Was Algerian writer Boualem Sansal arrested over Eastern Sahara and Polisario remarks ?  (Read more...)

Severe thunderstorms and gusty winds to expected Saturday and Sunday in Morocco

Locally heavy thundery showers with gusty winds are expected in several Moroccan provinces on Saturday and Sunday, the Directorate General of Meteorology (DGM) has announced. The stormy showers (20-40 mm) are expected to affect the provinces of Essaouira, Safi, Sidi Bennour, and El Jadida from 2 PM to 9 PM on Saturday, the DGM said in an orange alert bulletin. The same phenomenon is expected on Sunday from 00:00 to 12:00 in the provinces of Tangier-Assilah, Tetouan, Mdiq-Fnideq, Fahs-Anjra,

Morocco airports surpass 21 million passengers by August

Morocco's airports have achieved a new milestone, handling a record 21,410,804 passengers by the end of August 2024, a significant 18.6% increase compared to the same period in 2023. This growth is attributed to a surge in traffic at numerous airports across the country, according to the National Airports Authority (ONDA). Several airports experienced substantial increases, including Rabat-Salé (+42.04%), Dakhla (35.37%), Marrakech (+30.62%), Agadir (+35.3%), Tangier (+20.71%), and

Morocco inaugurates new wind farm near Essaouira

The National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE) recently inaugurated the 270 MW Jbel Lahdid wind farm in the province of Essaouira. This addition brings Morocco's total renewable energy capacity to 5,440 MW, of which 2,400 MW is wind-generated, representing 45% of the country's total production capacity. The project aligns with Morocco's ambitious goal of accelerating renewable energy development and achieving energy sovereignty. Tarik Hamane, Managing Director of ONEE, emphasized

Morocco Futsal team slips to 7th in FIFA World Ranking

Morocco Futsal team has experienced a slight decline in the latest FIFA world ranking, dropping to the 7th position. With a total of 1,476.25 points, Morocco, a quarter-finalist at the 2024 World Cup in Uzbekistan, remains at the top of African and Arab teams. The current top ten teams are as follows: Brazil - 1,650.75 points, Portugal - 1,546.33 points, Argentina - 1,520.59 points, Spain - 1,517 points, Kazakhstan - 1,500.09 points, Iran - 1,495.74 points, Morocco - 1,476.25 points,

Italy celebrates language and culture in Rabat

Artistic evenings, exhibitions, screenings, and literary encounters will be on the menu of the 24th Week of the Italian Language in the World, to be held from October 14 to 20, 2024 in Rabat, on the initiative of the Italian Cultural Institute in Rabat, in partnership with the Italian Embassy in Morocco. Organized under the theme «The Italian and books: the world between the lines», this cultural event promises to be «an event rich in discoveries and cultural exchanges,

Morocco takes center stage in Netflix's new film «Lonely Planet»

The American romantic drama film «Lonely Planet: Love in Morocco» is set to arrive on Netflix on Friday, October 11, 2024. Directed by Susannah Grant, known for the Oscar-nominated film «Erin Brockovich», the movie boasts a star-studded cast including Laura Dern, Liam Hemsworth, Diana Silvers and Younès Boucif. The story follows Katherine, a reclusive author who travels to a prestigious writers' retreat in Morocco, hoping to overcome her writer's block

Moroccan art takes center stage at 1-54 Fair in London

The 12th edition of the «1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair» opened in London on Thursday, showcasing a strong Moroccan presence. This prominent international event celebrates artistic creation from the African continent. Held at the iconic Somerset House, the opening ceremony attracted a diverse audience, including artists, diplomats, lawmakers, journalists, and cultural figures. Touria El Glaoui, the fair's founding director, announced that this year's edition is the largest

Casablanca Marathon relocates starting point to iconic Wilaya for enhanced experience

The starting point for the 15th Casablanca International Marathon, set for Sunday, October 27, 2024, has been relocated to the Wilaya of the Casablanca-Settat region (Place Mohammed V), following consultations with the Royal Moroccan Athletics Federation (FRMA). This decision was made in response to suggestions from participants and sports associations, according to the organizers. «The local authorities, elected officials, and security services of Casablanca were receptive to this

