Arabs & Arabian Records Aggregator. Chronicler. Milestones of the 25 Countries of the Arabic Speaking World (official / co-official). AGCC. MENA. Global. Ist's to Top 10's. Records. Read & Enjoy./ www.arabianrecords.org
While aspiring to become a boxing champion, Taghmaoui’s fascination with cinema eventually led him to pursue a career in acting.
French-Moroccan Actor Said Taghmaoui has solidified his presence in the Hollywood industry, successfully securing various roles alongside renowned stars.
His latest endeavor sees him teaming up with Golden Globe nominee Mark Wahlberg in an upcoming feature film called “The Family Plan,” produced by Apple Original Films and Skydance.
Written by David Coggeshall, “The Family Plan” follows the story of a suburban father who finds himself on the run with his family when his past catches up to him.
The movie is directed by Simon Cellan Jones and produced by Wahlberg, Municipal Pictures’ Stephen Levinson, and Skydance’s David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Don Granger.
In addition to “The Family Plan,” Taghmaoui has also landed a role in the action-packed film “Tin Soldier,” which boasts an impressive cast including Oscar winners Jamie Foxx and Robert De Niro, as well as Scott Eastwood.
During a recent interview with French lecturer and essayist Idriss Jamil Aberkane, Taghmaoui opened up about his journey as an actor. He described himself as an “autodidact,” highlighting the fact that he didn’t attend school but instead pursued his passions with unwavering dedication.
Recalling his boxing days, the actor expressed how the sport played a significant role in his personal growth. He believes that either boxing chose him or he chose boxing, emphasizing its complexity and the introspection it demanded.
While aspiring to become a boxing champion, Taghmaoui’s fascination with cinema eventually led him to pursue a career in acting.
Born in France to Moroccan immigrant parents, Taghmaoui became a naturalized US citizen in 2008 and swiftly made a name for himself in the Hollywood industry.
Despite dropping out of school at a young age, his boxing talent propelled him to second place in his category in France. It was during this time that he met Mathieu Kassovitz, with whom he co-wrote the acclaimed French film “La haine” (1995), which earned the Best Director award at Cannes.
Since then, Taghmaoui has become a prominent figure in cinema and has expanded his repertoire to include films from various countries, such as Italy, Germany, the United States, and Morocco.
He has featured in Hollywood productions like “G.I. Joe,” “Wonder Woman,” “Traitor,” “John Wick,” and “The Forgiven,” showcasing his versatility and talent as an actor.
During her lifetime, Fatima was called the “mother of boys”. According to historian Mohammed Yasser Hilali, “this nickname probably stems from her charity and the fact she took students under her wing”.
When thinking of the oldest universities in the world, probably the first ones that come to most people’s minds are Oxford and Bologna, but according to UNESCO and the Guinness World Records, Al-Qarawiyyin University (also written as Al-Karaouine) is the “oldest existing, and continually operating educational institution in the world.”
Founded in 859 A.D. by Tunisian-born Fatima al-Fihri in Morocco’s Fez, the university is not only the oldest higher education institution on Earth but also the first to be founded by a Muslim woman. Fatima used her inheritance from her merchant father’s wealth to found the university which started as an associated school – known as a madrasa – and a mosque that eventually grew into a place of higher education. It also introduced the system of awarding degrees according to different levels of study in a range of fields, such as religious studies, grammar and rhetoric. Though the university first focused on religious instruction, its fields of study quickly expanded to include logic, medicine, mathematics and astronomy, among many others.
The University of Al Quaraouiyine became a state university in 1963 and now awards degrees in Islamic, religious and legal sciences with an emphasis on classical Arabic grammar and linguistics and law.
