Moroccan king goes on solo walking tour

The King of Morocco, Mohammed VI startled the local authorities of Casablanca on Wednesday when he took a walking tour alone to follow the progress of the maintenance and restoration projects in the ancient city, which is undergoing a comprehensive restoration process. A large number of the city's population crowded to be in the king's presence, including merchants and traditional handicraft workers.  They were all celebrating the royal visit, in which the king witnessed the progress of the projects he launched nearly one year ago. The project includes executive programmes for improving living conditions in the city, as well as restoring its architectural characteristics primarily by raising the quality of the basic infrastructure and restoring the city walls. The project also targets the resettlement of 78 families living in tin huts, who are to be moved to modern apartments in the Moulai Rachid quarter. Other work includes applying architectural protection for the preservation of old buildings and mosques in the ancient city, as well as converting the ancient church of "Bueno Bantoura" to a cultural centre. King Mohammed VI had taken a similar tour before in the city of Khrebga, which is globally considered as a major phosphate source.