News Flash

Morocco arrests 60 people for inciting mass irregular migration

60 people, including minors, were arrested between September 9 and 11 in the cities of Tangier and Tetouan for their alleged involvement in spreading fake news on social media and inciting mass irregular migration. The National Security's IT monitoring services have identified digital content published on social media openly inciting the storming of the security barrier between the cities of Fnideq and Sebta on September 15, 2024, and calling on internet users to engage in collective

Morocco : 19-year-old arrested for plotting terrorist acts in Midelt province

The National Brigade of the Judicial Police (BNPJ), in coordination with the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST), arrested an individual on Thursday suspected of harboring extremist ideology. This arrest is part of ongoing security operations aimed at combating and neutralizing terrorist threats that endanger the security of the Kingdom and its citizens. In a press release, the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) and the DGST stated that the suspect, a

Morocco's first legal cannabis processing plant inaugurated in Taounate

Nestled in the heart of Taounate province, in Sahel Boutahar within the commune of Mezraoua, a modern factory stands as a symbol of the region's economic and social revival. Inaugurated last Tuesday by Mohamed El Guerrouj, Director General of the National Agency for the Regulation of Cannabis-Related Activities (ANRAC), this first legal cannabis processing unit in the region embodies the implementation of Law 13-21, which governs the legal uses of cannabis, paving the way for a responsible

MEPs urge EU to address France's Sahara recognition

France's recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara continues to irritate Polisario supporters in Spain. This is evidenced by a letter signed by ten Spanish MEPs and addressed on Wednesday, September 11, to the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, according to the letter's author, European parliamentarian Ana Miranda of the Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG). Miranda's initiative has been supported by representatives of

China invites Morocco to BRICS economic forum

On September 10 and 11, the Chinese city of Xiamen hosted the BRICS Forum 2024 on Partnership for the New Industrial Revolution. Morocco was represented by its Minister of Industry and Commerce. «This was a valuable opportunity to share Morocco's industrial achievements and explore potential collaboration with BRICS countries», wrote Riad Mezzour on the X platform. Held under the theme «Fostering High-Quality Partnership and Embarking on a New Journey Towards New

Morocco allocates over 7 million dirhams for 68 cultural projects

The Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication has allocated over 7 million dirhams (MDH) to support 68 projects in the fields of music, song, performing arts, and choreography for 2024. The commission responsible for supporting cultural and artistic projects in these sectors met between July 10 and September 2, 2024, to review the applications. According to a press release from the ministry, the commission's secretariat received 216 applications via its digital platform. These projects

Gastronomic Encounters Sète-El Jadida to be held on September 12

On Thursday, September 12, 2024, the town of El Jadida will host the Gastronomic Encounters Sète-El Jadida, initiated by the twinning committee and the French town hall. This rapprochement between the two municipalities will also be placed under the banner of the culinary arts, with a focus this year on the preparation of tielle, a Sète specialty made from wheat dough, tomatoes, and octopus. The idea is to «introduce and share Sète's famous regional specialty with

Vox demands Moroccan ambassador summoned over Barbate Civil Guard killings

Spain's Vox party has officially called on the government to summon the Moroccan ambassador to Spain, Karima Benyaich, in order to «exert diplomatic pressure» and «arrest the criminal who killed Civil Guards in Barbate», a Spanish municipality in the Province of Cádiz, the party's spokesperson for congress, Pepa Millan, said on Tuesday. According to Spanish media, Millan criticized the government, accusing them of being unable to «lift a finger» to

Ireland : Moroccan Ambassador meets with Wexford County officials

Morocco's ambassador to Ireland, Lahcen Mahraoui, held a meeting on Tuesday in Wexford, a town in southeast Ireland, with senior officials from the Wexford County Council, the Moroccan Embassy announced in a Facebook post. During this meeting, Ambassador Mahraoui also held talks with members of the Moroccan diaspora in Wexford. In its statement, the Moroccan diplomatic representation in Ireland reported that the meeting «provided an opportunity to discuss potential cooperation and