Interestingly, teaching is still delivered in a very traditional manner, whereby students are seated in a semi-circle around a Sheikh (Islamic scholar), who prompts them to read sections of particular texts, asks them questions on aspects of grammar, law, or interpretation, and explains difficult points. Education at the University of al-Qarawiyyin concentrates on the Islamic religious and legal sciences with a heavy emphasis on, and particular strengths in, Classical Arabic grammar/linguistics and Maliki Sharia, though lessons on non-Islamic subjects are also offered to students. Teaching is still delivered in the traditional methods. The university is attended by students from all over Morocco and Muslim West Africa, with some also coming from further abroad. Women were first admitted to the institution in the 1940s
Fatima al-Fihri was born in 800 A.D. She was the daughter of Mohammed Bnou Abdullah al-Fihri – a rich merchant who settled in Fez with his family during the reign of Idris II.
Fatima’s family was part of a community called the “Qarawiyyin” (the ones from Qayrawan) whose two thousand families migrated from Qayrawan in Tunisia, to Fez in Morocco which was then under the rule of Idris II, a respected and devout ruler.
After the community was banned by the local ruler. The caravan included Fatima’s father Muhammad bin Abdullah Al-Fihri, and sister Mariam. Fatima was well versed in classical Islamic learning such as fiqh (jurisprudence) and hadith (Islamic traditions based on Prophet’s life). She inherited a large fortune from her merchant father which she used to build the university. She personally supervised the entire gigantic enterprise, from putting up the foundation to the functionalizing of these institutions. When she embarked on her mission, she had lost her father, husband, and brother – all primary sources of support and protection for a woman. Any other woman would have retreated to the backwaters of domestic life. But Fatima appears to have been an extraordinarily inspired and determined woman with steely grooves. All her great achievements came during periods of loneliness and in circumstances when women normally shun the world and seek the company of the home.
During her lifetime, Fatima was called the “mother of boys”. According to historian Mohammed Yasser Hilali, “this nickname probably stems from her charity and the fact she took students under her wing.” Fatima al-Fihri herself is considered a saint and she is much respected among the believers especially in Fez. In 2017, a prize was created in Tunisia in her honor. It rewards initiatives which encourage access to training and professional responsibilities for women. Furthermore, an academic program and a scholarship given to students from Europe and North Africa pay tribute to Fatima al-Fihri.
The University of Al-Qarawiyyin (also Al-Karaouine), which was then just called a madrasa (an institute of religious learning), was 30 m long, with a courtyard, a large library, and several schoolrooms. Although initially only the Qur’an and related religious lessons were taught, many other courses of study, like mathematics, medicine, Arabic grammar, history, geography, astronomy, chemistry, music and logic were soon introduced. Fatima studied there herself, along with her students, and awarded them degrees once they completed the courses: a degree that was chiseled onto a wooden board, which is now displayed in the university’s library. She also conducted debates and symposiums periodically for her students, producing politically-aware individuals.
With these innovative ideas, Fatima al-Fihri had not merely founded the first university but had introduced the concept of awarding degrees that is now an essential part of modern higher education.
In fact, the university produced many celebrated intellectuals and historians who are still known to this day: the Islamic philosopher Ibn Rushd, Andalusi diplomat and geographer, Hassan al-Wazzan and historian and thinker Ibn Khaldun, the famous Jewish philosopher, Moses Ben Maimon and Aka Maimonides.
The Christian scholar, Gerbert of Aurillac, who later became Pope Sylvester II, is believed to have visited the university several times. His visits helped him introduce Arabic numerals and the concept of zero to Europe. The University of Al Qarawiyyin is still considered a leading religious and education institution in the Muslim world. The university has moved away to another part of Fez, but the mosque and the library remain at the ancient complex. The University of Al-Qarawiyyin is the oldest existing, continually operating and the first degree awarding educational institution in the world according to UNESCO and Guinness World Records and is sometimes referred to as the oldest university.
(M Ahmad is a regular writer for this newspaper and can be reached at specialachivers78@gmail.com)
The Moroccan footballer’s value on the transfer market is estimated at € 32 million.
Moroccan professional football player Nayef Aguerd has been featured in a new documentary that explores his inspiring journey from playing in the streets of Kenitra to joining Premier League team West Ham as a center-back.