University Center L'Eucalyptus tackles workplace mental health

The University Center for Mental Health and Well-being L'Eucalyptus celebrated its first anniversary on October 10th, coinciding with World Mental Health Day. The celebration featured a conference on «Mental Health at Work: Issues and Challenges». In a press release, the facility emphasized the undeniable link between mental health and the workplace. «Creating healthy and safe work environments is crucial for preserving employees' mental well-being», the institution

Royal Air Maroc to launch direct Casablanca-Toronto route on December 8

Royal Air Maroc's new direct Casablanca-Toronto route marks a significant step in fostering closer ties between Africa and Canada. Representatives from various Canadian associations and professional bodies emphasized this importance during a ceremony in Toronto. Scheduled to launch on December 8, this new route aligns with Morocco's commitment to strengthening African connectivity and expanding its reach to Canada and North America. Moroccan Ambassador to Canada, Souriya Otmani, highlighted

Algeria clarifies stance on French wheat boycott

On Thursday, Algeria responded to the exclusion of French companies from a wheat import tender, following President Emmanuel Macron’s recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara last July. While not refuting the information reported by Reuters on Wednesday, the Algerian Interprofessional Cereals Office (OAIC), a public entity, clarified in a statement that «the restricted consultation launched by OAIC on October 6, 2024, adhered to specific technical criteria, based on

Burundi eyes Moroccan investments after Laayoune consulate opening

The head of Burundi's diplomacy is leading «an economic mission to Morocco», indicates the Burundian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As part of this visit, Albert Shingiro met on Thursday, October 10, in Rabat with his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita. The two ministers «reviewed bilateral issues related to the upcoming round table and the ministerial meeting of the joint commission». Indeed, the Burundian government plans to organize, on December 5 and 6, a round

Sahara : Algeria seeks Russia's support at the Security Council

As the Security Council is set to adopt a new resolution on the Sahara issue on October 30, Algeria is courting Russia. This is evidenced by the meeting on October 9, «at the request» of the Algerian ambassador in Moscow, Boumediene Guennad, with the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergey Vershinin, as indicated by Russian diplomacy in a statement. The talks focused on «the prospects for interaction between Russia and Algeria on the UN 'platform,' as well as a number of

Morocco secures €500M EIB funding for earthquake recovery

In Rabat on Thursday, the Ministry of the Economy and Finance and the European Investment Bank (EIB) signed an agreement to finance the integrated post-earthquake reconstruction and upgrading program for Al Haouz, for a total amount of 500 million euros (M€). The agreement was signed by Fouzi Lekjaa, Minister Delegate to the Minister of the Economy and Finance, in charge of the Budget, and EIB Vice-President Ioannis Tsakiris, in the presence of Khalid Ait Taleb, Minister of Health and

Algeria criticizes EU backing of Morocco after CJEU ruling

Following its statement on October 5 welcoming the European Court of Justice's recent ruling, Algeria has now added another layer to its response. Through its Minister of Foreign Affairs, the eastern neighbor criticized the broad support given by a large majority of EU countries to the strategic partnership with Morocco. «The most surprising thing is to hear, as we follow the reactions to the decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union, member states of this same institution

King Mohammed VI to inaugurate legislative year on October 11

On Friday, October 11, 2024, King Mohammed VI will preside over the opening of the first session of the fourth legislative year of the 11th legislature at the Parliament's headquarters in Rabat, the Ministry of the Royal Household, Protocol, and Chancellery announced in a press release. On this occasion, the Sovereign will deliver a speech to the members of both Houses. The address will be broadcast live on radio and television, starting at 4:40 p.m., the same source said.

Government coalition condemns Israeli actions in Gaza and Lebanon

The governmental majority expressed its «firm condemnation of the war waged by Israel against the Palestinian people, which has claimed the lives of thousands of Palestinians—most of them women and children—while leaving tens of thousands wounded, alongside a policy of mass displacement and widespread destruction». In a statement issued at the end of a meeting on Wednesday, October 9, in Rabat, the coalition parties called for «an immediate end to this war and a

Government coalition denounces EU court's decision on Morocco

The government majority has expressed its rejection of the recent ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) regarding the EU-Morocco agricultural and fisheries agreements. In a communiqué following a meeting held on Wednesday, October 9, in Rabat, the parties forming the coalition government pointed out the lack of relevance and neutrality in the court's final ruling. Last Friday, the CJEU rejected an appeal by the European Commission concerning agreements with the