Wealthy Moroccan heirs detained for alleged rape of French lawyer  (Read more...)

Morocco rejects EU court ruling on trade agreements, cites «political bias»

The Kingdom of Morocco has declared that it is not concerned by the decision handed down on Friday, October 4, 2024, by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) regarding agricultural and fishing agreements, according to an official press release from the Moroccan Foreign Ministry. Morocco asserted that it «is not a party to this case, which concerns the European Union on the one hand, and the 'Polisario,' supported by Algeria, on the other hand. Morocco did not participate in

EU reaffirms strategic partnership with Morocco despite CJEU ruling on trade agreements

Following the ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) on the Morocco-EU trade agreements, the EU reiterated «the high value it places on its strategic partnership with Morocco». «Over the years, we have established a profound friendship and solid, multi-faceted cooperation, which we aim to elevate in the coming weeks and months», said a joint statement from President von der Leyen and High Representative/Vice-President Borrell regarding the European

UN Envoy meets Polisario leader Brahim Ghali in Tindouf camps

The Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara, Staffan De Mistura, met on Thursday at the Tindouf camps with the Polisario head, Brahim Ghali. De Mistura landed on the same day at the Tindouf airport. He then traveled to the Tindouf camps to meet with the Polisario leader. During this meeting, attended by other Polisario members, the separatist movement «reiterated their position, which is firmly rooted in the principle of enabling the Sahrawi people to exercise

Morocco tightens regulations for sustainable hunting season

On Thursday, October 3, the National Agency for Water and Forests (ANEF) and the Moroccan Royal Hunting Federation (FRMC) organized a study and awareness day in Kénitra to mark the opening of the hunting season. The event was held to promote the sustainable management of hunting resources and combat poaching. It was attended by hunters, associations, and representatives of the tourist hunting industry. The meeting was marked by the signing of a research contract to «deepen

Morocco to host 2025 Women's U17 World Cup in October

The Women's Under-17 World Cup will be held in Morocco from October 17 to November 8, 2025, the International Football Federation (FIFA) announced on Thursday, following a meeting of its Council in Zurich. Last March, FIFA entrusted Morocco with the organization of the next five editions of the U17 Women's World Cup (2025 to 2029). This appointment is further recognition by football's highest governing body of the Kingdom's ability to host major sporting events, thanks to the country's sports

Safi customs destroy 8.1 tonnes of cannabis resin in major drug bust

On Thursday, the Safi customs authorities incinerated 8.1 tonnes of Chira (cannabis resin) along with other prohibited products recently seized by customs officers, the Royal Gendarmerie, and the judicial police. The destruction operation, conducted at a facility in the rural commune of Had Hrara, approximately 35 km from Safi, also involved 858 kg of kif, 1,240 psychotropic tablets, 0.5 grams of cocaine, 120 grams of powdered tobacco, and 100 grams of leaf tobacco. In a statement to MAP,

Morocco's 2024 census completed : A cost-effective approach with reduced refusal rates

The High Commissioner for Planning, Ahmed Lahlimi, has announced the successful completion of the General Census of Population and Housing (RGPH 2024). He highlighted that all the census data had been securely stored in the institution's data management center. During a press conference in Rabat on Thursday, Lahlimi explained that HCP executives had centralized the information collected via tablet computers used by census workers, which were later handed over to the Ministry of National

Antonio Guterres : Small drones flew over FAR units in the Sahara

In his report on the situation in Western Sahara, submitted to the Security Council on October 1, UN Secretary-General António Guterres revealed that drones had flown over positions held by the Royal Armed Forces. «The FAR reported, on 14 occasions to MINURSO, flights over its units by small, unmanned surveillance aircraft in the area of Oum Dreiga», located approximately 280 km east of Dakhla, the Portuguese stated in paragraph 40 of his report. The Secretary General did

OCP Africa signs agreement with Malian Ministry of Agriculture

OCP Africa, a subsidiary of the OCP Group, signed a partnership agreement with the Malian Ministry of Agriculture, supported by the World Bank, in Bamako on Wednesday. «This partnership aims to enhance soil health and fertility, support sustainable agriculture through concrete actions, including soil mapping for optimized agricultural practices, the development of Agricultural Service Centers for farmers, and the promotion of young and female entrepreneurship in agri-tech», said

