Morocco's Arrabet and Skaleet partner for a new neo-bank offering in Africa  (Read more...)

Safi customs destroy 8.1 tonnes of cannabis resin in major drug bust

On Thursday, the Safi customs authorities incinerated 8.1 tonnes of Chira (cannabis resin) along with other prohibited products recently seized by customs officers, the Royal Gendarmerie, and the judicial police. The destruction operation, conducted at a facility in the rural commune of Had Hrara, approximately 35 km from Safi, also involved 858 kg of kif, 1,240 psychotropic tablets, 0.5 grams of cocaine, 120 grams of powdered tobacco, and 100 grams of leaf tobacco. In a statement to MAP,

Morocco's 2024 census completed : A cost-effective approach with reduced refusal rates

The High Commissioner for Planning, Ahmed Lahlimi, has announced the successful completion of the General Census of Population and Housing (RGPH 2024). He highlighted that all the census data had been securely stored in the institution's data management center. During a press conference in Rabat on Thursday, Lahlimi explained that HCP executives had centralized the information collected via tablet computers used by census workers, which were later handed over to the Ministry of National

Antonio Guterres : Small drones flew over FAR units in the Sahara

In his report on the situation in Western Sahara, submitted to the Security Council on October 1, UN Secretary-General António Guterres revealed that drones had flown over positions held by the Royal Armed Forces. «The FAR reported, on 14 occasions to MINURSO, flights over its units by small, unmanned surveillance aircraft in the area of Oum Dreiga», located approximately 280 km east of Dakhla, the Portuguese stated in paragraph 40 of his report. The Secretary General did

OCP Africa signs agreement with Malian Ministry of Agriculture

OCP Africa, a subsidiary of the OCP Group, signed a partnership agreement with the Malian Ministry of Agriculture, supported by the World Bank, in Bamako on Wednesday. «This partnership aims to enhance soil health and fertility, support sustainable agriculture through concrete actions, including soil mapping for optimized agricultural practices, the development of Agricultural Service Centers for farmers, and the promotion of young and female entrepreneurship in agri-tech», said

Mall du Carrousel celebrates grand opening in Rabat

The Mall du Carrousel, a groundbreaking shopping and entertainment complex, officially opened its doors in Rabat's Le Carrousel development, on Thursday, October 3, 2024, according to a press release. The 30,000 m² open-air mall features over 100 retail outlets, a multiplex cinema, children's entertainment spaces, and a food court, surrounded by green spaces and parking facilities. The 600 million dirham project, designed by L35 and Traces architectural firms and constructed by Bymaro,

Sahara : De Mistura visits the Tindouf camps

Staffan de Mistura, the UN Secretary-General's personal envoy for Western Sahara, arrived at Tindouf airport in Algeria in the early hours of Thursday, October 3. He then traveled to the Tindouf camps to meet with the Polisario leader. This visit raises questions, especially since the UN envoy had already met with Mohamed Ammar, Polisario's coordinator for MINURSO, in New York on Monday, September 30. Ammar reiterated the group's rejection of any compromise-based solution. De Mistura also held

Morocco monitors situation of Moroccans in Lebanon, studies all possible scenarios

The crisis cell established by the Moroccan Embassy in Beirut, following recent Israeli bombings on Lebanon, is «monitoring the situation of the Moroccan community residing in Lebanon around the clock», sources close to the matter told Yabiladi on Thursday. While maintaining «direct contact» with members of the Moroccan community, the crisis cell is prepared to «respond to developments in the situation and take necessary measures», the sources added. The

Regragui reveals Morocco squad : Ziyech and Diaz absent for Central African Republic match

National team coach Walid Regragui announced on Thursday the final list of players summoned for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against the Central African Republic on October 12 and 15 at the Honneur Stadium in Oujda. The qualifiers are for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations finals, set to be hosted by Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026. Regragui's list saw the absence of Hakim Ziyech due to a back muscle injury suffered during the last international break,

Four Moroccans escape a Madrid airport asylum center

Four Moroccan migrants seeking asylum in Spain escaped from Hall 3 of the Madrid airport asylum center on Wednesday, according to sources within the Spanish Ministry of Interior. Despite «exhaustive search efforts, the National Police was unable to locate the individuals, and an investigation has been launched to clarify the circumstances surrounding their escape», the same source stated. A similar incident occurred last month in the same hall in Terminal 1, where a group of

