A solution for the refugee problem#

Morroco has a population of about 33 million people, distributed over an area of 450.000 sq km. This amounts to an average population density of less than 75 per sq km, and most people are concentrated in the major cities (Casablanca; Rabat; Fez; Marrakech; Agadir). I.e. there are large areas not too far from the ocean that are basically unpopulated.

One such place would be a 100 x 100 km area of land West of Marrakech, almost devoid of population, with a sandy soil that is dry and not fertile.

I suggest the European Union leases this area of 10.000 sq km for a period of 99 years from Morocco for a substantial sum as the British did with Macao or Hong Kong (say, 500 million Euros per year), providing for this money hospitals, medical aid and schools in the rest of the country.

The 100 x 100 area might be called NM (for New Morocco): Rather than paying huge sums to Turkey the EU builds a pipeline for pumping ocean water to NM (some 20 km) crossing the only major road. It builds a large photovoltaic installation (here it makes sense: 10 hours sunshine per day on the average!) for the pumps, the desalination, and more.

It is well known that adding Nitrogen to CO2 with water and energy (from the photovoltaic cells) and some bacteriae a fermentation process can be started to produce protein (much like Soya), i.e. providing basic food and reducing the CO2 in the air (!). <Yes, this is what we need, methods to use the CO2 rather than treating CO2 as our enemy>. More on this in another contribution).

Also, hospitals, schools and simple housing (many underground like in parts of the desert areas of Australia to escape the heat of summer, like in Coober Pedy).

Any migrant now desperate in Syria, Turkey or at European borders is transported there, gets 15 litres of potable water a day, enough for cooking, cleaning, water for some animals (sheep, chicken, goats) and the wastewater for small vegetable patches. To further help, repair shops and shops for producing simple products by hand are built. Of course even the Weizäcker/Radermacher scheme to produce CO2 neutral methanol that can be used in cars like gasoline and will be an export commodity highly appreciated is possible, see Methanol Technology.

All this under a democratic elected regime, with a declaration of human rights every newcomer has to accept. NM is thus the place for some 10 million people, different settlements for refugees for Afghanis, Syrians, etc. to avoid unnecessary conflict. NM becomes a blossoming new country with an economy that will start to export products and be a example what can be done.

This is a better way to help refugees and African countries, where money given to governments tends to disappear rapidly in the Swiss bank accounts of the ruling oligarchs or tyrants.

You think Morroco will not go along? Ok, there are many alternatives in Africa and other parts of the world quite happy to go for such a deal.