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Chariot makes gas discovery in its Morocco Anchois-3 well

Africa-focused energy company Chariot Limited has announced that drilling at its Anchois-3 well in Morocco, as part of the Anchois gas project in the Lixus Offshore License, is bearing positive results. In a statement released on Wednesday, September 11, the company announced that preliminary interpretation indicates the presence of gas-bearing reservoirs in the B sands, which is an appraisal objective of the well. Chariot said that «the early analysis of the well confirms the presence

Morocco tops list of non-EU nationals receiving residence permits

Moroccans were the fourth most likely nationality to receive residence permits in European Union member states in 2023, according to statistics published by the European Statistical Office (Eurostat). Of the more than 3.7 million initial residence permits issued in the EU for non-EU citizens in 2023, Moroccans accounted for 179,200. 50.3 percent of the permits were granted to Moroccans for family reasons, 20.3 percent for work, 20 percent for study, and 9 percent for other reasons. In

Morocco's Mediterranean fishing landings see 13% drop, but value hits 513 million dirhams

Small-scale and coastal fishing landings at Morocco’s Mediterranean ports reached 10,879 tonnes by the end of August, marking a 13% decline compared to the same period in 2023, according to the National Fisheries Office (ONP). Despite the drop in volume, the value of these landings increased by 8% year-on-year, totaling around 513.17 million dirhams for the first eight months of 2024, up from 473.91 million dirhams in the same period last year, the ONP noted in its latest report on

EU to launch program to fund and aid Morocco's post-earthquake reconstruction

The European Union is launching a new support program for the construction and upgrading of disaster areas in Morocco one year after the disastrous earthquake that hit the country and killed around 3000 people. Spanning the period from 2024 to 2028, the Integrated Program for the Reconstruction and General Upgrading of Disaster Areas will focus on the reconstruction of public buildings and the financing of eligible households to rebuild or rehabilitate housing, according to a call for

Morocco overtakes China as EU's top automotive trading partner

In a significant milestone for Morocco's automotive industry, the North African country has surpassed China to become the European Union's leading trading partner in the automotive sector. According to data from the Moroccan Foreign Exchange Office and the Association of European Automobile Manufacturers (ACEA), Morocco's automotive exports to the EU reached €15.1 billion in 2023, edging out China's €13.6 billion. This achievement stems from strategic investments in industrial

Morocco revamps Volubilis site to boost visitor experience

The Volubilis archaeological site, Morocco's largest of its kind at 18 hectares, is undergoing a major rehabilitation aimed at upgrading its infrastructure and creating a new tourist circuit. Supported by the Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication - Department of Culture - and the Fès-Meknès Regional Council, this extensive project focuses on five main areas, as outlined at the opening of the 23rd Volubilis International Festival of Traditional World Music on Thursday

Moroccan-Belgian kickboxer Jamal Ben Saddik released conditionally in kidnapping case

Belgian-Moroccan kickboxer Jamal Ben Saddik has been conditionally released as part of an ongoing investigation into a drug-related kidnapping. Belgian newspaper Gazet van Antwerpen reports that the 33-year-old former world champion kickboxer was arrested in early July in connection with the alleged abduction of a 29-year-old man from Antwerp. According to the newspaper, the victim, said to be a dock worker, was reportedly kidnapped following a dispute over unfulfilled agreements

Travel alert : Flight disruptions in Belgium and Canada due to strikes

The Moroccan Airports Authority (ONDA) has issued a notice informing travelers planning to travel to Belgium through Charleroi Airport that the Brussels facility is experiencing traffic disruptions due to ongoing social movements. In its notice, published Thursday on social media, ONDA urges travelers to or from this airport to «check the status of their flights by contacting their airlines before heading to the airport» to avoid delays or flight cancellations caused by the

France sentences a pro-Polisario mayor to two years in prison

On Wednesday, September 11, the Versailles Court of Appeal in France sentenced the former mayor of Mantes-la-Jolie, El-Haimer Khattari, to two years in prison, with one year being unsuspended. Le Parisien reports that the prison sentence is to be served at home with an electronic bracelet. Additionally, he received a five-year ineligibility sentence. Khattari was indicted in 2021 for «witness tampering», following the emergence of a racketeering scandal involving shopkeepers at the

