News Flash

NASA satellite images capture rare heavy rainfall in the Sahara Desert

The Sahara Desert experienced an unusual heavy rainfall event this September, bringing significant precipitation to parts of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya. NASA’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer captured the resulting runoff and floodwaters in satellite imagery, showing dark blue areas where water had accumulated. While most of the rain fell in sparsely populated areas, several villages in Morocco were hit by destructive flash floods, causing infrastructure damage,

IFC grants €100M to Morocco's OCP for cross-country water pipeline

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), an international financial institution and a member of the World Bank Group, has granted Morocco's OCP Group €100 million to build a cross-country water pipeline. The project consists of a 219-kilometer water pipeline and a pumping station to transport desalinated water from OCP Group's desalination plants in Jorf Lasfar to Khouribga, according to a press release by IFC. Construction works are already underway, with the pipeline's total

Spain praises Morocco's efforts to curb Ceuta mass migration attempt

The Spanish Interior Ministry expressed its gratitude for Morocco's «great efforts» along the border perimeter to prevent irregular entry into Ceuta, emphasizing that cooperation with Moroccan security forces is «ongoing». The EFE news agency cited sources from the ministry, stating that no irregular entries into Ceuta were recorded on Sunday. The entire border perimeter is under surveillance by state security forces and agencies, with Morocco ensuring the immediate

Heavy showers expected in Morocco Monday

Locally heavy thundery showers are forecast for Monday in several of the Kingdom's provinces, announced the Directorate General of Meteorology (DGM). These showers (15-30 mm) will affect the provinces of Khénifra, Jerada, Ifrane, Figuig, Tinghir, Azilal, Errachidia, Boulemane, and Midelt on Monday from 12 PM to 11 PM, the DGM said in an «orange» alert bulletin.

King Mohammed VI grants pardon to 638 inmates on Eid Al-Mawlid Al-Nabaoui

King Mohammed VI has granted pardon on the occasion of Eid Al-Mawlid Al-Nabaoui to 638 people convicted by various courts in the Kingdom, the Ministry of Justice announced in a statement. The beneficiaries of the royal pardon who are currently in detention number 481 and are categorized as follows: 25 inmates received a full pardon for their remaining prison term or confinement. 453 inmates had their prison terms reduced. 3 inmates had their life sentences commuted to fixed-term

Low turnout of Rif separatists at Brussels demonstration

On Saturday, September 14, the Rif nationalist party organized a demonstration in Brussels to protest against «the European Union's support for the Moroccan occupation of the Rif». However, the expected turnout did not materialize, with a Polisario media outlet estimating the number of participants at «500 people». In addition to the Front's media, the official Algerian channel AL24 News covered the event and gave the floor to the party's leader, Yuba El Ghadioui. In

Polisario seeks MINURSO protection for return to «liberated areas»

The Polisario is requesting MINURSO to ensure the return of its members to «its liberated territories», located east of the Sand Wall. The request was made by «Saharawi civilians» in a letter addressed to the UN mission, reports a Front media outlet. The authors of the letter claim that «Saharawis who enter these areas do so in search of pasture for their camels and sheep». They point out that «the presence of Saharawi civilians in these territories is

Will Moroccan forces secure Gaza's Philadelphi Corridor?

Abu Dhabi has proposed to Cairo the deployment of Arab forces to secure the Philadelphi Corridor, which separates Egypt from the Gaza Strip and is currently controlled by the Israeli army. The United Arab Emirates are considering the participation of Morocco, Mauritania, and Djibouti to form this coalition of Arab forces. According to the Qatari newspaper Al-Arabi Al-Jadid, based in London, the project has already been discussed with these countries. Since the start of the war in Gaza on

Mauritania boycotts a Polisario conference in Geneva

Mauritania declined an invitation from the Polisario to a conference titled «From occupation to self-determination: a comparison between Western Sahara and Palestine», reveals a media outlet in Nouakchott. The meeting, organized on September 10 in Geneva on the sidelines of the 57th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, notably saw the presence of the ambassadors of South Africa and Namibia. Mauritanian parties had already ignored, on June 6, an invitation from the

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