Morocco H1 c/a surplus up 72 pct, trade gap widens

(Reuters) - Morocco's trade deficit grew in the first half of 2007 as a construction boom increased demand for foreign building materials and equipment, the North African country's Exchange Office said on Friday.

However, the current account surplus, boosted by increases in remittances from Moroccans abroad and tourism receipts, rose by 72 percent year-on-year.


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Ivorian entrepreneur sets sights on tropical wine

(Reuters) - A Italian-based vintner from Ivory Coast hopes to make the West African state's first wine if grapevine cuttings planted as an experiment in the tropical country's soil can produce fruit.

African countries with cooler, more Mediterranean climes such as South Africa, Morocco and Algeria are already renowned producers but Amani Yoboue, 44, aims to be the first to produce wine in this former French colony just north of the Equator.


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