A 47-year-old Moroccan, subject to an international arrest warrant issued by Morocco, was arrested Monday in Monza, northern Italy. The suspect is accused of managing a network facilitating irregular migration to Italy, local media reported. Investigators believe that in 2021 the arrestee received money from people he promised to help enter Europe irregularly, sometimes failing to fulfill his promises. The man was convicted before in similar cases. In 2018, he was sentenced to 8 months in
International hotel chain Radisson is planning to boost its presence in Morocco ahead of the 2030 World Cup. The hotel chain’s ambitious plan consists of increasing the number of properties it owns in Morocco to 25, it said Monday in a press release. Radisson currently manages 11 properties in the Kingdom. Radisson will mostly focus on the cities of Casablanca and Marrakech, with plans to open properties in other destinations, such Rabat, Tangier, Agadir and Fez. «The introduction
Spain's Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Luis Planas, said on Monday that the European Union is prepared «for any scenario» regarding the EU-Morocco fisheries agreement, as the Court of Justice might annul the deal. «We shouldn't prejudge the situation», Planas told EFE from Bruges, Belgium, where EU fisheries ministers are discussing the sector's future. «But we are ready, and both the Council and the Commission are working on potential
Morocco and the European Commission held a new session of political consultations Monday in Rabat. In a post on X, Twitter formerly, the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that discussions «focused on the bilateral agenda and political issues of common interest». The Brussels delegation was led by Hélène Le Gal, the former French ambassador to Morocco and current Director General for the Middle East and North Africa at the European External Action Service
King Abdullah II of Jordan bestowed the Silver Jubilee Medal on players and staff of the national football team in an audience held Monday. Moroccan coach Houcine Ammouta, who manages the Jordanian national football team, was also honored during the event. According to the Jordanian News Agency, the recognition comes in appreciation of the team’s «exceptional efforts in reaching second place at the Asian Cup, which was hosted by Qatar». The Jordanian king, commended the
Morocco will establish a new 283-hectare industrial zone dedicated to electric car battery production. The zone, expected to generate 4,000 jobs, has already attracted three initial investments totaling approximately USD $2.3 billion, according to Industry and Trade Minister Ryad Mezzour. «This is the first time Morocco has established an industrial zone specifically for electric battery manufacturing», Mezzour told Al Sharq. He added that the first investments, including a joint
The UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, landed in London, where he held talks with British Minister of State for Foreign Affairs for South and Central Asia, North Africa, the UN and the Commonwealth, Lord Ahmad Tariq. «The UK continues to support Staffan de Mistura and MINURSO, and encourages constructive engagement with the UN-led political process», Lord Tariq wrote on his X account. De Mistura's visit comes after trips to South Africa
The Royal Moroccan Navy is planning to carry out military maneuvers in Moroccan Atlantic waters from March 29 to June 28. The news of naval forces sailing 120 kilometers off the Canary Islands has put Iberian media on high alert. On March 19, two days before the publication of the EU court Advocate General’s opinion on the Morocco-EU agreements, orders were given to fishing boats to avoid the areas where these naval exercises will take place. In Spain, on Monday, March 25th, the Popular
Renewable energy utility ACWA Power International reported a storage breakdown at one of its solar power plants in Morocco on Sunday. According to a Reuters report quoting a company statement on the Saudi Stock Exchange website, the breakdown will cost the firm an estimated $47 million. The 150-megawatt Noor III plant, part of the Noor Ouarzazate solar complex, will be inactive until November 2024 due to the issue. This is not the first problem at the Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) plant. In
The United States’ ambassador to Morocco lauded the strong will of Moroccan activist Rabha El Haymar, who was recognized as the 2024 International Woman on Courage for campaigning for the rights of children deemed illegitimate. «She is an extraordinary woman», said Ambassador Puneet Talwar, Saturday, in an interview with state-owned channel 2M. Speaking about the month of March, as Women's History Month in the US, the diplomat congratulated El Haymar for «her