Unrest in Morocco

Gap Coming To Morocco, Egypt

The Gap Inc. (NYSE:GPS), as part of its expansion project in the $1.4 trillion global apparel market, has taken a maiden step to bring its brand to Africa. The company is expected to unveil the latest trend in Egypt and Morocco in July and October, respectively.

The company has plans to open a Gap store in Egypt while The Gap and Banana Republic stores in Morocco. Only last year, The Gap had taken an initiative to sell its products in Egypt, Morocco and South Africa via its international online shipping provider.

Through contracts with its existing franchise — The Fawaz Al Hokair Group — Gap expects to introduce its first store in Egypt in the Mall of Arabia, located in the capital city of Cairo. The company also plans to open two more Gap stores in Cairo’s City Stars Mall and Sun City Mall in October.

In Morocco, the company expects to open its first Gap and Banana Republic stores in Casablanca. Morocco has a flourishing retail market and a growing urban population, an advantage that the company would like to cash in on in its efforts to spur growth. The Gap through a new franchise agreement with Aksal Group will first make its products available to Moroccan customers in the city’s new Morocco Mall.

The leading global specialty retailer has lately consolidated its foreign business under one division from London. The rationalized division, which is headed by Stephen Sunnucks, is responsible for all company-operated and franchised stores across Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, Asia Pacific and South America.

The Gap currently has expanded its franchise store base to more than 180 and stretched out its footprint from 2 to 29 countries which includes Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Australia, Chile, Serbia and now Africa. The company expects to increase its franchised store base to 400 by 2014.

Based in San Francisco, California, The Gap Inc. is a premier international specialty retailer offering a diverse range of clothing, accessories and personal care products for men, women, children and babies. Its flagship brands include Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime and Athleta.

However, The Gap operates in a highly fragmented market and competes with well-established rivals like American Eagle Outfitters Inc. (NYSE:AEO) and The TJX Companies Inc. (NYSE:TJX).

The Gap’s shares maintain a Zacks #4 Rank, which translates into a short-term Sell rating. Our long-term recommendation on the stock remains Neutral.

Army Medics Conduct African Lion 11 MEDEVAC to Guelmim, Morocco

By Specialist Cody Campana
301st Public Affairs Detachment

CAP DRAA, Morocco, May 25, 2011 — Soldiers of the 848th Forward Surgical Team participating in exercise African Lion 11 organized a rehearsal medical evacuation with the Moroccan military May 8, 2011. 

Exercise African Lion is a joint exercise involving U.S. Army, Navy and Marines, and the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces that consists of peacekeeping operations, humanitarian civic assistance operations and construction projects. 

The rehearsal was part of the 848th's mission to "conduct level-two care for Marines, the Navy, and soldiers, and to provide trauma support in order to stabilize them, or if unstable to make it possible to move them to a hospital," said Staff Sergeant Darren Ladouceur, an Army nurse and detachment sergeant of the 848th FST. 

"The purpose for the MEDEVAC rehearsal was to get an orientation of a Moroccan helicopter, and to get the soldiers and medical providers on the ground familiar with the helicopter and how we can load the patient and best organize our medical providers in route," said Ladouceur. 

If the case of an injury, the MEDEVAC helicopter would take the casualties to Guelmim, about 200 kilometers from Cap Draa. Guelmim has a military hospital, which employs medical specialists, general surgeons and emergency medical technicians, where they can give anesthesia and perform surgical procedures, said Lieutenant Colonel Ali S. Zaza, a general and trauma surgeon with the 848th FST since 1986, a Syrian-American also serving as an Arabic-English translator in the course of the exercise. 

After inspecting the helicopter, a Huey, some soldiers and Navy personnel took a ride around the surrounding area. Directly after the flight and rehearsal, Zaza and a group of other medical personnel traveled to the nearby Moroccan military base. 

"We went to the battalion aid station. They can take care of lacerations, provide immediate treatment of major injuries, and can tracheal incubate. They could administer a lot of medications intravenously for nausea, vomiting, pain, antibiotics and I.V. fluids," Zaza said. "The battalion aid station has everything you would expect a battalion aid station in the United States to have." 

While inspecting the aid station, Zaza interacted closely with his Moroccan counterparts. 

"I enjoyed it. I had a chance to speak to them in Arabic, in many situations where I thought I was helpful. It was a chance for me to use the language and take a look at the culture," he said. "The [Moroccan] surgeon here seems to be very knowledgeable. He seems to be very good." 

Zaza, an Army reservist, is a general surgeon as a civilian and has been deployed as an Army surgeon. "I have been deployed four times, twice to Iraq, once to Germany and once to Louisiana," he said. "The two deployments to Iraq were during combat operations." 

Zaza said his civilian career benefits from his Army experiences because there are various types of injuries in both fields. 

"Military injuries from high speed projectiles are always different than civilian trauma situations," he said. "It [the military] adds to your scope of knowledge and experience." 

So far, exercise African Lion 11 has had no major injuries, but the 848th are vigilant and continue to train just in case. 

"The medics on the ground are the first responders ready to help every soldier, sailor, Marine, or Moroccan military member that may be injured," Ladouceur said. "It is very important that we stay ready." 

Source: U.S. Army Africa