The Polisario front criticizes the Minurso «incapability» and slams France for supporting Morocco

Mhamed Khadad, the Polisario’s coordinator with the UN mission for the referendum in Western Sahara has criticized during a conference held in the Canary Islands recently the endeavors of the UN mission. Khadad shed light through his declaration on the «inability» of the Minurso blaming the French for showing support to Morocco.

Morocco and the Palestinian authorities pressure African countries to boycott an Africa-Israel summit

According to Jerusalem Post, Morocco and the Palestinian authorities are pressuring Togo into canceling an Africa-Israel summit scheduled for October in Lomé, the Togolese capital.

Spain : Podemos tackles the import of Western Sahara products

Unidos Podimos, an extreme left party, has called the Spanish government to comply with the verdict issued by the European Court of Justice on the 21st of December 2016. The party wants to prevent the import of sand originating from the Sahara. Details.

Netherlands : Ethnikman, an Electronic Music producer who promotes Moroccan traditional vibes

Ethnikman, or Yassine Arrahil is a Moroccan electronic music producer and DJ living in the Netherlands. His music is a vivid mixture of electronic beats and Moroccan vibes. His love for local music and sound engineering pushed him to go through an adventurous journey moving from Holland to Marrakech and vice versa. Interview.

Netherlands : Moroccan asylum-seeking applications drop according to an official report

The number of Moroccans applying for asylum in the Netherlands has dropped dramatically during the first semester of the current year. The information has been released by several Dutch media platforms. To investigate the drop, a monthly report issued by the Dutch Ministry of Security and Justice was handed over to Yabiladi by the Dutch Embassy in Morocco to have an overview about asylum-seeking trends in the country. 

Throne day : Following the royal speech, political parties remained silent

King Mohammed VI has criticized on Saturday during the throne speech the work of political parties in Morocco and blamed the failure of local officials to quickly implement development projects. For now, political parties have preferred to remain silent as they are being held responsible for the current crisis in the Rif region by analysts.

King Mohammed VI praises the role of law enforcement services and criticizes political parties

Mohammed VI has decided not to follow the rule. His speech on the occasion of the commemoration of the Celebration of the Throne this year has not focused on an enumeration of the accomplishments during the past year. The shadow of the «Hirak» dominated the royal intervention.

Polisario Front : The arrest of the 19  «drug smugglers» angers the Sahrawi tribes

El Othmani’s government seems hardly concerned with the fate of the 19 Saharawis arrested by the Polisario militias, waiting to get enough information about their nationalities. On the other hand, the Polisario is rather doubtful. The Chioukh of the tribes believe that the arrest of these alleged smugglers was not a very smart move.

Moody's : Morocco's largest banks are exposed to different levels of risk while expanding in Africa

Morocco’s largest banks are facing unequal risks following their expansion in Africa. In an analysis issued by Moody’s, the rating agency explains how Attijariwafabank, BCP and BMCE Bank of Africa will be affected differently while establishing themselves in the African market. 

The Economist : Closing borders is harmful to the Moroccan and Algerian economies

The Economist has published an analytical article explaining how the Moroccan and Algerian economies have been affected by the ongoing conflict. Bringing back the Maghreb Arab Union, an aborted project initiated in 1989, the British newspaper believes that «fences» are making both the North African Kingdom and republic poorer.