Morocco: First horse show held

Horse fans across Morocco have attended a 4-day National Horse Show in the coastal city of El Jadida, 190 km south of capital Rabat. The first Horse Show that was held from October 22-26 was under the theme “Pride and Passion.”The town has been transformed into a sight of medieval festivities, color and music. Many horse jumping competition and several equestrian shows took place as well as A hundred of exhibitors representing national and international institutions and professional associations. Through painting, works of art and manuscript exhibitions, the event sought to highlight the cardinal importance of the horse in Morocco’s cultural identity, as well as its socioeconomic dimension.

Microfinance attracts women in Morocco

More than 600,000 out of a total of one million clients in the microfinance sector in 2007 were women according to the National Federation of Microfinance Associations in Morocco. This came to light during a meeting of the association in Casablanca.FNAM statistics also show that more than 20 billion dirhams ($2.26 billion) have been distributed thus far, 13 billion dirhams, ($1.48 billion) of which is invested by women in productive projects, especially in poor rural area. The microcredit sector has been developing at fast pace since the 1990`s and it is now an essential instrument in the struggle against exclusion and poverty, In this north Africa country.High illiteracy rates, particularly between women, about 60%, are a serious constraint for their participation and ownership of businesses because they have fewer and lower options to get a job, that’s why women are more interested in micro-loans than men.

Railway lines for Uganda, Kenya soon

Uganda and Kenya have agreed to set up a joint ministerial commission to expedite the construction of a railway line that links the 2 East African countries to Southern Sudan and Eastern Congo. The decision was taken during talks between President Museveni and President Kibaki of Kenya in Nairobi.During the meeting in Kibaki and his guest agreed to set up a joint Ministerial Commission to expedite the construction of the railway line and modalities on its future management.President Museveni arrived in Kenya on Monday to attend the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) which is scheduled to begin today in Nairobi.