News Flash

MEBAA promotes its next aviation show in Marrakech

The Middle East Business Aviation Association (MEBAA), is promoting its upcoming event during the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) which will be held in Morocco on September, Flight Global reports. The event unlike 2015, will be organized in Marrakech to host the annual MEBAA show. «The country is close to Europe and the government is promoting itself as the finance centre for the region. It has also become much easier to obtain a license to operate business aircraft

Saint-Lucia : An Algerian diplomat physically assaults his Moroccan counterpart

During the United Nations and decolonization 24 committee reunion held yesterday in Saint Lucia, an eastern Caribbean island, a Moroccan diplomat was «physically assaulted» by his Algerian counterpart, a Moroccan senior official told AFP news agency. The same source states that the aggressor was, «Soufian Mimouni, Director General of the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs”, adding that : «our diplomat has been sent to the hospital, the reunion was interrupted

After South Africa, another Moroccan phosphate ship detained in Panama

A Moroccan Phosphate ship was held yesterday night in Panama by a complaint from the Polisario Front. According to the pro-polisario website Western Sahara Resources Watch, the Danish vessel Ultra Innovation that was carrying a phosphate cargo to Canada «has been detained by a national court». The same source indicates, that the vessel was crossing the Panama Canal shipping around 50 000 tones of Phosphate rocks probably destined for Arguim, a Canadian retail supplier of

Archaeologists want to promote old Islamic sites in Morocco

A group of archeological experts held talks in the capital of Bahrain, Manama to discuss ways of promoting and preserving Africa’s old Islamic sites, Reuters reports. Their meeting took part of the Islamic Archaeology in Global Perspective conference organized in the gulf kingdom. The conference aims to highlight the richness of Islamic archeology sites in the African continent and most particularly Morocco, where volubilis is considered to be one of the most valuable historical

Two major South African companies to increase stake in SAHAM Finances

Sanlam, a South African financial services group along with insurance company Santam are increasing their stake in the Moroccan SAHAM Finances, International Adviser reports. The two leading South African firms headquarted in Cape Town are boosting their ownership from 30% to 46.6%. Santam and Sanlam first purchased effective stake in SAHAM Finances back in February 2016. «Having identified strong synergies between the Sanlam and SAHAM Groups, we are committed to unlocking

African Development Bank : a major contributor to Morocco's water sector

African Development Bank (AfDB), the supranational development finance institution headquartered in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, has contributed to the financing of Morocco’s water sector by securing installation and providing drinking water to residents of several cities in the Kingdom, Business Standard reports. The AfDB has financed a set of programs that «improved the water supply and distribution systems in 30 Moroccan cities (more than 2/3 of the country's

The World Bank grants a loan to the Moroccan financial sector

The World Bank will give Morocco around USD 350 million to initiate reforms in the local financial sector, reports a communiqué released on Tuesday. This loan would give small and medium companies a chance to benefit from a new set of financial recourses. It will also improve banking supervision and boost the development of the capital markets. In addition, small firms, and more generally the real economy, will ultimately have access to new financing solutions. In the long run,

The Moroccan-Dutch Player Mimoun Mahi to join the national team

The Dutch professional footballer of Moroccan descent, Mamoun Mahi (23 years old) will in the upcoming days join the Moroccan national team, Afrik Foot reports. Mahi has received a invitation to be part of the team in the coming games, confirms Hans Nijland, head of the FC Groningen, where the 23-year-old footballer plays currently. After granting his team a fruitful season with 17 goals in the Championship, Mahi will debut his career with the Atlas Lions by playing against the

Two big companies to purchase Samir oil refinery

The Anglo-Swiss multinational trading and mining company, Glencore along with the American private equity investor Carlyle will buy Morocco’s oil refinery, Reuters reports. The two huge firms hope to «recoup about $600 million (£465.2 million) in loans they issued to the plant before it went bankrupt», industry sources told the same source. The oil refinery that stopped operating in August 2015 and located in Mohammedia «If the deal goes through, would become

