News Flash

Moroccan business delegation meets New York Stock Exchange executives

A Moroccan business delegation, led by the kingdom’s Ambassador to the united states Youssef Amrani, met with senior executives and major operators of the New York Stock Exchange on Monday. This visit underscores the «new impetus given to the strategic relations uniting the Kingdom and the United States in various fields, including the promotion of capital markets», reads a press release by the Moroccan Embassy. The mission, jointly conducted by the Casablanca Stock Exchange

Itzer Trail returns for sixth edition, celebrating sports, solidarity, and Amazigh culture

The Itzer Trail, a sporting event that blends solidarity and discovery amidst the breathtaking scenery of the Atlas Mountains, is back. Organized by the Youth Initiatives Association in Itzer (ASSIJI), this year's edition marks the association's fifth anniversary, reaffirming its commitment to the Itzer region and its inhabitants. From Friday, May 17 to Sunday, May 19, 2024, running enthusiasts, hikers, and nature lovers will once again gather in the Midelt region to participate in this unique

Africa Finance Corp. joins Morocco-UK subsea power cable project

Africa Finance Corp. (AFC) will join forces with companies working on a massive solar and wind energy project in Morocco that aims to fuel the UK through a subsea power cable network. This announcement was made by AFC's Chief Executive Officer, Samaila Zubairu, during an interview at the International Monetary Fund's Spring Meetings in Washington, Bloomberg wrote earlier this week. «Africa is no longer a continent solely reliant on aid or charity», Zubairu emphasized. «If

Algerian Handball team withdraws from match over Moroccan jerseys

The Algerian under-20 handball team has withdrawn from their match against Morocco on Tuesday, April 23rd, in Casablanca. This occurred on the third day of the sixth edition of the Arab Under-20 Championship, according to Algerian newspaper El Moudjahid. The decision stemmed from the Algerians' refusal to play against the Moroccans, who were wearing jerseys emblazoned with the full map of the Kingdom. Moroccan television channel Al Aoula's evening news broadcast footage showing the Moroccan

Libyan envoy visits Morocco after meeting on alternative Maghreb bloc

Just 24 hours after meeting with the Algerian and Tunisian presidents in Tunis to discuss Algeria's proposal for a Maghreb excluding Morocco, Libyan Presidential Council President Mohamed Younes Al-Manfi sent his brother to Rabat with a written message for King Mohammed VI. Sami Al-Manfi met with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita on Tuesday, April 23rd. Libya's Ambassador to Morocco, Abubakr Ibrahim Attawil, emphasized «efforts aimed at strengthening the Arab Maghreb Union to meet

Sierra Leone reaffirms support for Morocco on Sahara despite Algerian pressure

Sierra Leone's Foreign Minister, Timothy Musa Kaba, has confirmed his country's unwavering support for the Moroccan Sahara. This stance, outlined in a joint statement issued after talks with his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita in Rabat on April 23rd, comes despite recent Algerian pressure. Sierra Leone endorsed «the Moroccan autonomy plan as the only reliable, serious, and realistic solution» to the Sahara dispute. Kaba also welcomed King Mohammed VI's development projects in

WIPO and Morocco discuss intellectual property for zellige

The Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Daren Tang, met, Tuesday, with Morocco's Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, to discuss intellectual property's role in safeguarding cultural heritage and supporting future innovation. «The project we carried out in 2016 on Morocco's famous Zellige tilework, as well as our ongoing collaborations, demonstrate a comprehensive approach to intellectual property», Tang told MAP

Moroccan artisans unite to protect zellige from cultural appropriation

Moroccan artisans and craftsmen are joining forces to protect the art of tile making, known as zellige, from cultural appropriation. The move is part of a colloquium organized by the Rabat-Salé Regional Chamber of Crafts to discuss strategies for safeguarding Morocco's rich cultural heritage. Held in partnership with the Club du patrimoine et des arts and UNESCO, the event, which started Monday, is a platform for Moroccan artisans to express their frustration with attempts to

Dutch-Moroccan drug lord reportedly released in Spain due to mix-up

Dutch-Moroccan drug lord Karim Bouyakhrichan, believed to be a key figure in the notorious «Mocro Maffia» criminal organization, has been released from prison in Spain due to a bureaucratic error, the BBC reported on Tuesday. Arrested in January in Marbella, southern Spain, as part of a large-scale money-laundering investigation, Bouyakhrichan was initially slated for extradition to the Netherlands after a court in Madrid accepted a request by the Dutch authorities. However, a

