Morocco, US sign 10-year roadmap to strengthen defense cooperation

Morocco and the United States have signed a new 10-year Defense Cooperation Roadmap aimed at strengthening military and strategic ties between the two countries. The agreement was signed on Thursday, April 16, at the Pentagon during a meeting between U.S. Under Secretary of War Elbridge Colby and Abdellatif Loudiyi, Morocco’s Minister Delegate for National Defense, alongside Lieutenant General Mohammed Berrid, Inspector General of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces. I was pleased to meet

Morocco, US move to deepen agricultural research cooperation

Strengthening cooperation in agricultural research, innovation, and strategic value chains was at the center of talks held Wednesday in Rabat between Lamiae Ghaouti, Director of the National Institute for Agricultural Research, and Doug Goehring, Agriculture Commissioner of the U.S. state of North Dakota. The discussions, part of efforts to boost international cooperation in the agricultural sector, explored partnership opportunities between the Moroccan institute and agricultural stakeholders

US and Morocco celebrate 15 years of partnership in law enforcement and justice reform

The U.S. Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) marked 15 years of partnership with Morocco in law enforcement, corrections, and justice reform during an event held on April 15 at the U.S. Legation in Tangier. Organized as part of the Freedom250 commemoration, the panel brought together representatives from the Directorate General of National Security, the General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration, Morocco’s Ministry of Justice, the

Fez building collapse: 21 investigated over illegal construction and safety violations

A preparatory investigation has been opened against 21 individuals in connection with the collapse of two buildings in Fez on December 9, 2025, which left 22 people dead and 16 others injured, the Public Prosecutor at the Court of Appeals announced. According to a statement, the decision follows investigations conducted by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, based on field inspections and technical expert reports, which revealed that the buildings had been illegally expanded with additional

Morocco's economic growth to hit 4.7 percent in Q2 2026

Morocco’s economic growth is projected to reach 4.7% in the second quarter of 2026, according to the High Commission for Planning (HCP). The HCP notes that this performance partly reflects a favorable base effect linked to the rebound of secondary sectors recorded in the second quarter of 2025. Growth is also expected to be supported by the spillover effects of the agricultural recovery and the resilience of domestic demand, according to its latest economic report on key

Belgian delegation visits Dakhla amid strengthened Morocco Belgium relations

A delegation from the Belgian Cooperation Agency (APEFE) is visiting Dakhla on April 15 and 16, accompanied by Belgium’s deputy ambassador in Rabat. The visit includes meetings with several local officials, notably the regional governor, the president of the regional council, and the mayor. The delegation is also scheduled to visit the Regional Investment Center on Thursday to explore the province’s economic potential. This visit comes amid evolving relations between Rabat and

The EU's chief diplomat makes her first visit to Morocco

The High Representative and Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, is visiting Morocco on April 16 and 17. «In Rabat, she will engage in a one-on-one meeting with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, followed by a joint press conference. During her stay, Ms. Kallas will also meet with leaders from various sectors and tour the EuroMed University» in Fez, announced the European External Action Service (EEAS) in a press release. Kallas and Bourita last met

Morocco and Spain enhance security coordination through joint patrols in Las Palmas

The Moroccan Royal Gendarmerie and the Spanish Civil Guard have launched joint patrols in Las Palmas, marking a significant step in bolstering security cooperation between the two nations. This initiative aims to combat irregular migration and strengthen border controls. These coordinated operations are the result of collaboration between the Civil Guard leadership in Las Palmas and the regional command of the Royal Gendarmerie in Laayoune. This evolving security partnership hinges on the

Sahrawis excluded from Spain’s mass regularization, lawmakers protest

In Spain, the Council of Ministers gave the green light on Tuesday to the regularization of roughly half a million undocumented immigrants. However, Sahrawis are notably excluded from this measure, as they are deemed «stateless». This omission has sparked criticism from Deputy Teslem Andala Ubbi (Tesh Sidi), a member of the far-left coalition Sumar. She argues that this is a «political decision» aimed «against the Sahrawi people». According to her, Sahrawis

