Drought and high temperature affect Morocco’s crop for 2020, FAO says

Morocco’s total cereal production for 2020 is expected to stand at about 4.1 million tonnes, one-fourth lower than the previous year’s «already weather-stricken harvest and about 50 percent below average», the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said. In a food security snapshot published, Wednesday, the UN body stressed that drought and high temperatures are behind unfavorable prospects for 2020 crop production in Morocco.   The note explains that «crop

Leaders of political parties have mixed views on a bill to restrict social media use in Morocco

A bill, planning to restrict freedom of expression when using social media platforms, has stirred controversy in Morocco. After internet users rejected it, the bill received mixed views from party leaders in the Kingdom.

The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases jumps to 4,289 in Morocco

37 new confirmed coronavirus cases were recorded in Morocco between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, bringing the total number of covid-19 infections in the kingdom to 4,289, the Health Ministry announced in a recent update. The Ministry indicated that the total number of recovered Covid-19 patients stands at 890, while 167 people have died from coronavirus complications since the start of the outbreak. The suspected cases excluded following negative tests are

Morocco refutes the UN’s allegations on police brutality when enforcing coronavirus lockdown

After the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights referred to Morocco when talking about police brutality in enforcing the coronavirus lockdown, the country refuted the allegations, Reuters reports. The Kingdom’s diplomatic mission in Geneva said that it rejects said allegations, adding that the measures adopted by the country are «in line with the rule of the law in full respect of human rights». «False information on alleged violations shared by some media are

Coronavirus : Morocco records 132 new confirmed cases, 4,252 in total

As of Tuesday afternoon, Morocco recorded 132 new confirmed coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of Covid-19 infections in the Kingdom to 4,252. 26,998 suspected cases have tested negative for the virus so far, Mohamed Lyoubi, head of the epidemiology and fight against infectious diseases department at the Ministry of Health, said during the daily press briefing. Casablanca-Settat, Marrakech-Safi and Fez-Meknes are the regions with the highest number of Covid-19 infections, the

Morocco’s economy to fall by -6.8% during the second quarter of 2020

Morocco’s growth for the second quarter of 2020 is expected to shrink by -6.8% year-on-year. The forecasts were revised by the country’s planning agency after it set growth for the same period at -1.8%, Reuters reports. The forecasts are influenced by the coronavirus crisis and the lockdown that followed the outbreak. During the first quarter of the same year, growth was estimated at 0.7%, the planning agency indicated, referring to a sharp decline.

Harpoon Block II missiles approved by the US for Morocco are the «non-coastal» version

The Boeing AGM-84L Harpoon Block II missiles that the United States approved for Morocco’s Royal Air Force to purchase are the «non-coastal target suppression» version, the US Federal Register revealed on Monday. «This reduction in capability was not mentioned when the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 14 April that the US State Department had approved the sale of 10 AGM-84Ls for an estimated USD62 million for use by the RMAF's F-16 multirole

Dealing with the coronavirus crisis changes norms and widens social precarity in Morocco

In Morocco, dealing with the coronavirus crisis has given birth to several challenges. While authoritarian norms have seen changes, social precarity widened due to efforts made to curb the virus.

The UN warns against the number of arrests made during coronavirus lockdown in Morocco

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that the new coronavirus is «a human crisis that is fast becoming a human rights crisis». Similarly, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet urged several countries to refrain from violating fundamental rights «under the guise of exceptional or emergency measures». «Emergency powers should not be a weapon governments can wield to quash dissent, control the population, and even

Has a controversial bill on curbing the use of social media in Morocco been withdrawn ?

Since it was adopted on March 19, Bill 22.20 has been missing. The text, which was expected to tighten freedom of expression on social media, has not been submitted to Parliament.