Morocco's exports surge 5.3% to 331 billion dirhams  (Read more...)

Guatemala wants to move its Israeli embassy to Jerusalem

After the United States, Guatemala is the second country to recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital, according to Reuters. Indeed, President Jimmy Morales expressed last night his intention to move the Guatemalan Embassy in Tel Aviv to the holy city. The announcement was made on the night of Sunday to Monday, through the president’s official page on Facebook. The latter said that he «gave instructions to the Minister [of Foreign Affairs, Sandra Jovel] to take the necessary

Morocco to Host 2018 Intergovernmental Conference on International Migration

The UNGA appointed on Sunday Morocco to host the intergovernmental conference on international migration in 2018, during which the global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration will be adopted. The UNGA adopted unanimously the resolution on this event which will be held on Dec. 10-11, 2018 in Morocco. The conference will complete the world forum on migration and development, to be co-chaired by Morocco and Germany, and whose 11th summit will be held in Marrakech ahead of the

Milan : A Moroccan-Italian national arrested after returning from Syria

An Italian woman of Moroccan descent was arrested on Saturday by agents of the International Anti-Terrorist Section and the Air Border Police at Milan Malpensa Airport, Italy. The arrest occurred following a European arrest warrant issued Thursday by the Paris Court of Appeal. The 35-year-old woman is held responsible for participating in a criminal organization that has been planning terrorist acts, according to the Italian online newspaper, Rai News. The woman asked to be extradited to

Germany is building two centers in Morocco to house deported minors

Germany wants to deport young migrants coming from Morocco. Two centers will be built in the kingdom to house deported minors, reports AFP news agency. The German Interior ministry wants to take care of «street children, and minors returning from Germany», adds the same source, quoting Welt am Sonntag, a German Sunday newspaper.   The shelters in Morocco will each host 100 youths. Minors will receive social assistance, counseling and access to educational opportunities,

Nasser Bourita on a visit to Saudi Arabia to strengthen bilateral ties

Foreign minister Nasser Bourita met, Sunday in Riyadh, with Saudi counterpart Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir on the latest regional and international developments. According to Saudi news agency (SPA), the two parties «discussed distinguished bilateral relations between the two countries and latest regional and international developments.» Earlier in the day, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud had received Bourita and Minister of Economy and

Netherlands : New US Ambassador apologizes for his anti-Muslim remarks

Peter Hoekstra, the new US ambassador to the Netherlands, has made headlines in 2015 following an interview conducted by the Dutch public channel NOS where he made anti-Muslim comments. After a phase of denial, the diplomat apologized this Saturday, reports the AFP news agency. Indeed, on December 23, the American diplomat «denied his claims and said they were fake news before retracting,» said the same source. In a statement, Peter Hoekstra apologized saying : «I made

Three German nationals killed in a road accident between Essaouira and Agadir

Three German nationals, residing in Morocco, were killed in an a car accident on Saturday night on the road linking Essaouira to Agadir atnear the commune of Aourir, said the local authorities of the Wilaya region of Souss -Massa. Three French nationals were slightly injured in this accident. The injured were transferred to Hassan II hospital in Agadir and an investigation was opened by the authorities to determine the circumstances of the accident.

Mehdi Benatia scores the winning goal against AS Roma

Mehdi Benatia, a Moroccan footballer who plays for Italian club Juventus, and for the Morocco national team, has scored the winnin goal for his club defeating AS Roma (1-0) on Saturday, reports BeIn Sport. The current Italian champions, Torino, have «inflicted on Roma their first defeat of the year in a match of great intensity,» added the same source. Juventus are four points ahead of Inter Milan (third). Luciano Spalleti's team suffered from their second consecutive defeat on

Khaled Meshaal, former Hamas leader, is to visit Morocco

Khaled Meshaal, the former leader Hamas' political bureau is expected to visit Morocco next Tuesday, says Al3omk.com. The Islamist leader is expected to hold talks with members of the PJD's general secretariat, led by Saadeddine El Othmani, and the leadership of the Unity and Reform Movement, the same source added. The Palestinian politician, who currently lives in Qatar, is also expected to meet with associative figures known for their support for the Palestinian cause to examine the