South Korean tire manufacturer Hankook expands in Morocco with new subsidiary

Premium tire manufacturer Hankook has announced the opening of its sales subsidiary in Morocco, marking a significant step in its Africa expansion plan, the company stated in a press release on Thursday. Hankook will be offering a wide range of innovative, high-quality products, backed by global research centers, numerous patents, and advanced technological developments, it said. Don Yi Jeon has been appointed as Managing Director of the new Moroccan subsidiary. He previously oversaw the

Queen Máxima honors Moroccan fashion at Utrecht exhibition

Queen Máxima of the Netherlands attended the MODA exhibition at the Central Museum in Utrecht on Wednesday. This exhibition showcases Moroccan fashion and is open to the public until March 2, 2025. During the exhibition, Queen Máxima spoke with designers about their work and inspiration. She also met other creators from MODA and Central Museum staff. «With MODA, we aim to convey the energy of contemporary makers with a connection to Morocco», said Ninke Bloemberg,

Moroccan professor Mimoun Azzouz leads gene therapy innovation at Sheffield University

The British University of Sheffield (270 km north of London) has launched the Gene Therapy Innovation and Manufacturing Centre (GTIMC), led by Moroccan professor Mimoun Azzouz. The center of excellence, inaugurated on Wednesday in the presence of Princess Anne, sister of King Charles III, aims to advance the clinical development of new genetic treatments through the production of clinical-grade vectors, alongside translational support and regulatory advice. During the inauguration ceremony,

Government announces financial aid for flood victims in southeast Morocco

Financial aid of 80,000 and 140,000 dirhams will be granted to families whose homes were partially or completely destroyed by the floods in the southeast of the Kingdom, Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch announced on Wednesday in Rabat. In a press statement following the first meeting of the Inter-ministerial Commission responsible for the rehabilitation program for flood-affected areas, Akhannouch emphasized that this financial aid reflects the Sovereign's care for the affected populations.

Morocco extends emergency aid for earthquake-affected families by five months

The emergency aid payments of 2,500 dirhams to families whose homes were partially or totally destroyed in the Al-Haouz earthquake will be extended by five months to allow families to fully rehabilitate their homes, Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch announced on Wednesday in Rabat. In a statement following the 12th meeting of the inter-ministerial commission responsible for the reconstruction and rehabilitation program in the disaster-affected areas, Akhannouch explained that this extension

Morocco's BCP and Tanger Med launch blockchain payment platform for logistics

The Banque Centrale Populaire (BCP) and Tanger Med Port Authority (TMPA) have signed a contract to implement the «Blockchain Payment Gateway» platform, which will serve the port and logistics ecosystem, according to a press release from BCP. The signing ceremony took place on September 27, 2024, during BCP's participation in the Tanger Logistics Days. The event marks the commitment of both entities to develop payment solutions for port operators, importers, freight forwarders, and

Four arrested in Agadir for sexual assault of foreign teen

Four people, including two minors, were arrested on Wednesday in Agadir for their involvement in the sexual assault of a 15-year-old foreign national. The victim was visiting the city with her family, according to a statement from the Agadir Security Directorate. The arrests followed a tip-off from a citizen regarding the suspected sexual assault of a foreign girl in the coastal strip. Police officers immediately intervened, leading to the arrest of the four suspects shortly after the crimes

Morocco's Agriculture Ministry, Huawei team up for digital transformation

On Tuesday, October 1, 2024, Morocco's Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests, Mohammed Sadiki, signed a partnership agreement with David Li, General Manager of Huawei Morocco, to develop techniques and technologies applied to agriculture. The signing ceremony took place on the sidelines of the 15th edition of the El Jadida Horse Show and was attended by professionals and several officials from the ministry, according to a press release from the

Morocco inaugurates renovated consular section in Washington

Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs, inaugurated the newly renovated consular section of the Moroccan Embassy in Washington on Tuesday. «Improving consular services is a top priority for the Kingdom to meet the growing expectations of the Moroccan community for efficiency, speed, and effectiveness», emphasized the Minister during the event. The renovated consular section, housed in a historic building, features a complete overhaul of its infrastructure and facilities.