Sahara desert expands by 10% in under a century  (Read more...)

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

Agriculture Minister announces emergency plan to address flood damage in Morocco

The Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fishing, Rural Development, and Water and Forests, Mohammed Sadiki, visited Ouarzazate province to assess the impact of recent torrential rainfall on agriculture and infrastructure. He announced an Emergency Action Program to mitigate the damage. Accompanied by local officials, the Minister visited the Oum Rman site to assess the damage caused by flooding, which affected hydraulic infrastructure and fruit trees. Based on a preliminary assessment, the

Morocco’s water reserves boosted by recent heavy rains

The hydraulic situation in Morocco has improved since August 22, with all dams reaching a filling rate of 27.9% as of September 10, compared to 26.7% on the same date last year, according to the Ministry of Equipment and Water. The very heavy rains and thunderstorms experienced by the country have significantly improved the situation at certain dams, the Ministry explained in a press release, adding that six of the country's ten hydraulic basins have seen improvement. According to the same

The Polisario embarrassed by its exclusions from summits with Indonesia and China

Brahim Ghali, Secretary General of the Polisario Front, chaired a meeting of the permanent office of the General Secretariat on Sunday following his return from a visit to East Timor. In a statement, the body welcomed the «SADR's participation in the Africa-Japan Summit», held in Tokyo from August 23 to 25. The Polisario even praised the «significant achievements obtained by the Sahrawi cause» during this event and acknowledged «the efforts of sister

Spanish opposition demands aid for Sahrawi refugees

In Spain, the People's Party (PP, opposition) is demanding that the Sánchez government allocate an «extraordinary fund» to assist Sahrawi refugees facing a food emergency in the Tindouf camps in Algeria, report Iberian media. The PP is urging the government to include an article in the upcoming finance bill to guarantee food and basic products for approximately 180,000 Sahrawi refugees. The group of PP deputies justified their proposal due to a 30% reduction in emergency

Talbi Alami emphasizes Morocco's commitment to the Palestinian cause

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rachid Talbi Alami, addressed the 52nd meeting of the Executive Committee of the Parliamentary Union of Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (UPCI) in Rabat on Tuesday. He reiterated Morocco's unwavering commitment to the Palestinian cause and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to independence and the establishment of their own state. Talbi Alami highlighted the concrete projects undertaken by the Bayt Mal Al-Quds

Moroccan and Egyptian foreign ministers meet in Cairo

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, held in-depth bilateral talks in Cairo on Tuesday with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration, and Egyptians Abroad Affairs, Badr Abdel Ati. The two ministers discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations. They emphasized the strong bonds of brotherhood between the leaders and peoples of the two countries, as well as their ongoing mutual solidarity, shared destiny, and common

Falcon Energy Materials and Hensen partner to build anode plant in Morocco

UAE-based Falcon Energy Materials plc has entered into a comprehensive technical and strategic partnership with China's Hensen Graphite & Carbon Corporation. Together, they will jointly develop an anode plant in Morocco to produce coated spherical purified graphite (CSPG), as announced in a press release on Monday. Hensen, a leading CSPG producer, has a proven track record in constructing and operating synthetic and natural graphite anode plants in China. Under this agreement, Hensen and

Thunderstorms, hail, and gusty winds expected from Tuesday to Thursday in Morocco

The Directorate General of Meteorology (DGM) has announced that thundershowers accompanied by hail and gusty winds are expected in several provinces of Morocco from Tuesday to Thursday. On Tuesday, from 2 PM to 11 PM, showers of 30 to 40 millimeters are forecast in the provinces of Oued Ed-Dahab and Aousserd, the DGM said in an orange alert bulletin. The same weather conditions are expected to affect the provinces of Figugig, Jerada, Oujda-Angad, Taourirt, Boulemane, Midelt, and Errachidia

Reverse migration : More Belgo-Moroccans moving back to Morocco

Belgian media have recently reported a growing trend among Moroccan-Belgians: an increasing number are choosing to relocate to Morocco. This phenomenon, while still minority, is gaining attention in both Belgium and Morocco. According to La Libre Belgique, a Belgian newspaper, more Belgo-Moroccans are leaving cities like Schaerbeek, Namur, and Verviers to live and work in Morocco. The newspaper reports that these individuals, often born and raised in Belgium, are attracted by new economic

Over 2.8 million passengers and 662,000 cars crossed Moroccan ports this summer

Around 2.8 million passengers, including 2 million Moroccan expatriates, and 662,000 cars crossed Moroccan ports in both directions between June 5 and September 5 as part of the «Marhaba 2024» operation. In a press release issued on Monday, the Ministry of Transport and Logistics reported a 5.5% increase in passengers, a 17% rise in expatriates, and a 9.5% growth in vehicles compared to the same period last year. For the Marhaba operation's maritime transport offer, the Ministry