Morocco expels two Norwegians from Laayoune  (Read more...)

MINURSO : The sit-in held in Mijek has been suspended after the promise of Horst Köhler

The sit-in held by three Sahrawi merchants in front of the MINURSO's headquarters in Mijek has been suspended. The decision was taken after the intervention of the UN mission and the Secretary-General Envoy to Western Sahara Horst Köhler. The UN diplomat said that he would solve the problem after consulting the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the UN Human Rights Council. Köhler promised to work with the two organizations to improve the living conditions of the

The Polisario Front files a complaint against several big French companies

The Polisario has filed lawsuits against several big French companies, says Africa Intelligence. The Front’s lawyer Gilles Devers lodged this morning in Paris complaints against BNP Paribas, Société Générale, AXA, Crédit Agricole, airline company Transavia, Franco-Dutch airline holding company France-KLM, and UCPA, a company that organizes surf competitions in Dakhla. The decision was based on the two rulings pronounced by the Court of Justice of the

Dutch-Moroccan player Ismail H’Maidat to face a four-year prison sentence

Dutch-born Moroccan footballer Ismail H’Maidat can go to jail for four years for being involved in five armed robberies in Belgium, reports Brescia Today on Friday. The public prosecutor in Turnhout requested the sentence, says the same source. The midfielder who was fired by Westerlo in the Belgian First Division B after his arrest will attend his final hearing on Monday, 22nd of October. H’Maidat who played before for Roma is currently in jail after he was arrested on

Morocco admits having «historically» paid Imams operating in Ceuta

The Moroccan government admitted on Thursday, 18th of October, that it had «historically» paid several Imams operating in the Spanish city of Ceuta, when they asked for it, to spread moderate Islam values, says El Mundo quoting Spanish news agency EFE. «What the government has done in the past and what it is still doing now is to respond to the requests of the Moroccan Imams», government spokesperson Mustapha El Khalfi said in a press briefing held after the government

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation denies Hervé Renard’s exit rumors

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation denied on Thursday, 18th of October, Hervé Renard’s exit rumors. The information was confirmed by the body’s spokesperson, Mohamed Makrouf, in a statement quoted by Kooora.com. «These are baseless rumors that I categorically deny», he announced. «We trust coach Renard (...) We have an important match against Cameroon on November the 16th and we are counting on him for the Africa Cup of Nations

Italy expels two Moroccan nationals for Islamic extremism

Italian authorities deported on Thursday, 18th of October, two Moroccan nationals and an Egyptian citizen for Islamic extremism, says the Italian news agency (AGV). The decision was made public by the Italian Interior Ministry which expelled around 106 people for the same reason this year. The 37-year-old Egyptian national was arrested in May near Milan for allegedly «threatening passers-by with a large knife», said the same source. The man also injured a police officer during his

Royal Navy helps boat adrift carrying 54 Sub-saharan migrants off the coast of Saidia

A Royal Navy coast guard assisted on Thursday off the coast of the eastern city of Saidia a boat in trouble that was carrying 54 Sub-Saharan would-be illegal immigrants, a military source said. All the migrants were brought safely to the port of Nador, the source added. On Monday, a Royal Navy coastguard assisted a boat in trouble in the west of the Northern city of Tangier that was carrying 38 Moroccan would-be illegal immigrants and a dead body, a military source said.

Train derailment : Investigation underway to determine actual causes, says El Othmani

In accordance with High royal instructions, a judicial inquiry is under way to determine the real causes of the tragic derailment of a train on Tuesday in Bouknadel (near Rabat), and to establish responsibilities, said, Thursday in Rabat, head of government, Saâd Eddine El Othmani. Opening the weekly Cabinet meeting, El Othmani stressed that the investigation is ongoing in order to establish responsibilities and draw lessons, adding that he was in direct contact with the ministers of

Football : Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou might rejoin Atletico de Madrid

Spanish club Atletico Madrid is currently trying to get Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou back. According to Catalan daily El Mundo Deportivo, the Moroccan international, who has been summoned ten times to play with the Atlas Lions, might rejoin Atletico de Madrid, which he left in 2014. He spent two seasons with the team, from 2012 to 2014, before joining the Zaragoza club. The Moroccan international said he had «a good level» but was not prepared for the competition in a team