Fez police arrest suspect in murder and arson case

On Monday, Fez police officers, in collaboration with the DGST, arrested a 45-year-old ex-convict suspected of involvement in a case of voluntary manslaughter and arson. On April 19th, police discovered the charred body of a 41-year-old woman in the El Marja district. An investigation subsequently revealed that the woman had been murdered and her body deliberately burned, likely in an attempt to destroy evidence. Intensive investigations led to the identification and arrest of the main

Italian rock icon Zucchero to close Jazzablanca Festival

Italian singer Zucchero will make his Moroccan debut, closing the 17th edition of the Jazzablanca festival (June 6-8, 2024) on the Casa Anfa stage. The performance is part of his worldwide «Overdose d'Amore» tour. A rock-blues icon with over 40 years of experience and 60 million albums sold, Zucchero is known for his powerful vocals and genre-bending style. Hits like «Senza Una Donna», «Il Volo», and «Così Celeste» have secured his place

1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair to feature Moroccan artist Aidan Marak

Moroccan contemporary artist Aidan Marak will be representing Morocco at the American edition of the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, to be held from May 1st to 4th this year. Marak will exhibit her work at a solo show So Art Gallery at the Starrett-Lehigh Building in Chelsea (New York). So Art Gallery will highlight Marak's captivating world at booth number 27, reads a press release sent to Yabiladi. Educated in art, design, and architecture in Paris and originally from Morocco,

«Escobar of the Sahara» : Agadir appeal court sentences activist Reda Taoujni to four years

On Tuesday, April 23, the Agadir Court of Appeal increased activist Mohamed Réda Taoujni's sentence to four years' imprisonment and a fine of 20,000 dirhams. He was originally sentenced to two years in prison and a 30,000 dirham fine by a lower court. Taoujni was detained following a complaint filed by Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi. The charges included «disseminating and publishing false allegations and facts with the intention of harming or defaming people's private lives,

Morocco's security chief Hammouchi visits Qatar to discuss cooperation

The Director General of National Security and Territorial Surveillance, Abdellatif Hammouchi, led a security delegation on a working visit to Doha, Qatar, from April 21st as part of a regional tour. Hammouchi met with the Head of the State Security Service of Qatar, Abdullah ben Mohammed Al-Khulaifi. Discussions focused on common security challenges, including cross-border crime, terrorist threats, and the regional security implications of global tensions. The visit aimed to strengthen joint

Excluding Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya invite Mauritania to next Maghreb summit

The tripartite summit held in Tunis on Monday, April 22nd, between Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, and Libyan Presidential Council President Mohamed Younes El-Menfi, concluded with a joint declaration. The three leaders agreed to «establish joint task forces» for coordinated efforts, with a participatory approach, to «safeguard the security of common borders against potential risks and fallout from irregular migration and

Video shows Algerians blocked Berkane players from entering pitch

New revelations regarding the cancelled match between Renaissance Sportive de Berkane (RSB) and Union Sportive de la Médina d'Alger (USMA) in the African Football Confederation Cup semi-finals have emerged in the form of a video posted on social media. The footage, which lasts around two minutes, refutes the Algerian version of events. The video shows that the Moroccan players were indeed at the match and were preparing to enter the pitch despite the confiscation of their shirts.

French Interior Minister in Morocco to discuss strengthening cooperation

Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit received his French counterpart Gérald Darmanin in Rabat on Monday. The two ministers met and reviewed issues of common interest and examined ways of further strengthening cooperation in line with the vision of both King Mohammed VI and President Emmanuel Macron for the future of the relationship. Laftit and Darmanin welcomed «the solid foundation represented by security and migration components in the deep and multidimensional bilateral

South America : Human rights group expresses concerns about Polisario actions

During a meeting in Santiago, Chile on April 20, the Human Rights Without Borders collective, composed of NGOs from several countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), adopted a motion regarding Western Sahara. The motion, presented by the Saharawi Association for the Defense of Human Rights, expressed concerns about actions taken by the Polisario Front. A statement sent to Yabiladi reads: «The Polisario Front, an armed organization, continues to act in ways that restrict the