Pakistani man's irregular Europe crossing via Morocco thwarted  (Read more...)

US unites Morocco and Algeria in joint naval exercise

The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) is organizing a naval exercise called «Phoenix Express 24» in Tunisian waters from November 4 to 15. The Royal Moroccan Navy is participating alongside other African and European countries, including Algeria, according to Tunisian media reports. The purpose of the exercise is to «strengthen cooperation and coordination between naval crews (...) in combating illegal activities at sea, such as smuggling and human trafficking, to

Morocco expels two Norwegians from Laayoune

On Monday, November 4, Moroccan authorities expelled two Norwegian nationals—a man and a woman—from Laayoune, according to a Spanish newspaper. The pair had arrived in Laayoune to «inquire about the human rights situation» in the Sahara and planned to «investigate» the renewable energy projects Morocco is currently developing in the region. While in Laayoune, they met with members of pro-Polisario associations, including Mina Baali, a new prominent figure

Morocco's exports surge 5.3% to 331 billion dirhams

Moroccan exports maintained their upward trajectory, reaching an estimated total value of 331 billion dirhams (MMDH) by the end of September 2024, Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch announced in Rabat on Monday. Speaking at the monthly oral question session in the House of Representatives on the theme of «the centrality of the foreign trade sector in the development of the national economy». Akhannouch stated that these revenues represented a 5.3% increase in value (+16.8 MMDH)

Morocco's UM6P : First African university to implement ChatGPT Edu

Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) has implemented ChatGPT Edu, becoming the first university in Africa to integrate this AI tool into its academic operations. The deployment, announced on November 4, 2024, aims to enhance educational and administrative functions across the institution. According to a press release from UM6P's Digital Ecosystem Office, the system, powered by GPT-4o from OpenAI, will serve multiple functions within the university. Leah Belsky, OpenAI's General Manager of

Morocco ties Ceuta-Melilla border opening to EU's Sahara recognition, Spanish media says

Morocco «does not intend to open the customs borders in Ceuta and Melilla in the short or medium term», Spanish media reported, attributing this decision to «technical complications». They suggested that Rabat's stance is influenced by the recent cancellation of agricultural and fisheries agreements by the European Court of Justice (ECJ). Diplomatic sources from the Spanish Foreign Ministry confirmed that Morocco's refusal is linked to the ECJ's decision, according to

Netflix's Outer Banks season 4 takes teen adventurers to Morocco

The new adventure of the American action-adventure mystery teen drama television series Outer Banks is taking the cast all the way to Morocco. Aired on Netflix, the trailer for Season 4 Part 2 of the series shows that the next treasure hunt is taking place in the North African Kingdom. Surviving a shipwreck, the gang in the teen series will be traversing sandy dunes and coming under gunfire in North Africa. The trailer shows the adventurers reaching a fortified medina near the beach on the

Moroccan cyclist Mouhcine Kouraji wins 35th Tour du Faso, securing sixth victory for Morocco

Moroccan cyclist Mouhcine Kouraji was crowned the winner of the 35th Tour International du Burkina Faso in Ouagadougou on Sunday, marking Morocco's sixth victory in this international competition. Kouraji received the yellow jersey from Burkina Faso's transitional president, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who presided over the official prize-giving ceremony at the end of the 10th and final stage of this year’s Tour. Kouraji, who won both the first and fifth stages, held on to the yellow

US Embassy accredits Sahrawi MP for November 5 presidential election observation

The U.S. Embassy in Morocco has accredited Sahrawi MP Hajja El Joummani as part of the delegation of international observers for the upcoming U.S. presidential election. This announcement was made on social media by the PAM parliamentarian. «We are currently training in Washington to understand the legal framework and rules governing the elections. Our main role will be to monitor the electoral process in North Carolina on November 5, 2024», stated Hajja El Joummani. For the

Algeria's amendments to UN resolution 2756 revealed by Morocco

Morocco's permanent representative to the United Nations revealed the exact number of amendments Algeria submitted to the U.S. draft resolution on the Sahara. «Out of the 44 paragraphs in the text, Algeria proposed 23 amendments. This is unprecedented. Never before has a Security Council member acted in this manner», noted Omar Hilale in an interview with national TV channel 2M. «They specifically aimed to remove any mention of Algeria as a party and eliminate the

