LIHIA, Higher Council of Ulemas
• Brahim Ounir, Ministry of the Moroccan community residing abroad
• Mohamed RIFKI, Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs
• Working Group :"Gender Approach and New Generations"

Members:

• Amina Ennceiri, President
• Mina RHOUCH, Rapporteur
• Najat BELKACEM
• Nadia Bouras
• Souad talsi
• Observers
• Ali Sadik, Ministry of Interior
• Ms. Houria ZAIDI, Ministry of Youth and Sports
• Mr. Rabii LEOUIFOUDI, Ministry of Social Development, Family and Solidarity
• Dr Touriya LIHIA, Higher Council of Ulemas
• Fatima Muhajir, Ministry of the Moroccan community residing abroad
• Asma CHRAIBI, Ministry of the Moroccan community residing abroad
• Mohamed RIFKI, Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs
• Fouad BENMAKHLOUF, Hassan II Foundation for Moroccans living abroad

Morocco, faithful to a long-standing tradition of moderation and religious tolerance, is a country where coexistence of religions is a reality, writes the Vatican daily Osservatore Romano.

(Reuters) - Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders has been summoned for questioning by prosecutors over anti-Moroccan remarks he made at campaign rallies in the Netherlands earlier this year, prosecutors said on Thursday.

Souad Elmallem is one of those women who succeeded in what was once a field strictly reserved for men: aeronautics. Chief Representative of Bombardier Aerospace and of Strategy and International Business Development, Africa, Originally from Casablanca, Souad Elmallem has moved to Canada where she settled and started a family.

African immigrants living in Morocco should be real citizens, said Friday in Rabat Driss El Yazami, president of the National Council for Human Rights (CNDH).

In five years of existence, the CCME focused its research work on six specific groups, published more than 70 scientific productions closely related to the Moroccan emigration and its evolution since the 60s '. Mr Abdallah Boussouf, the General Secretary of the Council of Moroccans living abroad believes that the assessment of these “five years is positive "; because the council managed, since its inception, to put the finger on where the other European migratory policies have failed.

Welcome and farewell: It’s under this title of Goethe’s poem that we wanted to share the contributions to the conference “Migration, Identity and Modernity in the Maghreb”, held in Essaouira from March 17 to 20, 2010.

This conference is an initiative made by French and Moroccan academics, joined by colleagues from around the world in a common commitment to a pluralist reading of the recent history of Morocco and the Maghreb. Hosted in Essaouira and supported by two authorities responsible for human rights and the implementation of the recommendations of the Equity and Reconciliation Commission, the conference attempted to address, publicly, for the first time in the Maghreb, the question of the departure of Jews, repositioned in its historical depth and put into perspective with the migration of Muslim communities. Without dodging the specific dimensions nor the politics of these departures, the conference was an opportunity to reassess the whole process by questioning migration projects, Migrants' journeys and the dynamics of community constructions.

The memory of these migrant communities is also, undeniably that of the Maghreb, at various times in its history.

This conference resulted also in the publication of two other volumes on top of this one

Since around thirty years, the sociological and cultural base of the Moroccan community abroad knew deep and multiple transformations. Not only did it change profile but it was also crystallized by the emergence of several generations (2nd, 3rd and 4th generations) whose profile grow rich with a double emotional belonging, in reference to the identity of origin, and the one acquired by the naturalization.

The film industry in Morocco has, thus far, generated $100 million this year, four times more than the first nine months of 2013.

RABAT, Morocco –  Morocco's government has presented a new law criminalizing training with extremists with the intent to commit terrorist acts.

Dozens of Moroccan nationals, irregular residents in Algeria, have been temporarily denied access to national soil, said Thursday the ministry of the Interior.

The reform of the university is a major political issue, given the systemic crisis that challenges its role, mission and its place in the context of globalization. In Morocco, as elsewhere, the university is facing several challenges ranging from political (renewal and sustainability of the elite), economic (promoting development) to sociological (social mobility). The university can no longer claim the sustainability of these motor functions of progress.

 Mina El Elkarzabi, president of the Association of Moroccan Women in Ivory Coast, spoke about the challenges facing Morocco in Africa. She most particularly pinpointed specialized networks in prostitution that recruit young Moroccan women.

Mr Rezrazi El Mostafa is seemingly a calm person. Although his resume is out of the ordinary, he has this modesty and restraint inherent to Japanese culture that has managed to combine high-tech and tradition. That of samurais and many Nobel Prize winners. The one that has allowed the country to recover from the first and only nuclear attack in history, in Hiroshima-Nagasaki.

Boutaina El Fekkak was born in Rabat. She studied at the French high school Descartes in the capital where she earned a BA in Mathematical Sciences (Bac S).

