When Morocco broke free from the French, the United States of America decided to strengthen diplomatic relations with Rabat. The country raised the level of its representation in the Kingdom and recognized the King’s sovereignty over Tangier.
On the 14th of January 1943, three years before World War II, the U.S. President, Franklin Roosevelt decided to summon the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and French generals Henri Giraud and Charles de Gaulle for an international conference in Casablanca. The famous Anfa conference lasted for 10 days and was marked by several military decisions. The Moroccan city was also home to a historical meeting between Sultan Mohammed Ben Youssef and Franklin Roosevelt.
Separatism in Spain is certainly more frequent in Catalonia than in other parts of the country. But surprisingly, a far-left political formation in the neighbouring country has promoted for «the Andalusian Republic», a territory that includes the north of Morocco.
The Spanish government is determined to suspend Catalonia’s autonomy, to restore the «constitutional order», according to Mariano Rajoy, Spain’s Prime Minister. Meanwhile, the two major political parties in the country, Cuidadanos and PSOE, support article 155 of the constitution that allows Madrid to take over running of the region. Strangely, the two parties that have backed in the past the Polisario Front refuse to show Catalans the same kind of support.
Two days after the Catalan independence referendum, King Felipe VI of Spain accused the regional government of Catalonia of «violating the constitution» of the country and undermining «the harmony and coexistence in the Catalan society». On the other side of the Meditteranean, the king’s speech was welcomed by Moroccan officials as he insisted on unity and national sovereignty.
The 2017 Catalan Independence Referendum set for the 1st of October is very important to Morocco. Hundreds if not thousands of Moroccans living in the region will have to take part of this decisive event. How do Moroccans living in Catalonia perceive the referendum ? Are they for the independence of the region ? Two questions among others that Yabiladi asked Mohamed Chaib, a politician, community actor, and a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party. Chaib was the first MP of
After publishing two videos in which she affirms her support for the Iraqi Kurdistan Independence and calls for the death of Arabs, Malika Mezzane was arrested on Sunday in Rabat by the judicial police. The Amazigh poet and activist, held currently in custody, will be brought before the King’s prosecutor.