Former Moroccan international Noureddine Naybet named U18 coach

Former Moroccan international Noureddine Naybet has been appointed coach of the U18 national team and a member of the national technical directorate (DTN), according to the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF). The list of new members of the technical staffs of the various men's and women's national selections, unveiled on Thursday by the federal body, also includes Youssef Anis, now coach of Morocco's U16 side and a member of the DTN. Theodore Victor Jean Genoux has been appointed coach

Morocco wins prestigious culinary competition Bocuse d'Or Africa 2024

Morocco claimed victory in the 2024 edition of the Bocuse d'Or Africa, a prestigious culinary competition held as part of the Official Tournament of Chefs Africa (TOC Africa) in Marrakech on Thursday. The Moroccan team, composed of talented young chefs Yassine Bogdad, Youssef Lamghani, and Ahmed Ben Semlali, and led by Chef Moha Fedal, secured the win after 5 hours and 35 minutes of competition. Mauritius and Egypt took second and third place, respectively. Top chefs from Egypt, Ghana,

FAR drone strike kills Polisario fighters near sand wall

A Royal Armed Forces (FAR) drone struck two Polisario vehicles yesterday near the border with Mauritania. According to a Moroccan source close to the matter, the provisional toll from the strike indicates that two members of the Front's militias were killed, and another was wounded, the source told Yabiladi. Meanwhile, a Polisario-affiliated media outlet offered a different account, claiming the strike targeted «Sahrawi civilians who were attempting to enter the liberated territories of

The Polisario uses the Palestinian issue to bolster its own cause

The Polisario continues to exploit the Palestinian issue to support its cause. With backing from the «Geneva Group», which includes Algeria, South Africa, and Namibia, the Front organized a conference on the sidelines of the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council under the theme: «From Occupation to Self-Determination: A Comparison Between Western Sahara and Palestine». The event was attended by the South African and Namibian ambassadors, along with the Polisario's

40 states support Morocco's sovereignty over Sahara at UNHRC

At the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council, countries that support Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara made their voices heard. In a statement read yesterday at a session of the HRC on behalf of 40 States, the Ambassador of the Dominican Republic, Hector Virgilio Alcántara, affirmed that «the question of the Sahara is a political dispute dealt with by the Security Council, which has recognized the preeminence of the autonomy initiative presented by Morocco as a

Maroc Telecom pays 6.4 billion dirham fine to Inwi

Sentenced at first instance and on appeal to nearly 6.4 billion dirhams in damages for unfair competition, Maroc Telecom paid Inwi the amount due, despite a previous announcement of an appeal in cassation. The historic operator was given a period of 10 days, during which it finally made the payment to Wana Corporate, in July. This approach will have spared IAM a «forced recovery procedure that could have greatly harmed its image», reported the news site Le360. In its financial

First monkeypox case confirmed in Morocco

The Ministry of Health and Social Protection announced on Thursday, September 12, 2024, that a confirmed case of monkeypox (M-pox) was recorded in Morocco. The ministry explained that the case was discovered within the health protocol adopted in the Kingdom since the start of this global health alert. The infected person received the necessary healthcare in a specialized medical center in the city of Marrakech and is in a stable health condition that does not require concern. The ministry

Moroccan national arrested for terrorism incitement in Milan

A 28-year-old Moroccan national was arrested this week in Milan for incitement to commit crimes related to terrorism. The city's National Police arrested him, executing an order issued by the preliminary investigation judge at the Milan court. The country's media recall that last November, he was the subject of a complaint regarding threats received on an Instagram profile. The young man already has a criminal record for crimes related to persons, property, and narcotics. He is also the

Morocco maintains solid economic recovery, according to OECD study

Morocco continues to record a «solid» economic recovery, despite the multiple challenges it faces, said the Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Mathias Cormann, in Rabat on Wednesday. Presenting the conclusions of the first OECD economic survey on the kingdom at the closing ceremony of the Morocco-OECD Country Programme II, in the presence of the Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, Mathias Cormann noted that the national