Ambassador Edward M. Gabriel (ret.) December 6, 2018 At his arrival ceremony in Washington, on September 26, 1991, King Hassan II remarked to President George H.W. Bush, “Throughout your career, we have at all times perceived in you a man of rectitude, humility, deep thought, true foresight, and unshakable faithfulness toward his friends.” King Hassan had a way with words,
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Jean R. AbiNader November 27, 2018 It is a commonly accepted assumption that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are vital to creating jobs in an economy. The OECD refers to SMEs as firms employing up to 249 persons, with the following breakdown: micro (1 to 9), small (10 to 49), and medium (50-249). In emerging economies, SMEs contribute up to 45% of total employment and 33% of GDP. This is
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Ambassador Edward M. Gabriel (ret.) November 23, 2018 I can personally testify to King Hassan II’s optimism that the Algerian-Moroccan relationship would significantly improve following President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s election in April of 1999. King Hassan would die three months later and, although Bouteflika would attend his funeral and call the new King a “brother,” within two months he would prove to have little interest in improving relations with his neighbor. In
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Jean R. AbiNader November 19, 2018 There were several recent events that indicate a stronger US government determination to take a more proactive posture in combatting terrorism in North, Central, and East Africa. The first was the announcement by Secretary of Defense Mattis of three new named contingency operations including Operation Yukon Journey, a counterinsurgency operation and two other counterterrorism operations in northwestern and eastern Africa. “While reports as recently as August
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Ambassador Edward M. Gabriel (ret.) November 16, 2018 In 1998, an executive of a major US infrastructure development company advised King Hassan against building a new seaport in the north of Morocco as it was in the wrong place and not economically feasible. They King’s response was clear. He said, “I will be the builder of my country.” King Mohammed VI carried on that determination. Today that port, Tangier Med,
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