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

The funeral of the two Moroccan soldiers killed in the Central African Republic

The funeral of Master Corporal Abdeljalil Zitouni, soldier of the FAR contingent of the Multidimensional Stabilization Mission of the United Nations in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), who died on the 13th of May while on an escort mission of a UN military engineering team, took place on Sunday in the rural commune of Retba in the province of Taounate. The funeral attended by the commanders of the squares of Fez and Taza, as well as a commission composed of the officers of the General

Bouchra Baibanou : the first Moroccan woman to climb Mount Everest

It is done, the Moroccan mountain climber, Bouchra Baibanou, has finally reached the top of the world aka Everest mountain located at the border separating China and Nepal. The 47-year-old sportswoman ascended 8,850 meters above sea level (29,035 feet) becoming thus the first Moroccan and North African woman to achieve this great challenge. C'est fait ! Bouchra Baibanou a réussi à réaliser son rêve ! pic.twitter.com/Ww3xTZ36Zf — roudhane benhamou (@roudhane)

Panama Canal : the Moroccan phosphate vessel released

The Danish vessel Ultra Innovation that was carrying a load of Moroccan phosphate belonging to OCP and which was detained Wednesday 17th May in the Panama Canal, has finally been released and will be heading to Vancouver, Canada, Media 24 reports based on information provided by a «reliable source». Ultra Innovation was held by local authorities for 48 hours and should be in Vancouver's port by the 1st of June. The 50,000-tons phosphate cargo had been immobilized following a court

Morocco-Algeria : A sandstorm destroys the shelters of Syrian refugees

A sandstorm destroyed the shelters of the Syrian refugees stranded stuck in the Moroccan and Algerian borders. «The sandstorm hit the area yesterday from 7 pm to 9 pm», a source that was present there told us. «This is the second time that this happens, the first time we (local associations) we gave them sheets to rebuild their shelters. But now, we are no more able to give them food. The road we used to take is no longer accessible», adds the same source fearing that

The Arabi-Islamic US summit : Nasser Bourita represents Morocco

More than 50 Arab and Muslim nation leaders will join Donald Trump today 21st of May in Ryad for the first Arab-Islamic US summit. Nasser Bourita, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation is in Saudi Arabia to represent Morocco. Bourita was received by King Salman after joining the participants in a waiting room as broadcasted on the Saudi tv channel Al Arabiya. During the event, the Saudi sovreign has dedicated a good amount of time to Nasser Bourita speaking to him more

More than half of Moroccans say they feel good at work (Survey)

Around 60% of Moroccans declare feeling a certain amount of well-being at work, according to the first national well-being in the workplace survey elaborated by the Moroccan Happiness Observatory. The survey conducted by OpinionWay included answers from almost 1,200 workers from all industries and sectors, aimed to measure the level of well-being of Moroccans in the workplace and identify the factors behind their feeling, indicates the Observatory in a communiqué. On a scale from 1 to

Physical assault of a Moroccan diplomat : Algeria summons the Moroccan ambassador

Algeria has followed the rules, after its embassy's chargé d'affaires was summoned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International cooperation in Rabat, Algiers answered back. Today, its minister in charge of the African Union and the Arab States League, Abdelkader Messahel, has convoked Lahcen Abdelkhalek the Moroccan ambassador, APS reports. The same source claims that the minister has informed the Moroccan diplomat of the «intense protests» of his country following

Italy : Six Moroccans arrested for drug trafficking

Six Moroccans were arrested on the 17th of May on drug trafficking charges in Novara, northwestern Italy, Il Venerdi reports. Two investigations, including a third one initiated in 2015, have led to the arrest of six Moroccans in an irrigular situation. The network was mainly selling hard drugs such as cocain and heroine alongside hashish and marijuana in the forested areas of Italy. In addition to these charges, one of the defendants is accused of attempted extorsion. According to the same

Christopher Ross is no more the UN Secretary General Personal Envoy to the Sahara

The United Nations organization announced on Friday afternoon 19th May that Christopher Ross has officially stopped serving as the UN Personal Envoy to the Sahara since April 30th. «Concerning a question asked during the daily press briefing, we would like to clarify that Mr. Christopher Ross has ceased since 30th April 2017, to assume the role of the Secretary General Personal Envoy to the Sahara», declared Farhan Haq, the UN spokesman to accredited journalists of the UN. Earlier