The documentary, titled “Premier League Stories – Nayef Aguerd,” follows the Moroccan defender’s journey from playing for the Moroccan club FUS Rabat, Dijon, and Rennes in France, to joining West Ham United in the English Premier League.
One of the documentaries’ outstanding, particularly emotional scenes shows how Aguerd suffered a serious ankle injury that nearly halted his first season in England’s top league.
Speaking about the footballer‘s inspirational story, French football journalist Julien Laurens said, “I think Aguerd’s story is incredible. He is a symbol of a Moroccan kid who played in Morocco and who was born there and still made his way all the way up to the best league in the world.”
The journalist enthused: “For the kids in Morocco, Aguerd is this Hollywood story.”
Born in Kenitra, Aguerd started his career at the Mohammed VI Football Academy in Sale, a city near Rabat. He landed his first professional contract with Fath Union Sport, also called FUS Rabat, in 2014.
Aguerd spent four seasons with FUS Rabat before joining Dijon in the French Ligue 1. In 2020, he joined Rennes FC, another Ligue 1 club. After to years of brilliant displays during which he established himself as an undroppable and reliable defender at the heart of of Rennes’ defense, the Moroccan footballer signed a five-year contract with England’s West Ham United in July 2022
At a pivotal time in his professional life, the sought-after defender underwent ankle surgery after injuring his ankle in a preseason friendly against Rangers in 2022.
“The two weeks after the surgery, it was difficult to move, so I was in the hotel, taking a lot of pain killers,” Aguerd is seen explaining in the documentary.
Aguerd, whose current value on the transfer market is estimated at € 32 million, pointed out his much-reported, high-value transfer to the Premier League put a lot of pressure on him as he felt the need to prove himself. “When you come with a transfer value like mine, you want to show that you deserve it,” the player said.
Prior to playing for the Moroccan national team, Argued stated that it was his childhood dream to represent his country in the world’s most important competition.
Little wonder then that, in the documentary, the sought-after defender was ecstatic when recalling his country’s historic World Cup journey. “I will never forget this tournament,” he said of the Moroccan Atlas Lions’ heroics in Qatar.
Moroccan boxer Khadija El Mardi won the gold medal on Sunday in New Delhi, India, during the Women’s World Amateur Boxing Championships.
The national champion El Mardi, who competed in the heavyweight division (Over 81kgs), won the women’s world boxing championship by defeating the Kazakh Kungeibayeva Lazzat.
El Mardi has achieved a number of victories over the years, including the title of African champion in 2022, a victory at the African Games in Rabat in 2019, a silver medal at the World Championships in 2022, and this year’s Mohammed VI Trophy gold medal.
Born in Casablanca in 1991, El Mardi’s everlasting commitment and heroic efforts to achieve success have made her name stand out.
An Emirati, a Moroccan, a South Korean, two Brits and three Americans were honored with the King Faisal Prize 2023.
They served people and enriched humanity with their pioneering work so deserve to be honored and recognized for their distinguished efforts, the King Faisal Foundation said when honoring the winners of the King Faisal Prize 2023.
A glittering award ceremony was held in Riyadh on Monday under the patronage of King Salman, and on his behalf, Prince Faisal bin Bandar, governor of Riyadh Region, attended the ceremony for handing over the King Faisal Prize to the winners this year.
The annual awards are the most prestigious in the Muslim world and recognize outstanding achievement in services to Islam, Islamic studies, Arabic language and literature, medicine and science.
This year an Emirati, a Moroccan, a South Korean, two Brits and three Americans won the prestigious prize, which in its 45th session recognized COVID-19 vaccine developers, nanotechnology scientists and eminent figures in Arabic language and literature, Islamic studies, and service to Islam.
The prize for service to Islam was awarded jointly to Shaikh Nasser bin Abdullah of the UAE and Professor Choi Young Kil-Hamed from South Korea.
