Hosting the 2030 World Cup presents Morocco with a unique opportunity to boost tourism, attract investment, and enhance infrastructure, with projected economic returns of $8-10 billion. However, challenges remain in creating sustainable stadiums, managing debt, and upgrading public services for long-term benefits.
Moroccan-Dutch Abderrahim El M., a former employee of the Dutch National Coordinator for Terrorism and Security (NCTV), is currently on trial in the Netherlands, accused of espionage for the Moroccan secret service. He has pleaded not guilty. El M., who remained silent during interrogations by the Dutch Criminal Investigation Department, stated he was willing to provide a statement to the judge «behind closed doors», as reported by Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant on Monday. The
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank’s Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) announced on Monday a partnership with Morocco’s Tanger Med Port Complex. This partnership aims to expand the truck and passenger terminal of the Moroccan Strategic Hub, IFC said in a statement. IFC’s deal with Tanger Med Port includes a loan of €197 million (including €47 million provided under IFC’s Managed Co-Lending Portfolio Program). This
Samuel Paty, a French teacher, was murdered in 2020 after showing caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad in class. Several individuals, including Moroccans Brahim Chnina and Abdelhakim Sefrioui, are now on trial for their involvement in the events leading up to the murder, facing up to 30 years in prison.
The Israeli liaison office in Morocco has a new head. «Without any public announcement, politician Yossi Ben David, of Moroccan Jewish origin, has taken charge of Israel's diplomatic representation in Rabat», reports Africa Intelligence. «He succeeds diplomat David Govrin, who quickly left with his team following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023», the source notes. Ben David, a 55-year-old member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, has a
The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) is organizing a naval exercise called «Phoenix Express 24» in Tunisian waters from November 4 to 15. The Royal Moroccan Navy is participating alongside other African and European countries, including Algeria, according to Tunisian media reports. The purpose of the exercise is to «strengthen cooperation and coordination between naval crews (...) in combating illegal activities at sea, such as smuggling and human trafficking, to
On Monday, November 4, Moroccan authorities expelled two Norwegian nationals—a man and a woman—from Laayoune, according to a Spanish newspaper. The pair had arrived in Laayoune to «inquire about the human rights situation» in the Sahara and planned to «investigate» the renewable energy projects Morocco is currently developing in the region. While in Laayoune, they met with members of pro-Polisario associations, including Mina Baali, a new prominent figure
Ephedra, an ancient medicinal plant, was used in funerary rituals and possibly for therapeutic purposes by prehistoric communities in Morocco, accoring to a Nature recent study. Fossilized plant remains found in the Grotte des Pigeons indicate the symbolic and medicinal significance of plants among the Iberomaurusians, early hunter-gatherers in North Africa.
Khalid Aboubi, a Marrakech native and cycling enthusiast, explores and documents the history of his city’s streets and neighborhoods, sharing stories and insights through social media. Driven by a passion for history, he relies on both research and local folklore to preserve the city’s heritage.
Morocco «does not intend to open the customs borders in Ceuta and Melilla in the short or medium term», Spanish media reported, attributing this decision to «technical complications». They suggested that Rabat's stance is influenced by the recent cancellation of agricultural and fisheries agreements by the European Court of Justice (ECJ). Diplomatic sources from the Spanish Foreign Ministry confirmed that Morocco's refusal is linked to the ECJ's decision, according to