Morocco Seeks Support in BIE Bid
Morocco wants the next International Expo in 2012 brought to Tangiers. It has competition from Yeoshu in South Korea and Wroclaw in Poland. To put its best foot forward, Morocco has sent several of its government officials to garner support from other countries. Deputy Minister for Moroccan Expatriates, Nouzha Chekrouni started the campaign for world support by going to Italy. She explained that by holding the Expo in Tangiers, the world can have open dialogue in bringing together the diverse cultures and religions. After Italy, she will head to Switzerland and then the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, Minister Chekrouni will try to convince the BIE General Assembley to vote for Morocco hosting the upcoming Expo.
Other members of the Moroccan government went to South American countries to appeal for support. Minister of Trade and Industry, Salaheddine Mezouar, traveled to Ecuador and Colombia to hand deliver a message from King Mohammed VI. In his meeting with the Colombian Foreign Minister, Fernando Araujo, Mr. Mezouar stressed that by supporting Tangiers candidacy, the Mediterranean and African areas would have positive impacts.
Tangiers would be the first African, Moslem, and Mediterranean city to hold the Expo if successful in its bid. Mr. Araujo told Mr. Mezouar that his government will consider the candidacy. Following his visits to Colombia and Ecuador, Minister Mezouar went to Peru. He paid a visit to President Alan Garcia. Additionally, Venezuela is on the list of countries he trying to corroborate. Brazil was visited by Minister in Charge of Economic and General Affairs, Rachid Talbi El Alami. From the other side of the globe, the Iranian Foreign Minister, Manoucherhr Mottaki, relayed his government’s support to the Moroccan bid to Moroccan Minister of Energy and Mining, Mohamed Boutaleb.
The country has promised to put more than 600 million US Dollars into development. Morocco will build pavilions and housing for exhibitors and guests near the Expo site.
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October 2nd, 2007 at 10:57 am
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