The prize for Islamic studies was awarded to Professor Robert Hillenbrand from the UK.
The prize for Arabic language and literature was awarded to Professor Abdelfattah Kilito of Morocco.
The prize for medicine was awarded jointly to Professor Dan Hung Barouch from the US and Professor Sarah Catherine Gilbert from the UK.
In his acceptance speech, Barouch said, “The Ad26 vaccine for COVID-19 demonstrated robust efficacy in humans, even after a single shot, and showed continued protection against virus variants that emerged. This vaccine has been rolled out across the world by the pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson, and over 200 million people have received this vaccine, particularly in the developing world.”
Gilbert said that she was “humbled to join the other 2023 laureates, and to follow-in the footsteps of the men and women whose work has been recognized by the foundation for more than four decades. This award is in recognition of my work to co-create a vaccine for COVID-19. A low-cost, accessible, efficacious vaccine that has now been used in more than 180 countries and is estimated to have saved more than six million lives by the start of 2022.”
The prize for science was awarded jointly to Professor Jackie Yi-Ru Ying and Professor Chad Alexander Mirkin, both from the US.
Ying’s research focuses on synthesis of advanced nano materials and systems, and their application in biomedicine, energy conversion and catalysis.
Her inventions have been used to solve challenges in different fields of medicine, chemistry and energy. Her development of stimuli-responsive polymeric nanoparticles led to a technology that can autoregulate the release of insulin, depending on the blood glucose levels in diabetic patients, without the need for external blood glucose monitoring.
“I am deeply honored to be receiving the King Faisal prize in science, especially as the first female recipient of this award,” she said in her acceptance speech.
This year two women scientists have been honored as winners of the King Faisal Prize for medicine and science categories.
The woman behind the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, Professor Sarah Gilbert, the Saïd chair of vaccinology in the Nuffield department of Medicine at Oxford University, was honored with the medicine award.
The other woman scientist honored with the King Faisal Prize in science is Professor Jackie Yi-Ru Ying; the A-star senior fellow and director at NanoBio Lab, Agency for Science, Technology and Research. She is a professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and was chosen for her work on the synthesis of advanced nanomaterials and systems, and their applications in catalysis, energy conversion and biomedicine.
The King Faisal Prize was established in 1977. The prize was granted for the first time in 1979 in three categories: Service to Islam, Islamic studies and Arabic language and literature. Two additional categories were introduced in 1981: Medicine and science. The first medicine prize was awarded in 1982, and in science two years later.
Since 1979, the King Faisal Prize in its different categories has awarded 290 laureates who have made distinguished contributions to different sciences and causes.
Each prize laureate is given $200,000 (SR750,000); a 24-carat gold medal weighing 200 grams, a certificate inscribed with the laureate’s name and a summary of their work that qualified them for the prize, and the certificate signed by chairman of the prize board, Prince Khalid Al-Faisal.
Famous for its “fog harvesting” project in southern Morocco, the nonprofit Dar Si Hmad for Development, Education and Culture also carries out other projects to build the capacities of local populations and provide educational training projects for young people.
The fog-harvesting project, in the Sidi Ifni region of southern Morocco, uses specially designed nets to capture water droplets suspended in the fog covering mountain peaks. The fog-water drips off the nets and is channeled into a filtration system, thus providing clean water to residents of areas suffering from severe water shortages.
The project is a boon for women in the region because it frees them from having to carry water long distances, and also provides jobs and training for them.
Development Projects
Established in 2010, Dar Si Hmad for Development, Education and Culture is run by Jamila Bargach, a cultural anthropologist, and her husband, Aissa Derham , a mathematician who holds a Ph.D. from Laval University in Canada.
Bargach studied at Mohammed V University in Rabat and obtained a Ph.D. in anthropology from Rice University in the United States. She has worked for several nongovernmental organisations in Morocco and abroad.
In the region, Bargach is nicknamed “The Bride of the Fog” in reference to a local Amazigh legend of a princess named Teslet who did her best to make rain to save her village from drought.