The beheading of Hervey Gourdel sent waves of shock within the Muslim community in France.  In an article published in the press, Muslim leaders speak out: "We, French Muslims, wish to express our strong solidarity with all victims of this horde of barbarians, lost soldiers of an alleged Islamic state and condemn in the strongest terms, all acts of violence committed on behalf of a murderous ideology that claims it belongs to the Islamic religion by confiscating its vocabulary. »

The model of Islam in Europe raises in the current context, a crucial debate. This cult is gradually becoming a component of the European countries, marked by a cultural secularism and the emergence of new generations of Muslims.

Communities of believers, both public and private players in Europe, and the public opinion are questioning the terms and conditions of living together.

Bringing together a panel of scholars, cultural practitioners and religious leaders, this publication presents the work of the second conference on Islam in Europe, organized by the Council for the Moroccan community abroad and is an important contribution to a never-ending debate.

The process of integrating Islam in European countries, marked with a "cultural secularism" and the emergence of new generations of European Muslims, brings back the debate on the legal status of Islam in Europe. This publication is the result of discussions by researchers, policy makers and experts in topics related to immigration and Muslim leaders in Europe, as well as cultural and religious actors gathered at an international conference organized by the Council for the Moroccan community abroad in Fez in March 2009.

"In ten or twenty years, your Royal Highness can be certain that Morocco will occupy a crucial place in the world of painting" André Malraux to Princess Lalla Malika (Paris ,June 1963).                                                                                          The deep commitment of Andre Elbaz for Morocco, his sense of humor in recounting some of the experiences he went through, his love for the local language, his interest in the youth of his country, his faith in its future, his generosity (he spontaneously offered in 2007 to the future National Museum of Contemporary Art in Rabat a donation of 15 major works), his happiness to return to his country to show the product of a significant part of half a century of struggle turn this retrospective and this book,  into one of the key moments of the year 2010 "Driss El Yazami, President of the National Council for Human Rights.

A national consultative institution , the Council of the Moroccan Community living abroad was established by Royal Decree in December 2007, and was made constitutional ensuing the July 2011 reform in the constitution approved by referendum.

The CCME's responsibilities include the monitoring and evaluation of the country's public policies in regards to its nationals abroad.

It is responsible for issuing notices to ensure the defense of the interests of overseas Moroccans, strengthening their contribution to the economic, social and human development of the country. Further, it aims to reinforce the diplomatic relations and cooperation between Morocco and their respective countries of residence.

Bringing together legislative members and observer members representing key ministries and institutions involved in migration issues, the CCME held its first plenary session in June 2008; it has notably set up six working groups comprising various members, appointed for a term of four years.

A systematic gender approach

Organized in the month of December 2008, "Meetings with Moroccan women from here and elsewhere" were a first illustration of this approach and have since become an eagerly awaited event, with the participation, in 2008 and 2009, of more than 400 people from more than twenty countries.

For the third edition of these meetings, the CCME decided to hold regional meetings with Moroccan women of the world to get closer to the specificities of each region. For instance in Europe, the meetings were held on the 18th and 19th of December 2010 in Brussels and in the Americas, the meetings were held on the 14th and 15th of May 2011 in Montreal.

Furthermore, an international meeting on Moroccan retirees in May 2009, in partnership with twelve retiree associations and a prime forum of young Moroccans of the world, organized with the French Ministry in charge of the Moroccan Community Abroad (Ifrane, 27 and July 28, 2010) are just mere examples of some of the events that take into account this increasingly diverse community.

Boosting the cultural action within the Moroccan Diaspora

Looking at the considerable expectations of the immigration and especially the younger generations in the cultural field, the CCME contributes to strengthening the cultural offer of Morocco through the edition of music CDs, the translation and publication of the works of international Moroccan authors, it also provides support for cultural events organized by the Moroccan civil community and promotes the presence of Moroccan artists from abroad in several festivals in Morocco and in international fairs...

The CCME has also assisted in setting up four exhibitions on the history of immigration presented, after their circulation in Europe, in Ten Moroccan Cities and especially in large areas of emigration. An exhibition on the relationship between Morocco and Europe since the eleventh century was presented in Brussels, Antwerp and Rabat, before a stop at the City Hall of Paris, in September 2011.

In February 2012, the CCME was present for the fourth consecutive year at the International Book and Publishing Fair in Casablanca (SIEL) in joint stand with the Moroccan competition Council, the National Council for Human Rights and the Central Authority for the Prevention of corruption. The four institutions have wanted to celebrate with the public and exhibitors this popular festival of culture and citizenship.

Partner of the Advisory Council on Human Rights in 2009, the CCME honored in 2010 with its partners-the Ministry of Culture and the Minister Delegate in Charge of Moroccans Living Abroad-, Moroccan writers of the world, guests of honor at the sixteenth edition of the SIEL. In 2011, for the 17th edition of SIEL, the theme of the CCME's stand was "Literature - Migration - Mediterranean."

In the same spirit of consolidating the cultural offer of Morocco, the Council participated in the Book Fair Maghreb Montreal in March 2011 and took part in the 26th International Book and Press fair in Geneva April 2012, in which Morocco was the guest of honor.