OCP reacts to the first court hearing on the Moroccan Phosphate cargo in South Africa

The Cherifian Office of Phosphates (OCP) and its subsidiary Phosboucraa broke silence following the seizure of a phosphate vessel in South Africa. The Moroccan leading company reacted to the hearing in the African country indicating that : «the allegations of the petitioners are unfounded and are initiated to divert the international political process». A process that «is handed to the United Nations Security Council», Map news agency reports. «The hearing took

MEBAA promotes its next aviation show in Marrakech

The Middle East Business Aviation Association (MEBAA), is promoting its upcoming event during the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) which will be held in Morocco on September, Flight Global reports. The event unlike 2015, will be organized in Marrakech to host the annual MEBAA show. «The country is close to Europe and the government is promoting itself as the finance centre for the region. It has also become much easier to obtain a license to operate business aircraft

Saint-Lucia : An Algerian diplomat physically assaults his Moroccan counterpart

During the United Nations and decolonization 24 committee reunion held yesterday in Saint Lucia, an eastern Caribbean island, a Moroccan diplomat was «physically assaulted» by his Algerian counterpart, a Moroccan senior official told AFP news agency. The same source states that the aggressor was, «Soufian Mimouni, Director General of the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs”, adding that : «our diplomat has been sent to the hospital, the reunion was interrupted

After South Africa, another Moroccan phosphate ship detained in Panama

A Moroccan Phosphate ship was held yesterday night in Panama by a complaint from the Polisario Front. According to the pro-polisario website Western Sahara Resources Watch, the Danish vessel Ultra Innovation that was carrying a phosphate cargo to Canada «has been detained by a national court». The same source indicates, that the vessel was crossing the Panama Canal shipping around 50 000 tones of Phosphate rocks probably destined for Arguim, a Canadian retail supplier of

Archaeologists want to promote old Islamic sites in Morocco

A group of archeological experts held talks in the capital of Bahrain, Manama to discuss ways of promoting and preserving Africa’s old Islamic sites, Reuters reports. Their meeting took part of the Islamic Archaeology in Global Perspective conference organized in the gulf kingdom. The conference aims to highlight the richness of Islamic archeology sites in the African continent and most particularly Morocco, where volubilis is considered to be one of the most valuable historical

Two major South African companies to increase stake in SAHAM Finances

Sanlam, a South African financial services group along with insurance company Santam are increasing their stake in the Moroccan SAHAM Finances, International Adviser reports.  The two leading South African firms headquarted in Cape Town are boosting their ownership from 30% to 46.6%. Santam and Sanlam first purchased effective stake in SAHAM Finances back in February 2016. «Having identified strong synergies between the Sanlam and SAHAM Groups, we are committed to unlocking

African Development Bank : a major contributor to Morocco's water sector

African Development Bank (AfDB), the supranational development finance institution headquartered in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, has contributed to the financing of Morocco’s water sector by securing installation and providing drinking water to residents of several cities in the Kingdom, Business Standard reports. The AfDB has financed a set of programs that «improved the water supply and distribution systems in 30 Moroccan cities (more than 2/3 of the country's

The World Bank grants a loan to the Moroccan financial sector

The World Bank will give Morocco around USD 350 million to initiate reforms in the local financial sector, reports a communiqué released on Tuesday. This loan would give small and medium companies a chance to benefit from a new set of financial recourses. It will also improve banking supervision and boost the development of the capital markets. In addition, small firms, and more generally the real economy, will ultimately have access to new financing solutions. In the long run,

The Moroccan-Dutch Player Mimoun Mahi to join the national team

The Dutch professional footballer of Moroccan descent, Mamoun Mahi (23 years old) will in the upcoming days join the Moroccan national team, Afrik Foot reports. Mahi has received a invitation to be part of the team in the coming games, confirms Hans Nijland, head of the FC Groningen, where the 23-year-old footballer plays currently.   After granting his team a fruitful season with 17 goals in the Championship, Mahi will debut his career with the Atlas Lions by playing against the