News Flash

Spain deports 21 Sahrawi asylum seekers to Morocco

The Spanish Interior Ministry has deported an additional 21 Sahrawi asylum seekers, some of whom had been detained in rejection rooms at Barajas Airport in Madrid for a month. According to Spanish media, the 21 individuals, including two women and one child, were deported on a commercial flight to Marrakech that departed from Madrid airport at 11:50 PM. Two days earlier, the Spanish Interior Ministry deported two other Sahrawi activists who had attempted to halt their return through legal

Siga Technologies to supply Morocco with Mpox therapy

American pharmaceutical company Siga Technologies announced on Tuesday that it would provide Morocco with its therapy for Mpox. The decision follows a request from the Moroccan Ministry of Health to address any possible outbreak of the disease, according to Reuters. This marks Siga's first commercial sale of the therapy in Africa. The therapy is approved in the United States and Canada for the treatment of smallpox and is also authorized in Europe for smallpox, mpox, cowpox, and

Air Arabia Maroc launches new route from Tetouan to Rotterdam

Moroccan low-cost airline Air Arabia Maroc has announced the launch of a new non-stop flight route from its base at Tetouan Saniat Airport to Rotterdam The Hague Airport in the Netherlands. The new route will begin on October 28, with flights operating every Monday. With this addition, Air Arabia Maroc now serves seven cities from its Tetouan base, including Brussels, Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bilbao, and Madrid. The airline operates a modern fleet of Airbus A320 aircraft, known for their

UM6P students protest Israeli lecturer, call to end academic ties

Students at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in Morocco have released a press statement voicing strong opposition to the university's decision to host a lecture by Michael Bronstein, described as an «Israeli national» and «Zionist lecturer», scheduled for October 8th at the Faculty of Pharmacy. More than 1,300 students and alumni have signed a petition condemning the university's ties with Israeli academic institutions, which they accuse of being

Germany affirms commitment to EU-Morocco partnership following court ruling

A spokesperson for Germany's Federal Foreign Office stated on Monday that the country has taken note of the European Union Court of Justice's ruling on EU-Morocco trade agreements concerning fisheries and agriculture. In a statement released on the Ministry's official website, the spokesperson emphasized Germany's respect for «the Court's independence», while voicing attachement for the partnership with Morocco. «We attach great importance to the strategic, multidimensional,

Rabat receives UN-Habitat Honorary Award for urban development

The city of Rabat was unanimously selected by a committee of experts to receive the UN-Habitat 2024 Honorary Award during the celebration of World Habitat Day in Querétaro, Mexico. The award recognizes cities that have made significant contributions to urban development and improved the quality of life for their residents. Rabat City Council said in a statement that the award is a testament to the success of the «Rabat City of Light, Moroccan Capital of Culture» program

Afcon 2025 qualifiers : Youssef Belammari replaces injured Noussair Mazraoui

National coach Walid Regragui has added Raja Casablanca player Youssef Belammari to the Atlas Lions' training camp ahead of their upcoming matches against the Central African Republic. These encounters, part of the qualifiers for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, will take place on October 12 and 15 at the Stade d'Honneur in Oujda. Belammari's call-up is in response to the absence of Noussair Mazraoui, who was unable to join the national team due to an injury sustained with his English club

French citizen arrested in Morocco for motorcycle smuggling

Moroccan police arrested a 33-year-old French citizen of Moroccan origin on October 7 in Marrakech. The suspect is alleged to be part of a criminal network involved in smuggling large shipments of stolen motorcycles from Europe to Morocco. According to authorities, the suspect is believed to have been involved in the theft of high-value motorcycles in one European country. These motorcycles were then smuggled into Morocco and advertised for sale on online platforms. A search of the suspect's

French rally driver dies in Morocco accident

French driver Frédéric Baudry tragically lost his life during the first stage of the Morocco Rally on Monday, near Zagora. He fell from his vehicle into a sand dune at kilometer 97 and despite immediate medical attention, including helicopter evacuation, he succumbed to his injuries. Baudry, who was competing in his second Morocco Rally as part of the Nomade Racing Assistance team, crashed in the dunes and was transported to Zagora hospital. Unfortunately, he passed away at

