I was not in attendance, but I recall the rural vs. urban conversation. As I recall it, we concluded that “full rural” is too risky. We will need some revenue for the foreseeable future, no matter how much we reduce costs. And most of us (and certainly Edgeryders as a company) depend on being plugged into business-oriented social networks to raise revenue.
Also, in terms of the MENA YP project, being in a city means having access to markets for many B2C projects (example).
@matthias had suggested a “dual” system: cheap accommodation out in some coastal village, but then rent a “shopfront” in a busy area of Essa, or Agadir.