Over the past years, the fog-harvesting project has received numerous international honours, notably an Innovation in Sustainabilty award from the GoAbroad Foundation in 2017 and a Momentum for Change award presented at the COP22 Climate Summit in Marrakech in 2016.
Programmes for American Students
Fond of southern Morocco, Bargach believes that the region provides unique opportunities for students to learn more about the kingdom, especially in terms of how development projects are accomplished in complex and special contexts.
Many of Dar Si Hmad’s educational programmes center on the fog-harvesting project, Bargach told Al-Fanar Media. “This enables students to learn and develop their abilities through practical and field education.”
She added that the association receives students from American universities who come to southern Morocco. Over the years, it has hosted more than 54 student missions from different American universities.
The organisation provides these students with opportunities to meet with Moroccan students from Ibn Zohr University, in Agadir, and to participate in various educational programmes. These include the RISE Programme, the Ethnographic Field School and the Water School, as well as job programmes targeting women in rural areas.
Environment-Friendly Entrepreneurship
The RISE Programme aims to build capacities and promote environment-friendly entrepreneurship among students of colleges and higher schools in Agadir. The programme is a set of integrated workshops presented by experts, and meetings with employers, with the aim of exchanging experiences and creating opportunities for networking. Each participant is also required to have a project idea that benefits the local environment, besides the need to commit to attending all scheduled events.
The Ethnographic Field School promotes cross-cultural understanding and exchange through interpersonal interaction with local communities. During their time in southern Morocco, participants learn about local issues like sustainable practices in the argan oil industry , which employs many rural Amazigh women, or languages like darija (Moroccan Arabic) and Tachelhit (the local form of Tamazight).
The Water School programme is directed to students of rural schools in the Aït Baamrane region in southern Morocco. The programme is based on lessons inspired by local reality, with openness to other horizons and cultures. The Water School brings together volunteers, environmental trainers, and other partners. Everyone is committed to building a comprehensive and ethical foundation for the benefit of environmental education, the organisation’s leaders say.
Bargach says that the success of the fog-harvesting project motivated and inspired the educational programmes’ students. She adds that they are working to transfer knowledge to young people who are passionate about more work and innovation in searching for alternative sources of water and serving the environment in southern Morocco.
Skill-Building Experiences
Nadia El-Aissaoui, who holds a master’s degree in tourism and communication from Ibn Zohr University’s Faculty of Arts and Humanities, worked in Dar Si Hmad’s Ethnographic Field School this year. She said the experience helped her develop professional skills. “I have benefited greatly from this experience,” she said. “I worked as a fixer (‘speaking partner’) for students coming from American universities to work on field research projects.”
The programme transferred her from university halls to field research, she said. “This experience enriched my professional path,” she added. “I learned a lot of things, such as focusing on tasks, time management, documentation, interpretation methods, besides exposing me to the American mentality and working ways.”
Aissa Derham checks a net used in the fog-harvest project. He and Jamila Bargach co-founded the nonprofit Dar Si Hmad for Development, Education and Culture, which runs several capacity-building and educational programmes in southern Morocco. (Photo courtesy of the organisation)
With a strong determination to help women’s inclusion in the mining industry, Bensetti has a strong belief in women’s ability to defy norms and pursue a career in any industry.
Women in Mining UK, an NGO dedicated to supporting women in the mining sector, selected CEO of OCP subsidiary DOOC Ibtissam Bensetti to feature in the 2022 “100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining” (WIM100) in recognition of her contributions to the global mining industry.
With this nomination, Bensetti became the first OCP personnel and Moroccan national to feature in the 100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining.
The NGO’s global top 100 list celebrates women’s contribution to the mining industry at all levels. The biennial publication stresses women’s skills and expertise in the global mining industry and celebrates role models for future generations.
Women inclusion in mining
The organization selects nominees based on different criteria, including creative innovation and sustainable working.
