Sahel : Morocco boosts military alliance with Burkina Faso  (Read more...)

EU Stance on Western Sahara unchanged despite France's move

Following France's announcement of its recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara, the European Union (EU) reiterated on Wednesday that its position on the issue remains unchanged. «It is the responsibility of each member state to react based on its own positions», the EU foreign affairs spokesperson said on Wednesday. «The EU's common position on this issue remains unchanged». The EU continues to support UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and his envoy for

French Socialist Party criticizes Macron's recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Sahara

The French Socialist Party (PS) has spoken out about French President Emmanuel Macron's decision to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara, condemning the «hasty diplomatic shift without consulting parliament» and reaffirming its commitment to a foreign policy that «respects international law, human rights, and the self-determination of peoples». «Like many other French citizens, we observed a letter addressed to King Mohammed VI on the occasion of

FIFA unveils Morocco-Portugal-Spain 2030 World Cup bid details

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) revealed the details of the Morocco-Portugal-Spain 2030 World Cup bid on Wednesday, just days after it was submitted by the three countries in Paris. The bid file includes a map showing Morocco in full alongside Portugal and Spain. Spain proposed 11 stadiums, Portugal proposed three, and Morocco nominated six: Tangier, Fez, Marrakech, Agadir, Casablanca, and Rabat. According to FIFA, the Agadir stadium will have a capacity of

Macron informed Tebboune of France's shift on Sahara weeks before official announcement

France’s recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara continues to provoke strong reactions from Algerian officials. This morning, Algeria's Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf revealed that President Emmanuel Macron informed President Abdelmadjid Tebboune of France's shift in position on the Sahara conflict on June 13, during the G7 summit in Italy. Attaf added that Tebboune «responded to his French counterpart in a very strict, firm, and precise

Morocco's central bank reports 3.9% increase in money supply for 2023

Money supply (aggregate M3) reached 1,750.8 billion dirhams (MMDH) in 2023, reflecting a 3.9% increase year-on-year, according to Bank Al-Maghrib's (BAM) recent annual report on the economic, monetary, and financial situation. By component, sight deposits with banks rose by 6.8%, while term deposits and foreign currency deposits decreased by 10.9% and 12.7%, respectively. Additionally, banknotes in circulation continued to grow robustly, with an increase of 10.9%. However, securities held by

LG Energy Solution considers Morocco for new battery production plant

LG Energy Solution Ltd., a battery company based in Seoul, South Korea, is considering Morocco as a site for constructing a battery production plant. «Morocco is a key candidate for this expansion due to its strategic location and growing industrial capabilities», said Wonjoon Suh, head of LGES’s advanced automotive battery division. In an interview with Reuters earlier in July, Suh mentioned that in addition to Morocco, LGES is also considering Finland and Indonesia as

Paris Olympics : Moroccan boxer Khadija El Mardi advances to quarter finals

Moroccan boxer Khadija El Mardi qualified on Wednesday for the under 75 kg category quarter finals at the Paris-2024 Olympic Games. El Mardi bested Britain's Chantelle Reid in the last 16 on a 3-2 judges' decision. On Tuesday, Moroccan pugilist Widad Bertal qualified for the under 54kg category quarter finals, defeating Thailand's Jutamas Jitpong on a judges' decision (3-2). Meanwhile, her fellow countrywoman Yasmine Mouttaki was eliminated in the under 50kg quarter finals by the

King Mohammed VI invites President Macron to Morocco following France's stance on Sahara

One day after France officially recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara in a letter from President Emmanuel Macron, King Mohammed VI responded with a letter expressing appreciation for Paris's «clear and strong position on the Moroccan Sahara». In his letter sent on Wednesday, July 31, the Moroccan monarch thanked President Macron for his «personal commitment to strengthening the partnership between our two countries». «I fully appreciate the clear

A Moroccan-Dutch tax expert challenges NATO Secretary General appointment

Moroccan-Dutch tax specialist and legal advisor Karim Aachboun is seeking to prevent former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte from becoming NATO Secretary General. Aachboun, who has initiated legal action against NATO and Rutte, is aiming to stop Rutte's appointment to avoid him gaining immunity through his new role. Aachboun has two lawsuits against Rutte in the Netherlands: one related to a controversy over allowances and another concerning the death of a Dutch woman in Gaza in October