Mall du Carrousel celebrates grand opening in Rabat

The Mall du Carrousel, a groundbreaking shopping and entertainment complex, officially opened its doors in Rabat's Le Carrousel development, on Thursday, October 3, 2024, according to a press release. The 30,000 m² open-air mall features over 100 retail outlets, a multiplex cinema, children's entertainment spaces, and a food court, surrounded by green spaces and parking facilities. The 600 million dirham project, designed by L35 and Traces architectural firms and constructed by Bymaro,

Sahara : De Mistura visits the Tindouf camps

Staffan de Mistura, the UN Secretary-General's personal envoy for Western Sahara, arrived at Tindouf airport in Algeria in the early hours of Thursday, October 3. He then traveled to the Tindouf camps to meet with the Polisario leader. This visit raises questions, especially since the UN envoy had already met with Mohamed Ammar, Polisario's coordinator for MINURSO, in New York on Monday, September 30. Ammar reiterated the group's rejection of any compromise-based solution. De Mistura also held

Morocco monitors situation of Moroccans in Lebanon, studies all possible scenarios

The crisis cell established by the Moroccan Embassy in Beirut, following recent Israeli bombings on Lebanon, is «monitoring the situation of the Moroccan community residing in Lebanon around the clock», sources close to the matter told Yabiladi on Thursday. While maintaining «direct contact» with members of the Moroccan community, the crisis cell is prepared to «respond to developments in the situation and take necessary measures», the sources added. The

Regragui reveals Morocco squad : Ziyech and Diaz absent for Central African Republic match

National team coach Walid Regragui announced on Thursday the final list of players summoned for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against the Central African Republic on October 12 and 15 at the Honneur Stadium in Oujda. The qualifiers are for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations finals, set to be hosted by Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026. Regragui's list saw the absence of Hakim Ziyech due to a back muscle injury suffered during the last international break,

Four Moroccans escape a Madrid airport asylum center

Four Moroccan migrants seeking asylum in Spain escaped from Hall 3 of the Madrid airport asylum center on Wednesday, according to sources within the Spanish Ministry of Interior. Despite «exhaustive search efforts, the National Police was unable to locate the individuals, and an investigation has been launched to clarify the circumstances surrounding their escape», the same source stated. A similar incident occurred last month in the same hall in Terminal 1, where a group of

South Korean tire manufacturer Hankook expands in Morocco with new subsidiary

Premium tire manufacturer Hankook has announced the opening of its sales subsidiary in Morocco, marking a significant step in its Africa expansion plan, the company stated in a press release on Thursday. Hankook will be offering a wide range of innovative, high-quality products, backed by global research centers, numerous patents, and advanced technological developments, it said. Don Yi Jeon has been appointed as Managing Director of the new Moroccan subsidiary. He previously oversaw the

Queen Máxima honors Moroccan fashion at Utrecht exhibition

Queen Máxima of the Netherlands attended the MODA exhibition at the Central Museum in Utrecht on Wednesday. This exhibition showcases Moroccan fashion and is open to the public until March 2, 2025. During the exhibition, Queen Máxima spoke with designers about their work and inspiration. She also met other creators from MODA and Central Museum staff. «With MODA, we aim to convey the energy of contemporary makers with a connection to Morocco», said Ninke Bloemberg,

Moroccan professor Mimoun Azzouz leads gene therapy innovation at Sheffield University

The British University of Sheffield (270 km north of London) has launched the Gene Therapy Innovation and Manufacturing Centre (GTIMC), led by Moroccan professor Mimoun Azzouz. The center of excellence, inaugurated on Wednesday in the presence of Princess Anne, sister of King Charles III, aims to advance the clinical development of new genetic treatments through the production of clinical-grade vectors, alongside translational support and regulatory advice. During the inauguration ceremony,

Government announces financial aid for flood victims in southeast Morocco

Financial aid of 80,000 and 140,000 dirhams will be granted to families whose homes were partially or completely destroyed by the floods in the southeast of the Kingdom, Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch announced on Wednesday in Rabat. In a press statement following the first meeting of the Inter-ministerial Commission responsible for the rehabilitation program for flood-affected areas, Akhannouch emphasized that this financial aid reflects the Sovereign's care for the affected populations.