Morocco's DGSN and Bank Al-Maghrib sign security and identity verification agreements

The General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) and Bank Al-Maghrib, Morocco's Central Bank, signed two agreements on Monday to enhance security and identity verification measures. The first agreement, a Memorandum of Understanding on the Authorization of Bank Al-Maghrib to Use the CNIE's Technical Features, aims to streamline identity verification processes and combat fraud. Bank Al-Maghrib will now be able to utilize the DGSN's national trusted third-party services to verify customer

Morocco and South Africa inch closer with diplomatic exchange

Morocco and South Africa took a small step towards strengthening bilateral relations when Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita met with a South African delegation led by Obed Bapela, MP and Deputy Chairman of the African National Congress (ANC) party's International Relations Committee, in Rabat on October 7. In a press statement, Bapela emphasized the need to bolster economic and trade cooperation between the two countries. He also extended an invitation to Moroccan companies to invest in South

Morocco's military leaders meet US Senators

The delegation of U.S. senators visiting Morocco met on Monday, October 7, in Rabat with Abdellatif Loudiyi, the Minister Delegate in charge of National Defense Administration, and General Mohammed Berrid, the FAR Inspector General and Commander of the Southern Zone. The discussions focused on «bilateral cooperation concerning security and defense issues, as well as the regional security situation», according to a statement from the National Defense Administration. The senators

Morocco's UM6P and MAScIR launch Mpox diagnostic kit for African market

The MAScIR Foundation of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) announced on Monday in Benguerir that the new «UM6P-MAScIR MPOX qPCR» diagnostic kit is ready for market launch in Morocco and across Africa. Developed by a research team at MAScIR Foundation's Center for Kits, Diagnostics, and Medical Devices, the test has been clinically validated by the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, and registered with the

New campaign promotes domestic tourism and mobility across Morocco

The Moroccan National Tourism Office has launched a new communication campaign under the slogan «Let's meet in our country» to promote domestic tourism. The campaign centers around the theme of mobility and was launched to coincide with the school holidays, encouraging travel and mobility during this period. It emphasizes the use of shared transportation, such as buses, trains, and airplanes, to make travel between destinations easier. «The aim of this campaign is to

Morocco - USA : Bourita receives US Senators

Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita welcomed a delegation of U.S. senators in Rabat on Monday, led by Republican Jerry Moran, according to reports from Moroccan diplomatic sources. In a statement to MAP, Moran emphasized the importance of strong U.S.-Morocco relations, describing the kingdom as a «provider» of stability and peace globally. He expressed the United States' «gratitude» for Morocco’s efforts to foster «consensus and bring people together» on

Algeria challenges Morocco at Parlatino in South America

The Chamber of Deputies in Algeria is now an observer member of the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (Parlatino). «This decision came after the deliberations (in September, editor's note) of the 23 members of the Board of Directors of this body. This membership represents a historic step for Algeria in expanding its parliamentary cooperation with the Latin American and Caribbean region, especially since Parlatino includes 23 parliaments composed of 4,500 parliamentarians

CJEU ruling : Czech Republic reaffirms commitment to «close ties» with Morocco

The Czech Republic on Monday reaffirmed its commitment to «close relations» with Morocco in all areas of the partnership between the Kingdom and the European Union (EU). Recalling the joint statement issued by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and EU High Representative Josep Borrell, following the decision of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on the fisheries and agricultural agreements between the EU and Morocco, the Czech Ministry of Foreign

Three Moroccan nationals escape from Madrid airport asylum area

Less than a week after a similar incident, three Moroccan nationals escaped from the asylum area at Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suárez airport on Sunday. According to Europa Press, six people attempted the escape, with three arrested by police and the others eluding capture. The Spanish Ministry of the Interior confirmed that searches are ongoing for the remaining escapees. This incident follows four previous escape attempts by Moroccan nationals from the same airport. In response to the