Can the Moroccan government fulfill its 1 million jobs promise by 2026 ?

Employment, a key pillar of the RNI's 2021 electoral program, could become a major challenge for the upcoming legislative elections in 2026. Recognizing the gap between its promises (1 million jobs in 5 years) and the reality (a loss of approximately 100,000 net jobs over 3 years), the Akhannouch government has unveiled a new strategy with a budget of 14 billion dirhams for 2025. Analysis follows.

Morocco’s Justice Minister targets social media abuses with tougher penalties

The Minister of Justice has launched a new campaign against those who violate the privacy of Moroccans on social networks. «I call on all Moroccans who are victims of attacks on social media to seek justice and financial compensation... because their personal image, reputation, and secrets have been targeted. Justice will address these issues», Abdellatif Ouahbi emphasized on Tuesday at the House of Councillors. «Anyone who commits these acts on social media will

Spanish government pushes Back on PP’s claims linking Morocco to Pegasus scandal

Spain's Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, criticized the People's Party (PP) on Tuesday for persistently accusing Morocco, «without proof», of being responsible for the alleged spying on government officials' phones, including Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. Robles' response came during a parliamentary session in which the PP questioned the status of the investigation into the phone hacking case, reopened last April by Spanish authorities. The PP also implied a connection

Mauritania requests the absence of the Polisario leader at an education congress

Mauritania is hosting an African congress on December 10-11, focused on education and youth employment. Notably absent from the official photo was Polisario leader Brahim Ghali, following a request from the Mauritanian government for him to delegate Polisario's representation to «Minister of Education» Khatri Adouh. This move highlights ongoing diplomatic sensitivities surrounding Ghali's international appearances. Despite his absence, Ghali remained active over the weekend in

Ayoub El Kaabi named 2024 Greek League foreign player of the year

Moroccan international Ayoub El Kaabi was named Best Foreign Player in Greece for 2024. The player was awarded during an awards ceremony, held on Monday in Athens, Greece. The award recognizes El Kaabi's exceptional performance last season, where he played a key role in leading Olympiacos to its first-ever European Conference title—an unprecedented achievement in Greek football history. Expressing his gratitude, El Kaabi shared his joy on Instagram, writing: «Thank God, I am very

Death penalty : Will Morocco's vote in favor of a moratorium pave the way for abolition ?

On December 15, the United Nations will hold a plenary vote on the moratorium on the death penalty. In a historic announcement, Morocco confirmed its support for the resolution for the first time, breaking with its tradition of abstaining in successive votes held every two years. Will Morocco's vote in favor of a this moratorium pave the Way for abolition ?

Polisario threatens Africa Eco Race over passage through Sahara

After three weeks of silence, the Polisario Front has issued threats against the 16th edition of the Africa Eco Race, set to take place from December 29, 2024, to January 12, 2025, with stages in the Sahara and a passage through El Guerguerate en route to Mauritania. «They are responsible for the consequences of entering and crossing Saharan national territory», which the Polisario considers a «war zone». The Front warned, «The Saharawi Republic reserves the

Critical Mineral Resources signs first antimony ore deal in Morocco

Critical Mineral Resources PLC (CMR), a UK-based company focused on the exploration and development of critical mineral resources, has signed its first offtake contract in Morocco to purchase high-grade antimony ore from a small-scale operator, Proactive Investors reported on Tuesday. Through this agreement, the company will acquire all crude ore mined at this Moroccan source, a semi-massive stibnite (antimony sulfide, Sb₂S₃) product. CMR noted that the price of antimony metal has

Human rights groups urge Morocco to release Hirak Rif leader Nasser Zefzafi

Human rights groups have called for the immediate release of Hirak Rif leader Nasser Zefzafi. The Committee for Justice (CFJ), which advocates for victims of human rights violations in Egypt, the Middle East, and North Africa, the US-based NGO Freedom House, and the MENA Rights Group, which focuses on human rights in the Middle East and North Africa, praised the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention’s (WGAD) recently announced opinion qualifying «Zefzafi's detention as

Moroccan cocaine drug lord and Belgium's most wanted man arrested in Dubai

Othman El Ballouti, a Belgian national of Moroccan origin and a major figure in drug trafficking, was arrested in Dubai after being sought by Belgian authorities. He faces multiple charges, including drug trafficking and money laundering, with pending extradition proceedings to Belgium.