Pedestrian border post in Ceuta to be closed for a week to avoid stampedes

Moroccan and Spanish authorities have decided to close the pedestrian border post in Ceuta until Monday, reported Europa Press on Wednesday. The decision was taken to avoid stampedes that occur when people try to cross the borders carrying loads of goods and merch. The same source indicates that more than 2,000 people use the facility every day, adding that women cross the borders on Mondays and Wednesdays while men do the same on Tuesdays and Thursdays. In April, a new initiative was

Migration : Spain’s Josep Borrell urges the EU to reconsider aids granted to Morocco

Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation Josep Borrell said on Wednesday that Morocco «is not well funded when it comes to aids» provided by the European Union to handle migration, reports Europa Press. The senior official has even compared the Kingdom to Turkey, stating that Ankara receives 6,000 million euros while Rabat gets only 50. Borrell’s words are part of a campaign launched by the Spanish government to convince the European Union of

Morocco’s trade deficit grows in the first nine months of 2018

From January to September 2018, Morocco’s trade deficit grew to 152.2 billion dirhams, raising to 8.2 percent compared to last year, reports Reuters quoting the foreign exchange regulator. The country’s imports increased by 9.7 percent, reaching 353.8 billion dirhams while exports accounted for 201.5 billion dirhams. Energy imports, on the other hand, rose to 19.4 percent, 60.5 billion dirhams in the Kingdom. Automotive sector heads Morocco’s exports, raising to 14.6

Sahara : Algeria agrees to attend talks in Geneva

Algeria will attend the talks on Western Sahara, convened by the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara Horst Köhler in Geneva, in December. Algiers' confirmation was announced, Tuesday 16th of October, by the country’s permanent representative to the United Nations Sabri Boukadoum, reports APS. «Algeria, as a neighboring country and an official observer of the peace process, responded immediately and positively to President Köhler's invitation

Morocco’s BCP to expand activities in Africa by acquiring a Mauritius bank

Morocco’s Banque Centrale Populaire wants to acquire banks in four African nations, said Bloomberg on Wednesday. The bank’s objective is to boost the «region’s income contribution», added the same source, indicating that it also wants to generate 30 percent of its income from the African continent in the next two years. «We’re looking for opportunities in Kenya, Rwanda, Ghana and Tanzania in the medium-term. We’re on the right track to reach 30

Amnesty International urges Morocco to overturn the conviction of Nawal Benaissa

In a note published on Wednesday, 17th of October, London-based non-governmental organization Amnesty International urged the Moroccan authorities to «overturn the conviction of Nawal Benaissa», a female figure of the Hirak movement in Al Hoceima. The NGO indicates that Benaissa was «intimidated and harassed» for being part of the unrest which started in Ocober 2016, following the death of fishmonger Mohcine Fikri. Nawal Benaissa was prosecuted for calling Al

Moroccan footballer Hamza Mendyl apologizes after insulting an Atlas Lions fan

Moroccan player Hamza Mendyl has apologized on Sunday on his Instagram for insulting an Atlas Lions fan, reports Belgian daily 7 sur 7. Mendyl who plays as a left-back for Schalke 04 got angry at a fan who criticized his playing techniques at the game that brought the Morocco national football team and Comoros on Saturday, 13th of October. H.Mendyl qui présente ses excuses pic.twitter.com/pbuAhrHjc9 — hafyane.hamid (@hafyanehamid) 14 octobre 2018 The player’s remarks

Migration : A European Union delegation arrives in Morocco

A European Union delegation of senior officials has arrived in Morocco, according to Europa Press. For two days, 17th and 18th of October, the delegation will meet Moroccan officials. The delegation is expected to evaluate the additional help the Kingdom needs to manage the migration crisis. On Monday, by the end of the Council of Foreign Ministers’ meeting, the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy head Federica Mogherini said that the number of migrant arrivals

The 4th committee must part with Moroccan Sahara issue, says Omar Hilale

Maintaining the Moroccan Sahara issue on the agenda of the 4th Committee is in flagrant violation of the UN Charter and it is for this reason that this UN body must part with this issue, Morocco's permanent representative to the United Nations, ambassador Omar Hilale, said Tuesday in New York. «The Moroccan Sahara is indeed the only issue that continues to be discussed and to be subject to a resolution by the 4th Committee, while the Security Council has been engaged with this issue