Sidi Ifni

29.366666666667 - 10.183333333333Koordinaten: 29 ° 22 ' N, 10 ° 11' W

Sidi Ifni (Arabic سيدي إفني, DMG Sidi Ifni ) is a situated on the Atlantic Ocean Moroccan coastal town about 160 kilometers southwest of Agadir. Its nickname is the " gateway to the Sahara " (porte du Sahara ). Sidi Ifni is located in the Souss -Massa- Draâ and is a prosperous, especially in recent times, the city with 20,051 inhabitants, according to a calculation for 2010. The main industry of the city has long been the commercial fishing.

History

The current Sidi Ifni bears his city names since its inception by the Spaniards 1934. Was the successor of an originally further south around 1476 under the Governor of the Canary Islands, the Spaniard Diego de García Herrera, applied strategic harbor for the slave-hunting and fishing, called Santa Cruz del Mar Pequeña created.

Although Santa Cruz del Mar Pequeña was then immediately secured by its Spanish conquerors with a fortress, this was after several uprisings by the local population of the tribe of Ait Baamrane already about 50 years later, back in their hands. The Spaniards gave to the place and he was forgotten in the sequence.

A Spanish- Moroccan Treaty of 1767, he was confirmed in content from a later dating from 1860, Spain ceded a falsely another area as a result of the Treaty of Tangier, starting from which Spain could operate fishing and fish trade. 1884, this area became a Spanish colony.

Under Franco, this place in 1934 converted into a military base and founded the city of Sidi Ifni. This new town was the political center of Spanish West Africa and serve the Spaniards as a military garrison.

Using Spanish financing the town developed quickly. After a geometrical master plan of the colonial streets, avenues, central places, barracks, decorative buildings, Hospice and administrative buildings were built in the Art Deco style. Strengthening the infrastructure had highest priority and it soon emerged Airport (International Code: SII), a fortified seaport. Nearly 15,000 Spanish soldiers and military personnel resided in these years with their families in Sidi Ifni. Leisure activities such as cinemas, zoo, coffee shops or casino offered enough variety.

Although the territory around Sidi Ifni was barely pacified properly, Spain was able to keep together with Ceuta, Melilla and the Western Sahara during the Moroccan independence in 1956, Sidi Ifni. The hinterland Sidi Ifnis but was occupied by the Armée de Liberation Marocaine 1957, it came to the Ifni War between Spain and Morocco. In the 1960s, international pressure on Spain increased. Between Franco and Hassan II negotiations that ultimately resulted in the Treaty of Fez from 4 January 1969. Here the end of the Spanish sovereignty was sealed and regulated by the withdrawal of Spanish troops and crew. The territory of Ifni was returned to Morocco. In Sidi Ifni only a few Spaniards remained. A certain degree of fame here Maria Guomez called Mary, who died last Spaniard in 2001 in Sidi Ifni.

Architecture

Sidi Ifni was built by the Spaniards in the 1930s in a very short time. It is not surprising that the old center of the city today acts as a unified whole. Although often poorly maintained or externally changed slightly, the visitor is still revealing the beauty of the entire Art Deco urban design, as it is probably to be found only rarely today. Particularly noteworthy here are the old Admiralty in the Streamline Moderne style, the cathedral (now Court ), the lighthouse, the Governor's Palace, the Twist Club and many residences in the heart of the old town. A particularly fine example is the Spanish course with the adjacent rue Sidi Mohammed, a palm-lined avenue with cubic houses and flowery gardens.

After 2008 it was decided to separate the Provincial Administration of Tiznit and to found a province of Ifni, some of the old building will soon get a new use and they will wake up from their slumber. 2008 also the old center Sidi Ifnis was recognized by Morocco as worthy of protection and reported a protective zone. These first steps indicate a change in Morocco, dealing with the left behind by the Spanish cultural treasures. One problem still persists further: Spain has claimed the task of the Enclave still some plants and buildings in Ifni. This also includes the former consulate and the Cathedral. Because of sensitivities and dissonances between Spain and Morocco, these buildings and equipment could be fed to any new purposes. For the development of the city of Sidi Ifni a solution remains desirable.

Economy

The city's main industry is fishing. Just outside the city eagle fish, sardines, sole, dorado, tuna and many other species are caught. After the end of the only remaining fish factory 2008 fish are now caught even for their own consumption, markets and restaurants throughout the city.

However, now there is a lack of town on employers. Small Commercial and street vendors offer young people vocational little perspective. There is a high unemployment rate, which sometimes leads to greater stresses due to the predominantly young population. Thus caused the closure of the last major local employer, the fish factory, 2008 protests and riots and ultimately led to confrontations with the police.

Economic importance also growing in the hinterland Sidi Ifnis Opuntia and argan trees. Cooperatives produce and market local products, the one produced by Tafyucht near the small village Meesti argan oil and the near Sbouya located Cooperative Aknari makes products from prickly pears.

Another industry is tourism. The nearest international airport of Agadir is 170 km away. From there, there is a bus service.

Sidi Ifni is in close proximity of numerous more or less deserted sandy beaches. Many places have received their ferocity and wildness to this day. Mention may be made especially beaches in Leghzira and Mirleft in the north and at Sidi Ouarzig in the south.

In January 2009 it was decided to raise Sidi Ifni in the status of a province. This will also consider the use of natural and local resources given after due to the new place to be set up in the administration. In addition, the social and economic life is sustainable and develop targeted can.

Culture

The rotated by the Belgian Frédéric Dumont in Sidi Ifni 2009 movie Un ange à la mer ( " Angel at Sea" ) received in the same year the award " Crystal Globe " for the best film on the held for the 44th time Film Festival Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic and the Best Actor Award for Olivier Gourmet. He came in early 2010 in the Belgian cinema.