“A WIM100 woman offers proactive advocacy to those working in the mining industry and beyond. She empowers her colleagues to ensure everyone feels heard, welcomed, and respected,” the NGO said.
Bensetti has been able to take her place in the WIM100 for her leadership in OCP as a CEO at the group’s subsidiary DOOC, which specializes in industrial operations consulting, safety, and sustainability.
Having joined OCP in 2012, Bensetti has more than a decade of experience in the mining industry at different levels, particularly in sustainability roles in mining and chemical industrial operations, as well as corporate development.
Carrying the spirit of women’s empowerment during her journey, Bensetti has been working on spreading that spirit among her team members, particularly women, through supporting OCP’s female talent as well as increasing the number of women in management.
Delighted to be part of the WIM100 list, Bensetti stressed her emphasis and belief in women’s talents.
“In my mind, there is no impenetrable fortress for women, women can defy the norms and pursue a career in any industry,” she said, conveying her encouragement and endorsement for the inclusion of women in the mining industry.
The CEO acknowledged that the industry might have been a male-dominated industry but claimed that that’s in the past thanks to global efforts seeking to ensure gender equality at different levels. Women make up between 8% and 17 % of the global mining workforce, a McKinsey report has found.
The report also identified, however, several reasons and challenges that prompt women’s exit from the industry.
“The top reasons for leaving the industry are feeling that work is no longer intellectually challenging and having the perception that there are fewer advancement opportunities than there are for their male colleagues,” the report stressed.
Appointment and education
Bensetti was appointed as CEO of DOOC in June 2021 to replace Hamid El Mahfoudi, who retired.
She joined OCP a decade ago, filling positions related to strategy, corporate development, and industrial operations.
Graduating from Telecom Paris in 2004, Bensetti amassed 18 years of experience in management consulting, industry managing, coaching, and leading teams in transformation journeys.
Bensetti is also a graduate of The World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s LEAP Program, a one-year sustainability training program that seeks to empower women and help advance their positions and careers.
Having gender equality as a center of focus during her career, Bensetti is determined to continue her battle to help empower women in the mining industry.
“Being a woman engineer in industry, I have been fighting this battle all my life,” she wrote on her LinkedIn bio.
November 18: A Reminder of Morocco’s Long Fight for Independence.
The day marks a celebration of Moroccan bravery in the face of the French and Spanish colonial regimes.
On November 18, Moroccans will celebrate the 67th anniversary of Morocco’s independence. The date, which once commemorated King Mohammed V’s ascension to the throne in 1927, celebrates nowadays the country’s long fight for freedom and independence against the French and Spanish protectorate.
The colonial history dates back to March 30, 1912, with the signing of the Treaty of Fez, laying the foundation for the French protectorate and the division of Moroccan territories between Paris and Madrid with Spain controlling the northern and southern provinces with the exclusion of Tangier, which became an international zone in 1923.
However, Tangier’s special status was temporarily revoked between June 14, 1940, and August 31, 1945, as Spanish dictator and general Francisco Franco occupiedthe international zone.
As for the Ceuta and Melilla enclaves, they have remained under Spanish control since the 17th and 15th centuries, respectively.
A fierce fight
Since the establishment of the French and Spanish protectorate regimes in Morocco, local communities led numerous revolutionary missions fighting back the expansion of the colonial forces.
The establishment of the Republic of the Rif by Abdelkrim al Khattabi in 1921 and its continuity until 1926 strongly reflected the Moroccan will for independence. Despite being defeated by the Spanish Army of Africa with the support of French forces, the republic remained a prominent example of Moroccan-led resistance movements.
In November 1925, the Moroccan nationalist movement was initiated to put an end to the oppressive colonial regimes. The movement was instrumental in voicing Moroccan demands in not only urban and rural centers but also on the international stage.
In January 1944, 66 members of the Moroccan national movement signed the country’s Manifesto of Independence and presented it to the French and Spanish colonial authorities, as well as representations of the US, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union.