GNV deploys two LNG vessels on Tangier Med route for Marhaba 2026

GNV will deploy two new LNG-powered vessels, GNV Aurora from June 1 and GNV Virgo from July 1, on the Genoa–Barcelona–Tangier Med route as part of Operation Marhaba 2026. The move marks a new step in the company’s expansion in Morocco, according to a statement released on April 15. The two next-generation ships, among the most advanced in GNV’s fleet, are expected to strengthen maritime links between Europe and Morocco while improving efficiency, comfort, and

easyJet inaugurates first African base in Marrakech

A new easyJet base was inaugurated on Wednesday, April 15, at Marrakech Menara Airport, marking the airline’s first installation in Africa, according to a press release from Morocco’s National Tourism Office (ONMT). The launch was attended by ONMT CEO Achraf Fayda and easyJet CEO Kenton Jarvis. The base will host three aircraft and offer up to 4 million seats in its first year, significantly boosting connectivity between Morocco and key European markets. Six new routes will be

Fatal fall at construction site claims worker’s life in Driouch

A construction worker in his forties died on Tuesday after falling from the fourth floor of a building site in Driouch. He sustained severe injuries and died at the scene. Royal Gendarmerie and Civil Protection teams were dispatched to the site, where they secured the area and carried out the necessary procedures before transferring the body to the morgue at the regional hospital. An investigation has been opened under the supervision of the competent public prosecutor’s office to

Innoflex raises 200M dirhams, welcomes CDG Invest Growth as shareholder

Innoflex SA has secured a minority investment of 200 million dirhams ($22 million), marking a new phase focused on scaling up and strengthening its regional footprint. Announced on Tuesday, the funding includes 110 million dirhams from CDG Invest Growth and 90 million dirhams from other partners. This transaction brings CDG Invest Growth into the capital of the Moroccan industrial group, which specializes in polyurethane foam and bedding manufacturing. According to a company statement, the new

Government aligns with Constitutional Court on National Press Council reform

The government has responded positively to the Constitutional Court's observations regarding the draft law on the reorganization of the National Press Council (CNP), stated Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, the Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication, on Tuesday in Rabat. During a meeting of the Committee on Education, Culture, and Communication at the House of Representatives, he noted that this process «poses no problem». This meeting was dedicated to examining the provisions of this

Morocco's OCP secures ‘BB’ rating for planned hybrid bond issuance

Morocco’s phosphate group OCP has received a ‘BB’ rating from S&P Global Ratings for a planned issuance of hybrid bonds in U.S. dollars. The bonds, to be issued in U.S. dollars, will come in one or two tranches, with terms starting at just over five and 10 years, although the final size will depend on market conditions, S&P said in a note on Tuesday. S&P said the rating reflects the higher risk of these bonds, as they are subordinated and allow OCP to delay

Spain dismantles networks smuggling migrants from Morocco, 24 arrested

In a large-scale operation, Spain’s National Police dismantled two criminal networks involved in migrant smuggling and drug trafficking between Morocco and Andalusia. The operation, dubbed «Embrión», led to the arrest of 24 suspects. Investigators identified at least 38 illegal sea crossings, during which nearly 1,000 migrants were transported by speedboats from Morocco to the Spanish coast, particularly in the Almeria and Granada areas. The probe found that the two

Morocco Spain anti-terror cooperation leads to 153 arrests since 2015

The strong counterterrorism partnership between Morocco and Spain has led to the arrest of 153 suspected jihadists in both countries since 2015. According to Spanish news agency EFE, citing Morocco’s Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ), cooperation with Spain’s General Commissariat for Information has helped dismantle more than 30 joint terrorist cells since the Moroccan agency was established in 2015. The latest joint operation, carried out on March 25, resulted in

Morocco’s fuel market shows no anti-competitive practices, says Council

No anti-competitive practices have been identified in Morocco’s fuel market (diesel and gasoline), according to a report by the Competition Council analyzing price trends between March 16 and April 1, 2026, and their impact at the pump. «The Competition Council has not identified any anti-competitive behavior in the market. However, it once again notes that operators tend to align price revisions on the same dates, with changes of similar magnitude, which limits the flexibility of