Then, in the last quarter of 2012, the CCME took part in the cultural and civic season along the French Community of Belgium and Brussels, DABA Morocco.

A peaceful reflection of Islam in Europe

A growing population of Muslim confession and culture in Europe has triggered various reactions and issues. The Council began a thorough examination through the organization of three international conferences: Fes (The legal status of Islam in Europe, March 2009), Casablanca (Islam in Europe: what model in June 2009?) And in Strasbourg in partnership with the General Secretariat of the Council of Europe (Islam in Europe: executive education, religious education and teaching of religion, in March 2010).

These seminars brought together European scholars, representatives of public authorities in these countries as well as Muslim civil society actors. Four agreements were signed with specialized Moroccan academic institutions and strong partnerships are underway with their EU counterparts.

Contributing to the development of scientific research

Considering that the development of appropriate public policies to follow the mutations of emigration requires the establishment of a national research agenda, the Council took several actions in this area. It has supported scientific symposia held in Morocco by the Moroccan research teams, it has also organized an international symposium on language learning of immigration, another on the new paradigms in the social sciences on immigration, signed agreements with several Moroccan universities as well as with the National Library of the Kingdom of Morocco (in partnership with MCMRE) with a view to open resource centers. The CCME also works to create a national fund for research on emigration.

Two surveys, the latest in partnership with the corresponding ministry MCMRE, on expectations of Moroccans in Europe has been made.

Assessing public policies

To ensure its dual consultative and prospective function, the CCME is conducting a series of studies on Moroccan public policies and on international migration dynamics and debates that emerged both in Morocco and in the countries of Residence.

In parallel, and with the involvement of observer members, several hearings of key departments and institutions - public and private - involved in migration issues were arranged. Seminars and symposia were held on various issues related to the mission of the Council (Moroccan athletes of the world, Moroccans journalists of the world, the contribution of Moroccan associations abroad in co-development, the impact of the economic crisis on migrant Moroccans in Spain and Italy, the irregular migrants in Morocco, etc.).

The CCME also leads in this context a policy for monitoring and partnership with international institutions involved in thinking and action in the field of immigration.

A reasoned and pluralistic reflection on citizenship

The CCME organized in March 2009 the first International Meeting of the councils of emigration. It resulted in the creation of a liaison committee and a secretariat provided by the CCME. The second meeting is planned in Spain.

This meeting allowed an important exchange of experience in the field of emigrants and citizenship. A study showcasing the international experiences in this field was produced by a team of researchers from the CCME. The decree establishing the Council confers the mission to develop opinions on the future composition of the Board and the terms of participation of Moroccan immigrants in the democratic life of the country. The development of such manoeuvre shall be preceded by extensive consultations that the Council is required to conduct with players in Moroccan communities abroad, political actors and institutions in Morocco itself.

The organization of a seminar on the 18th and 19th of June 2011 in Casablanca ,on the constitutional reform has enriched the debate about the citizenship of Moroccans abroad, after His Majesty the King announced in his speech, the referendum of July 1st, 2011.

The seminar was an opportunity to present two new studies. The first is entitled "Representation & political participation of citizens abroad: Inventory of national experiences. Terms and limits". The second is a comparative study of the emphasis put on immigration and expatriates in the country's constitution. The study involved 45 countries.

Promoting the contribution of the Moroccan skilled to the country's development.

Convinced of the need to boost the contribution of Moroccan talents abroad in the development of Morocco, the CCME has organized several meetings, each with dozens of highly qualified Moroccan executives (Montreal, Barcelona, Toulouse, Lyon, etc.); this has set up a social network for exchanges and discussions. In partnership with the MCMRE, a seminar was held in March 2010, on the contribution of Moroccans of the world to the debate on the National Charter for the environment, and over fifty Moroccan experts living abroad took part in it.

An international seminar on the contribution of Moroccan qualified profiles living abroad was held in Rabat in March 2012. This seminar was an opportunity to present the results of an original study by the CCME on public policies and the civil society's actions to mobilize the Moroccan expertise in the last 20 years of the economic history of the Kingdom.

This symposium is a first, both in the history of Moroccan sportsmen of the world and that of immigration. It represents a significant contribution to the development of sport in Morocco.

Over 150 participants from Morocco and thirteen other countries took part in the conference, the highlight of the event was undeniably the tribute paid to active and retired sportsmen, both veteran and from younger generations.

The conference emphasized new research materials on the history of sport and tackled the crucial issue of Moroccan athletes’ mobility.

Due to historical dynamics, a growing population of Muslim confession is settling in Europe gradually turning Islam into a European reality. This anchoring leaves local populations, governments and all social actors (political parties, NGOs, media) faced with several challenges. This publication brings together all the contributions presented at the international conference on "Teaching about religion, religious education and training of Muslim religious leaders" organized in Strasbourg by the Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad, under the patronage of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. Away from controversy, which too often surrounds the debate on Islam and Muslims in Europe, this book combines scientific rigor, the testimonies of the players in the field and the views of public authorities.