Algeria and the Polisario denounce the opening of an Ivorian consulate in Laayoune

As usual, Algeria and the Polisario Front have reacted to the opening of an Ivorian consulate in Laayoune. On Tuesday, the Algerian Foreign Ministry said that the decision is «a flagrant transgression of international law» and a «violation of the commitments under the Constitutive Act of the African Union (AU)». Similarly, the Polisario Front described the opening of a consulate of Cote d’Ivoire in Laayoune as «an act of aggression against the Saharawi

At least 14 killed as boat overloaded with migrants capsizes near Morocco

Fourteen people, including two children, died while trying to reach the Canary Islands, Spanish newspaper La Provincia wrote on Tuesday, quoting an NGO called «Watch the Med». These migrants were near the Moroccan coast when their boat capsized. The Royal Moroccan Navy rescued fourteen other migrants after a Moroccan fisherman alerted the authorities, survivors told the NGO. Spanish activist Helena Maleno, founder of the NGO «Caminando Fronteras», told the Spanish news

Morocco’s foreign minister Nasser Bourita visits Mauritania to dispel misunderstandings

Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita visited Mauritania, Tuesday. In Nouakchott, he was received by his counterpart Ismail Ould Cheikh. The Minister is expected to also meet Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani. According to Mauritanian newspaper Anbaa.info, the visit is «meant to dispel misunderstandings», referring to the Moroccan Foreign Ministry’s recent statement on ties with Mauritania. In February 4, Bourita said during a House of Councilors’ meeting

UK : An irregular immigrant can’t return to Morocco because no one knows who he is

An irregular immigrant, who says he is from Morocco, is unable to return home because the British and Moroccan authorities have no idea who he is, Mirror UK reported on Tuesday. Abdelhadi Bahou-Jabour, 22, was arrested for attacking a man who had allegedly «racially abused him in a nightclub» in Leicester City Centre, UK. Bahou-Jabour told the judges that he possesses a fake identity card. His lawyer said that Bahou Jabour wants to return to Morocco, where his

A court confirms four-year prison sentence against Moroccan YouTuber Moul Kaskita

An appeal court in Settat confirmed, Tuesday, a four-year prison sentence against Moroccan YouTuber Mohamed Sekkaki, also knowns as «Moul Kaskita».   The Settat-based YouTuber was sentenced to four years in prison and fined 40,000 dirhams, despite having apologized to the King and the public for the video he had been tried for, Arabic-language newspaper Al3omk reports. After a series of hearings, Moul Kaskita, was sentenced by a first instance court, in December, to four

Human rights situation in Morocco marked by a «crackdown against activists», Amnesty says

On Tuesday, Amnesty International said that Morocco «harassed journalists, bloggers, artists and activists for expressing their views peacefully» in 2019. The NGO’s statement is part of an annual report on the human rights situation in the MENA region.

Ceuta and Melilla want an independent economic model that does not rely on Morocco

To cope with the «threat» of Morocco, the presidents of Ceuta and Melilla are now betting on the financial support of Spain’s central government. The two cities are calling for an independent economic model like the one adopted in Morocco.

Morocco launches tender to import US-origin durum wheat

Morocco’s national grains agency, known as ONICL, has launched a tender to import 354,000 tons of U.S.-origin durum wheat, European traders told Reuters on Monday. The operation, if completed, is to be done under a preferential tariff import quota, the news agency added. The tender will be closed on March 5. According to the same source, Morocco wants the shipments to arrive by May 31, traders added. For the record, Morocco approved a decree in December 2019, suspending customs

Moroccan cyclist El Mehdi Chokri resigns from Israel Start-Up Nation and joins AC Bisontine

Moroccan cyclist El Mehdi Chokri is not the «first Arab and Muslim cyclist» to join Israel Start-Up Nation, a team launched in November 2014 with the aim of developing young cyclists, especially from Israel. According to Be-celt, Chokri will join AC Bisontine, in France, after he resigned from the Israeli team. The decision was taken after he announced earlier in 2020 that he had joined the Israel Cycling Academy, known currently as Israel Start-Up Nation. «Due to personal

To Benjamin Netanyahu, «only 10% of Israel’s relations with Arab countries are known»

To Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s relations with Muslim and Arab countries are not known to the public. Speaking at the annual leadership mission of the Conference of President of Major American Jewish Organizations, Sunday, Netanyahu revealed that «only 10% of Israel’s relations with Muslim countries are known», addressing his «efforts» to deepen ties with several states in the Middle East. During the same event, he stressed that