Digital Transition Minister honors Moroccan students' bronze win at Informatics Olympiad

Ghita Mezzour, Minister of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, received on Tuesday, September 10, members of the Moroccan team that won the bronze medal at the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI), held this year in Cairo, at the Ministry's headquarters in Rabat. The event brought together around 390 participants from 96 countries, and Morocco performed brilliantly, according to a press release by the ministry. In her speech, delivered in the presence of the families and

Morocco and OECD conclude Country Program II

The Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, held talks in Rabat on Wednesday with the Secretary General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Mathias Cormann. During these talks, he praised the ongoing and fruitful cooperation between the Kingdom of Morocco and this international organization. These talks provided an opportunity to announce the closure of the Country Program II between Morocco and the OECD. This program aimed to strengthen support, partnership, and

Morocco-UK power cable project faces local opposition in Devon

A proposed power cable project connecting Morocco to the UK has raised concerns among residents in north Devon (A region in southwest England). The Xlinks Morocco-UK Power Project, aimed at providing electricity for seven million UK homes by the early 2030s, has been declared a project of national significance by the UK government, according to the BBC. The scheme involves laying four cables over about 2,500 miles (4,000km), coming ashore near Abbotsham in north Devon. James Humfrey, CEO of

Egyptian FM meets Algerian counterpart following talks with Morocco

Algeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Attaf, met with his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdel Ati, in Cairo on Tuesday, September 10. The discussions were held privately, away from the media and other ministers attending the Arab League's Executive Council session that same day. Algerian diplomacy shared a video on social media of Attaf's «meetings» with several ministers, showing the room where the talks took place. The Egyptian side released a statement on the meeting between

Heavy rains and storms forecast for Morocco on Wednesday and Thursday

Thundershowers, accompanied by hail and gusty winds, are forecast for Wednesday and Thursday in several Moroccan provinces, according to the Directorate General of Meteorology (DGM). The DGM issued a «red» alert for the Figuig province, predicting showers of 70-90 millimeters from Wednesday 1 PM to Thursday 3 AM. An «orange» alert was issued for the provinces of Jerada, Boulemane, Midelt, Errachidia (50-70 mm), Oujda-Angad, and Taourirt (30-50 mm), anticipating similar

China confirms it does not recognize the Polisario’s «republic»

A week after Beijing hosted the China-Africa Summit, which excluded the Polisario Front despite Algerian pressure, China reaffirmed its non-recognition of the separatist front's «republic». «Fifty-three out of 54 African countries and the African Union participated in the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation», Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Li Jian stated in a tweet. The African Union has 54 member states, including the Polisario Front, which joined the

Family urges repatriation of Peruvian father after Morocco flood tragedy

Manuel Alejandro Chegne Tiburcio, a Peruvian mine worker, is one of the 18 identified victims of the recent floods in Morocco. His family in Peru has issued a public plea through local media to expedite the repatriation of his remains and allow for a dignified Christian funeral. A 56-year-old father, Chegne had been working for FTE Drilling in Morocco since last March. He was tragically swept away by a landslide on Sunday while trying to escape from his truck. According to RPP Rotafono,

UN Human Rights chief ignores Polisario again

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, once again ignored the positions of the Polisario during the opening of the 57th ordinary session of the Human Rights Council, being held from September 9 to October 11 in Geneva. Instead, the Austrian focused his speech on restrictions on the exercise of freedom of expression in countries such as Azerbaijan, Mali, Uganda, Venezuela, Tunisia, Nicaragua, Vietnam, and China. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human

Folklorissimo festival to celebrate 60 years of Moroccan-Belgian ties

This September, Brussels will host the Folklorissimo festival, highlighting the longstanding connections between Morocco and Belgium. The event marks the 60th anniversary of bilateral agreements that brought Moroccan workers to Belgium, as reported by the Belgian newspaper Bruzz. According to the festival organizers, Folklorissimo will take place on September 21 and 22, 2024. The highlight of the celebration will be a grand procession on Sunday, coinciding with Brussels' Car-Free Sunday. This