Israeli man in Morocco divorces wife via zoom in unprecedented case

In an unprecedented move, an Israeli man living in Morocco divorced his wife, who resides in Israel, via Zoom. According to Israeli media, the couple, married for over a decade, had been living separately, with the husband residing in Morocco and the wife in Israel. The wife sought a divorce through the Israeli Family Court and the Rabbinical Court, but the husband reportedly refused to grant the divorce because she lived in Israel. The Agunot Division of the Rabbinical Courts Administration

Morocco FM : France's Sahara stance reflects years-long shift

Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita stated on Tuesday that France’s new position «embodies clear and effective support for Morocco's sovereignty over the Sahara», highlighting that this «important» shift demonstrates that «the autonomy plan is the final solution to this conflict». In an interview with the Spanish news agency EFE, Bourita noted that France's shift regarding Western Sahara «not only supports autonomy» under Moroccan

British tourist with milk allergy dies in Morocco after consuming dairy product

A British tourist vacationing on the outskirts of Marrakech passed away on Monday, July 29th, after consuming a dairy product, according to the local online newspaper Kech24. The woman was staying at a hotel in Sidi Brahim, an oasis town near Marrakech, when she experienced severe nausea and vomiting. She was transferred to a private clinic in Marrakech, where she unfortunately passed away. Reports suggest that she may have accidentally consumed milk or its derivatives, to which she was

Moroccan government vows to accelerate water resource investments

The Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, stated on Tuesday in M'diq that his administration is determined to accelerate investments in the mobilization and management of water resources. Speaking to the press following a meeting of the steering committee for the National Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation Program 2020-2027, Akhannouch emphasized that the session came in response to King Mohammed VI's Throne Day speech, which highlighted water issues, particularly in light of more than six

Morocco's Under-23s secure knockout spot with 3-0 win over Iraq

Morocco's national under-23 football team secured a decisive 3-0 victory over Iraq on Tuesday at the ongoing Paris Olympic Games. This win propels the Atlas Cubs into the knockout stage of the men's soccer tournament as Group B leaders with six points. Amir Richardson opened the scoring for Morocco in the 19th minute, followed by Soufiane Rahimi's goal just nine minutes later. Abdessamad Ezzalzouli completed the dominant first-half performance with a goal in the 36th minute. Despite numerous

Algeria withdraws ambassador as France backs Morocco's Sahara sovereignty

After France's recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over the Sahara, Algeria has decided to withdraw its ambassador from Paris. In a press release published Tuesday by the Algerian Foreign ministry, Algiers denounced the decision announced earlier the same day by President Emmanuel Macron to King Mohammed VI. «The French government has declared its absolute and explicit support for the colonial reality imposed on the Western Sahara region», argued Algerian diplomacy,

Moroccan surfer Ramzi Boukhiam narrowly misses advancement in Paris 2024 Olympics

Moroccan surfer Ramzi Boukhiam was eliminated on Monday in Teahupo'o, Tahiti, during the third round of the surfing competition at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Boukhiam performed well against his Brazilian opponent, Gao Cianca, but lost by a narrow margin. The Brazilian scored a total of 18.10 points, compared to 17.80 points for the Moroccan. The Moroccan surfer had qualified for the third round on Sunday night and Monday, after defeating Salvadoran Bryan Perez with a total of 14.60 points

Reporters Without Borders welcomes release of journalists Bouachrine, Radi and Raissouni

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has welcomed the royal pardon of journalists Taoufik Bouachrine, Omar Radi, Souleimane Raissouni, stating that these releases «mark a major step forward for press freedom in Morocco». #Morocco: Journalists Taoufik Bouachrine, Omar Radi and Soulaimane Raissouni were pardoned today, after unjust convictions and lengthy imprisonment.RSF welcomes these releases, which mark a major step forward for press freedom in Morocco.

King Mohammed VI : «The situation in Gaza requires a final solution beyond crisis management»

In his Throne Day speech, King Mohammed VI stated, «The situation in our country does not mean we are oblivious to or insensitive to the tragedy befalling our Palestinian brothers and sisters|. «As Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, I facilitated an unprecedented route through which we delivered urgent food and medical aid to our brothers and sisters in Gaza», he said. «With the same spirit of commitment and responsibility, I continue to support constructive