Moroccan consumer prices dip, but core inflation rises in January

Morocco's cost of living edged down slightly in January, with the consumer price index (CPI) falling 0.6% compared to December, the High Commission for Planning announced. This drop was driven by a 0.9% decrease in food prices, while non-food items saw a smaller 0.3% decline. Vegetables led the way with a 9.6% drop in price, followed by pharmaceuticals (4.9%) and fuels (2.4%). However, fish and seafood (4.7%), fruits (0.6%), and other categories like coffee, tea, cocoa, and meat saw slight

Morocco's International Agricultural Show excludes Israel amidst war on Gaza

This year's International Agricultural Show in Morocco (SIAM 2024) will proceed without official Israeli participation. During a press conference on February 21st, Agriculture Minister Mohamed Sadiki confirmed Israel's exclusion without further comment. This decision follows Israel's ongoing military operation in the Gaza Strip, which began in October 2023 and has resulted in over 29,000 casualties according to Palestinian authorities. Morocco has reaffirmed its «unconditional

Sanchez hails Morocco-Spain trade development, announces €45 billion public investment plan

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez commended the «positive development» of trade between Morocco and Spain during his visit to the kingdom on Wednesday. «Spain is a reference partner for Morocco, with planned public investments of 45 billion euros by 2050», Sanchez declared in a press statement. The two countries, along with Portugal, will jointly host the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Sanchez sees as a «great opportunity to consolidate the friendship between the

BCP awarded «Best Moroccan Bank in Trade Finance» for third year

Global Finance magazine has once again recognized BCP as the «Best Moroccan Bank in Trade Finance», marking the third consecutive year the group has received this prestigious award. Announced during the «Global Finance Awards» held in Frankfurt alongside the BAFT Bank to Bank Forum, this trophy further solidifies BCP's international leadership position in the trade finance arena, a press release by BCP said on Wednesday. Beyond the accolade itself, the award highlights

Spanish judges challenge Laayoune's «Moroccanness» in Official Bulletin

Ahead of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's expected visit to Rabat this Wednesday, the pro-Polisario lobby has raised a new concern. The International Association of Judges for Western Sahara (IAJWS) has urged Minister of Culture and Sports, Ernest Urtasun de Sumar, to revoke the recognition of Laayoune's Moroccan status, as recorded in an edition of the Official State Gazette (BOE), El Independiente reports. The IAJWS claims the document «contained a material or factual error, by

Six years of drought cripple Morocco, before-and-after images show devastating effects

A recent EU report highlights Morocco as one of the Mediterranean countries hardest hit by drought, with striking before-and-after satellite images from January 2023 and 2024 starkly showcasing the impact.

French Foreign Minister to visit Morocco on February 25, signaling French-Moroccan relations thaw

French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné's planned visit to Morocco on February 25 signals a warming trend in bilateral relations following a period of strain, according to Africa Intelligence. This visit, alongside recent positive developments, could lead to a trip by President Emmanuel Macron before next summer. Princesses Lalla Meryem, Lalla Asmae, and Lalla Hasnaa's recent luncheon with Brigitte Macron at the Elysee Palace further underlines this

Death of third Moroccan worker in Florence collapse brings toll to five

Four days after the tragic collapse of a new Esselunga supermarket in Florence, firefighters sadly recovered the body of Bouzekri Rachimi, a 56-year-old Moroccan worker, on Wednesday. This grim discovery marks the fifth life lost in the devastating accident, confirmed by PrimaPress. Rachimi becomes the third Moroccan victim, joining Mohamed El Farhane, 24, and Taoufik Haidar, 43, who previously perished in the incident. With three others injured, the human cost of the collapse adds up to five

EU Food Alert System detects Norovirus in Moroccan strawberries

The European Union's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) reported finding Norovirus genotype II in Moroccan strawberries on February 14th. This highly contagious virus causes vomiting and diarrhea, prompting the European Commission to classify the finding as «a potentially serious risk». According to the RASFF notification, the contaminated strawberries were sampled on January 31st and likely no longer available on the market. Spain, the recipient country, notified RASFF

Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez to meet King Mohammed VI during Morocco visit

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, currently visiting Morocco, will be received by King Mohammed VI in the coming hours, public broadcaster 24 Horas reported, citing official Moroccan sources. The Prime Minister's agenda reportedly includes a lunch with the King and a press briefing. Notably, the Spanish government previously declined to confirm any such meeting. The last encounter between the two leaders occurred on April 7, 2022, marking the rapprochement between Rabat and Madrid after a