The manifesto was a turning point in Morocco’s struggle for independence. Aware of the threat that the declaration represented to the continuity of the French protectorate in the North African country, French colonial forces worked on pressuring Sultan Mohammed V to condemn the proclamation, while leading a purge of Moroccan nationalists and intellectuals and accusing some of the signatories of spying for Nazi Germany.
This was a time when Muslim and Jewish nationalists were discussing the prospect of establishing a modern and free Morocco that can equally celebrate both communities and reverse discriminatory measures forced by colonial authorities such as the Berber Dahir and Vichy’s anti-Jewish policies.
Despite facing fierce oppression from French colonial forces, the Moroccan nationalists continued to voice their demand for self-determination.
The movement further worked in coordination with Sultan Mohammed V to obtain freedom. The Sultan’s calls for independence eventually led to his forced exile along with his family members on the eve of Eid al-Adha in August 1953 to Corsica, and then to Madagascar in 1954.
The Sultan’s forced exile fueled public uproar with many nationalists organizing protests and calling for the return of the Sultan and his family as well as the right of the people to self-determine their fate.
Faced with rising pressure from the Moroccan public for independence, France allowed the return of Sultan Mohammed V to his homeland on November 16, 1955.
Two days later, the monarch delivered an iconic speech, stating, “We are delighted to announce the end of the trusteeship system and protectorate and the advent of freedom and independence.”
Incomplete independence
By late 1955, Mohammed V agreed to the gradual restoration of the country’s territorial integrity in line with agreements reached with France.
On March 2, 1956, Morocco officially gained independence from the French regime. That same year, Morocco re-integrated Tangier and the northern part of Morocco that was under Spanish rule.
However, the Ceuta and Melilla enclaves, as well as the country’s south remained under the Spanish regime at the time.
Morocco gradually recovered its territorial integrity in the south with the withdrawal of Spain from Tarfaya in 1958, Sidi Infni in 1969, and Saqia al Hamra and Oued Eddahab region in 1975.
A significant part of the Moroccan recovery of southern territories was led by the late King Hassan II (1961-1999) who orchestrated the Green March that contributed to the full withdrawal of Spain from southern Morocco.
After over six decades of fighting for independence, Morocco regained the majority of its territories with the exception of the Ceuta and Melilla enclaves that remain under Spanish rule.
The country’s southern provinces, known as Western Sahara, are also subject to disputes with the eastern neighbor and the Polisario Front, a self-proclaimed separatist group challenging Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty of the region.
Today, Rabat continues to defend its territorial integrity in international gatherings with the support of friendly states.
CEO of the Middle East, Global Entrepreneurial Markets, and Sub Sahara Africa at Procter & Gamble (P&G) Omar Channawi has featured in the Forbes’ “Global Meets Local 2022” list for the MENA region.
The Moroccan businessman also holds the position of P&G’s Senior Vice President of Sales in Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa.
Channawi started his career with P&G Morocco in 1993 and assumed his current position in 2019 after building a solid career with the American consumer goods corporation over two decades.
P&G is the parent organization of numerous well-known brands such as Downy, Pampers, Always, Braun, Gillette, Olay, Oral-B, and Head & Shoulders.
The company’s portfolio also includes brands that are often seen as competitors in the MENA market such as Tide and Ariel.
According to Forbes, P&G accumulated $80.2 billion in net sales in the 2021/22 financial year with the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, and India contributing to 14% of total net sales.
The decades-long economic growth recorded in some MENA economies has encouraged numerous multinational companies such asP&G to set up offices in the Middle East, most often in the region’s largest economic hub Dubai.
The presence of multinational companies in the region, according to Forbes, “create[s] thousands of jobs as well as bringing technological advancements and capital into the region.”
This year, Forbes recognized 51 executives from 50 companies for the 10th edition of its annual Global Meets Local ranking. The companies operate in the technology, banking, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, and automotive sectors.
As for the executives, they represent 27 nationalities with most CEOs coming from Britain and France, each had five executives on the list.