Munir El Haddadi will not be playing with Morocco's national football team

Munir El Haddadi, an international player who plays as a forward in the Deportivo Alavès will not be part of the Atlas Lions. The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) «withdrew the appeal it had filed with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (also known as the CAS, an international quasi-judicial body established to settle disputes related to sport through arbitration) to allow Munir El Haddadi to play with the Moroccan team,» says the Spanish news agency EFE. The Royal

A Moroccan national shot and arrested after forcing his way into Ceuta driving a car

A Moroccan national was shot in the arm on Friday, 22nd of December, after trying to force his way into the Tarajal border gate, reports Huffpost Maroc quoting local Spanish media platforms. The incident took place early morning when the man drove his car fleeing the national police at the borders. Threatening to hit pedestrians with his speeding car, the police officers had to open fire on the Moroccan national forcing him to stop. After driving for 300 meters, the car coming from Morocco

The World Bank grants Morocco a € 172 m loan to boost the Casablanca Development Plan

Morocco and the World Bank (WB) concluded on Thursday in Rabat, a 172 million Euros loan agreement to support the Develoment Plan of the Greater Casablanca (PDGC), set to improve the living conditions in the city, promote economic competitiveness, the business environment and enhance the attractiveness of the city. This agreement was signed by the Minister of Economy and Finance, Mohamed Boussaid, the head of the World Bank's department for the Maghreb and Malta, Marie Françoise

For the first time, a hippopotamus was born at the National Zoo in Rabat

A baby hippo was recently born at the National Zoo in Rabat, after a pregnancy that lasted 8 months, said the establishment in a statement. According to the same source, this process is part of the conservation strategy that aims to protect endangered species. This first birth is the result of the adaptation of the hippopotamus species to their environment, following the actions of the zoo for the conservation of ex-situ species. The mother, who is 16 years old, has been a resident of the zoo

Brahim Diaz refuses to represent Morocco at the 2018 FIFA World Cup set in Russia

Brahim Diaz, an 18-year-old Spanish footballer of Moroccan descents who plays as an attacking midfielder for Manchester City, has refused to join the Morocco national football to represent the kingdom at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, reports Goal.com. Herve Renard, who currently manages the Moroccan team, has tried to convince the Malaga-born footballer of playing alongside the Atlas Lions at the international competition, meeting with his representatives in the last weeks. Unfortunately,

Morocco, World Bank Sign $ 200 Mln Loan Agreement to Improve Performance of Agriculture Sector

Morocco and the World Bank signed, Thursday in Rabat, a $ 200 million loan agreement to boost agribusiness value chains and improve the performance of the agricultural sector. Signed by minister of Economy and Finance, Mohamed Boussaid, and director of the World Bank Operations for the Maghreb and Malta, Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly, this agreement is meant to strengthen pillar II of the Plan Maroc Vert (Green Morocco Plan) through improving the competitiveness of the agribusiness industry and

France’s Engie to acquire Spie’s Moroccan operations

Engie, a French multinational electric utility company operating in the fields of electricity generation and distribution, natural gas, nuclear and renewable energy, has announced on Thursday, 21st of December, that it has signed an agreement with Spie SAS a company specialized in energy and communications in France is to acquire the company’s Moroccan operations, reports Fox Business. According to the same source, Spie Morocco, which has been operating for more than a century,

UN member states back a resolution denouncing Trump’s wish to relocate the American embassy

More that 120 countries have backed on Thursday, 21st of December, a UN resolution denouncing the recent declaration of President Donald Trump, reports Reuters. At the United Nations General Assembly in New York, member states voted for a resolution urging the U.S. to «drop its recognition» of Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel. According to the British agency «a total of 128 countries backed the resolution, which is non-binding, nine voted against and 35 abstained.

FIFA ranking : Morocco keeps the same position as last month

The national football team is still ranked 40th among 738 countries by the December FIFA ranking released on Thursday. At the continental level, Morocco is positioned fifth, behind Senegal (884th), Tunisia (838th), Egypt (805th) and DR Congo (740th). Internationally, Brazil came second, behind the Mannschaft, the Germany national football team, which won the title of «Team of the Year». Portugal is ranked third while the top 10 list remained unchanged due to the small number of