Rabat, Jan 9, 2019 – Moroccan authorities closed 2,000 illegal mineshafts last year in Jerada, an impoverished former coal town that has beenthe site of a string of deadly mining accidents. The closure of the “abandoned and illicitly exploited shafts” was announced Wednesday by the energy and mines ministry, which promised to shut some 1,500 remaining shafts by the end of 2019. But hundreds of men continued to eke out a day-to-day living by venturing into abandoned shafts and selling coal to local brokers dubbed “barons”. In response, the authorities promised to seal abandoned shafts and presented an economic revitalisation programme — at the same time as banning “illegal protests”. And a total of 82 million euros ($95 million) will be ploughed into industry and agriculture projects by 2020, the ministry said.

Source: The North Africa Journal January 09, 2019 19:52 UTC