Rabat (AFP)

Eight days before the official launch of the festivities of the first pan-African event "African capitals of culture", Morocco has decided to replace the host city Marrakech by Rabat, we learned from the organizers.

"The Moroccan authorities have decided to choose Rabat on the grounds that its infrastructure is more suitable," an official, who requested anonymity, told AFP.

"I have the sad regret to announce to you that it was decided (for incomprehensible reasons) and after several months of intense preparation, that the ocher city would desist in favor of Rabat", for his part commented the honorary president from the "Marrakech 2020" committee, the Moroccan painter Mahi Binebine, on his Facebook page.

The artist had participated last week in Paris in the official presentation of the event by the pan-African organization "United Cities and Local Governments of Africa" ​​(UCLG Africa), at the origin of the project.

The launch of the "Marrakech 2020" festivities, which were to begin on January 31 with a great street ride, is postponed to an indefinite date because "in Rabat, nothing is ready," said the source joined by AFP.

The Organizing Committee affiliated to UCLG Africa received an official letter on Tuesday asking to relocate the event attributed to Marrakech about two years ago, according to this source.

The municipality of the ocher city then announced to the committee its withdrawal in favor of Rabat, the administrative capital, designated by King Mohammed VI as "cultural capital of the country" several years ago, according to the same source.

The Moroccan press reported last week a "royal anger" after a visit of the sovereign on major projects underway in Marrakech, predicting that the "delays and failures" of the projects would cause an "administrative earthquake".

Marrakech, the tourist capital of the kingdom, has been designated by the UCLG Africa as the pilot city of the "African Capitals of Culture" project. The triennial event, which should return to Kigali in 2023, aims to put culture at the center of the development policies of cities on the continent.

Launched in 2014, the "Rabat, cultural capital" project includes various major heritage enhancement projects and the organization of prestigious cultural events such as the recent biennial of contemporary art which brought together more than 140,000 visitors in three months .

© 2020 AFP