Detroit : A Moroccan Riad to solve American problems

Known as the largest city on the United-States–Canada borders, Detroit is now drawing inspiration from Moroccan architecture. The metropolitan is building an American Riad to provide work for its unemployed residents and help youngsters have a space for their creativity. According to an article published today by Next City, the cultural hub is initiated by Ulysses Newkirk an active member of the Oakland Avenue Artists Coalition and The Ghana ThinkTank, a coalition of artists from Ghana,

Switzerland : An SVP lawmaker accused of racial discrimination

After having reacted to the death of a muslim man in a Mosque in August 2014 by tweeting «we are asking for more», the Democratic union of the force lawmaker (UCD), Jean-Luc Addor will be sentenced on Tuesday 24th of May for racial descrimination. On the 22nd of August 2014, Jean-Luc Addor published on his Facebook account and Twitter a 20 minutes-article referring to a deadly attack that targeted a mosque in Saint-Gall northestern Switzerland and resulted in the death of a man. He

Maxtech to invest in the Moroccan mining industry

Maxtech, a diversified industries corporation with gold and manganese mineral properties headquarted in Canada, will establish a strategic development partnership with Morocco-based Green Energy Resources (GER) to examine the existing mining and mineral concessions in the country for «a potential joint venture or acquisition», benzinga reports. The Canadian company is currently evaluating along with the GER the manganese assets in Morocco and will in a short period decide on

Morocco-Nigeria : King Mohammed VI presides the signing of two bilateral agreements

King Mohammed VI presided on Monday at the royal palace in Rabat, a ceremony during which the Moroccan-Nigerian agreement regarding the launching of the Gazoduc and the fertilizers project was signed. The event was attended by the Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama who recalled the King’s last visit to Abuja where he met the Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari. After a few months the two countries have succeeded to launch the implementation of the two bilateral

High Commission for Planning : Moroccans believe that food prices will increase

In a survey released yesterday 15th May by the High Commission for Planning, 97.1 per cent of Moroccan families expect food prices to increase while 1.4 only awaits the opposite, the Middle East Monitor reports today. The same source states that 87.4 per cent of families think that supply costs have increased during the past 12 months compared to 0.6 who claimed the contrary. The survey suggests that one third of Moroccan families had to borrow money to afford the spending of the first quarter

Syrian refugees in Figuig : El Othmani promises a solution to the crisis

Prime Minister, Saadeddine El Othmani, promised to solve the crisis of the Syrian refugees stuck in a no man’s land near the borders that seperate Morocco and Algeria, announced Mohammad Habach, head of the Syrian Peace Initiative to Al3omk website. The Islamist, who used to back Bachar Al Assad regime before joining the opposition, claimed that El Othmani has promised in a conversation held over the phone to «examine the issue and initiate talks» to find a solution for the

Mawazine 2017 : Latifa Raafat is not retiring

The Moroccan diva, Latifa Raafat, is not willing to retire anytime soon, The National reports. The 52-year-old singer denied rumors of her retirement stating that : «I don’t know where that came from, to be honest. I am still enjoying my work and it keeps me going.» Latifa has been around for three decades now, she participated in the creation of several successful songs such as «Maghyara», «Dunia», and «Ya Hli Ya ‘Ashrani». «As

Central African Republic : Another Moroccan peacekeeper killed

A Moroccan UN peacekeeper was killed today 13th of May in an attack in the Central African Republic, the United Nations reports. Moroccan soldiers were targeted during the night in the town of Bangassou by an armed group. «In the firefight, one peacekeeper of the Moroccan contingent died from gunshot injuries», the UN mission MINUSCA stated in a communiqué. This attack comes merely days after a previous one that targeted Moroccan peacekeepers on the 8th of May 2017 in the

Italy : the IOM announces an increase in the flow of Moroccan migrants

The International Organization of Migrants (IOM) has recorded an increase in the number of migrants coming from Morocco and Bangladesh towards Italy. 30 000 migrants and refugees were registered this year by the same organization, 7000 of these were Moroccan and Bangladeshi nationals. 7 times more than last years' numbers, EFE reports. 2423 Moroccan migrants arrived to Italy in 2017 in contrast to 893 that were registered in April 2016 by the UN agency. More than 4600 Bangladeshi have crossed