Morocco expels two Norwegians from Laayoune

Moroccan authorities in Laayoune expelled two Norwegians on Sunday, November 3. The two had arrived on Friday, November 1, intending to «conduct investigations» into Morocco's renewable energy projects in the Sahara, according to a Spanish media outlet. During their visit, they met with members of associations affiliated with the Polisario Front to learn more about these projects. The visit followed a recent appeal on October 24 by the Norwegian Support Committee for the Saharawi

Morocco-France : Bourita's message to Algeria

In an interview with the weekly magazine Le Point, the Minister of Foreign Affairs addressed messages to Algeria, especially following the cascade of Algerian reactions in the media and on social networks to Emmanuel Macron's visit to the kingdom. «Morocco does not interfere in the relationships that other countries maintain with Algeria. We focus exclusively on our bilateral relations with our partners, leaving each country free to develop whatever ties it wishes with Algeria. This

Morocco's Sahel strategy : Bourita reveals key success factors

While France is losing ground in the Sahel, Morocco is positioning itself as a trusted partner for these states. The keys to Morocco's approach in this region are drawing interest from certain circles in Paris. «In his Afro-optimist approach, His Majesty King Mohammed VI has always refused to see the Sahel as an inevitability. This is why he has visited Mali four times since 2012, investing heavily in training 500 imams at the Mohammed VI Institute for Imam Training and initiating

Morocco clarifies stance : Renewed Israel ties don't mean government support

The Minister of Foreign Affairs addressed the war being waged by Israel in Palestine during an interview with the weekly magazine Le Point. This comes at a time when a segment of Moroccan public opinion and certain parties are calling for the severance of relations with the Hebrew state. «The resumption of diplomatic relations with Israel in 2020, within the framework of the tripartite Morocco-United States-Israel agreement, does not imply support for the Israeli government's actions.

France : Bourita points out a «loophole» hindering the return of Moroccan unaccompanied minors

Morocco is willing to receive its citizens who are in an irregular situation on French territory. «Today, we are seeking to accelerate the issuance of laissez-passer in coordination with French authorities to ensure rapid identification and facilitate the return of irregular migrants», stated the Minister of Foreign Affairs in an interview with the weekly magazine Le Point. «Following the directives of high Moroccan authorities, consulates have received instructions

Spain Floods: Second fatality among Moroccan community

The Moroccan Consulate in Valencia has revealed a new fatality among Moroccans residing in the region, raising the death toll to two. The first victim, a man born in 1979, was a resident of the town of "Riba-roja" within the consular district of Valencia. His body was found the day before yesterday, according to what the Consul General, Said El Idrissi El Bouzidi, had informed Yabiladi website. El Bouzidi had also confirmed that two cases were transferred to the hospital. The first case is a

Moroccan diaspora remittances surge to 91.5 billion dirhams by September 2024

Remittances from Moroccans living abroad (MRE) reached 91.52 billion dirhams (MMDH) by the end of September 2024, up from 86.99 MMDH in the same period the previous year, according to the Office des Changes. This marks a 5.2% increase (+4.53 MMDH) compared to the first nine months of 2023, as noted in the Office’s recent bulletin on monthly foreign trade indicators. The bulletin also indicates a 2.9% decrease in the services balance surplus, bringing it to nearly 99 MMDH, due to a larger

Air Arabia launches direct flights between Casablanca and Madrid

A new direct air connection between Casablanca and Madrid will begin operations on October 31, 2024. The inaugural flight is scheduled to arrive in Madrid at 19:25. According to Air Arabia's operational schedule, flights will run four times per week, operating on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays. The service will utilize Airbus A320 aircraft on all routes. The flight schedule shows departures from Casablanca varying between 14:05 and 19:30, while departures from Madrid are scheduled

Moroccan activist Fouad Abdelmoumni to face trial under conditional release

Following his arrest, Fouad Abdelmoumni, a Moroccan human rights activist, will face charges under conditional release of «insulting constituted bodies, disseminating false allegations, and reporting a fictitious crime». The Casablanca Court of First Instance has scheduled a trial hearing after completing the necessary interrogations. The Public Prosecutor's Office has assured that the trial will adhere to legal procedures and uphold the principle of presumption of innocence. The