News Flash

Morocco : Budget deficit narrows to 26.6 MMDH at end-September

The Treasury's statement of charges and resources showed a budget deficit of 26.6 billion dirhams (MMDH) at the end of September 2024, compared with a deficit of 35.2 MMDH for the same period a year earlier, according to the Kingdom's General Treasury (TGR). This deficit takes into account a positive balance of 17.3 MMDH generated by the Treasury's special accounts (CST) and the State's autonomously managed services (SEGMA), says the TGR in its recent Bulletin Mensuel de Statistiques des

British companies to explore partnership opportunities in Morocco for 2030 World Cup

A British delegation of 12 companies will visit Morocco from October 15 to 17, announced John Humphrey, King Charles III's Trade Commissioner for Africa. The visit aims to explore partnership opportunities as Morocco prepares to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup. In his message to Morocco, Humphrey praised British expertise in delivering major sports infrastructure projects, notably highlighting the role UK companies played in organizing the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. British interest in

South Africa ANC sanctions Obed Bapela over Morocco visit

After issuing a statement on October 9 condemning MP Obed Bapela’s visit to Morocco, South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) has now taken disciplinary action. The party announced that Bapela, a former minister in the Presidency, has been removed from his position as deputy chair of its international relations sub-committee. During his trip to Rabat, Bapela met with Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita. This meeting sparked outrage within the ANC,

Moroccan police arrest Jonathan Harroch, CEO of City Club gym franchise

Arabic-language media report the arrest of businessman Jonathan Harroch, owner of the «City Club» sports club chain, by Moroccan police on Saturday evening at a large hotel in Casablanca. The arrest followed the execution of a national arrest warrant, though the Public Prosecutor's Office has yet to officially announce the reasons for the detention. Harroch is reportedly accused of issuing bad checks, human trafficking, and drug trafficking. He is expected to appear

Morocco's new stadium could rival Barcelona's for the 2030 World Cup final hosting

Will Morocco benefit from the legendary rivalry between Madrid and Barcelona to secure the hosting of the 2030 World Cup Final? «At the moment, Madrid is not a competitor for Barcelona to host the World Cup Final», said the head of Sports at Barcelona City Council in statements to the Catalan press. «Today, with the objective data in hand, the Bernabéu (Real Madrid's stadium) does not meet FIFA's requirements, unlike the new Spotify Camp Nou (Barcelona's stadium),

CJEU ruling : Algeria summons EU ambassadors over support for Morocco

In contrast to its «observer status» in Western Sahara, Algeria is once again expressing its anger. On Saturday, October 12, the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned ambassadors from European states to explain their countries' support for the partnership with Morocco, following the European Union Court of Justice (CJEU) ruling in favor of the Polisario on October 4. This announcement was made by a «well-informed source» in the Attaf department, in confidence to

Tunisia and countries recognizing «SADR» to attend handball tournament in Laayoune

From October 10 to 19, Laayoune will host the 45th edition of the African Championship of Champions Clubs in Handball (men and women). The tournament is organized by the Royal Moroccan Handball Federation (FRMH), under the aegis of the African Handball Confederation (CAHB). Although Algeria has banned its clubs from taking part in a competition organized in «occupied Western Sahara», 27 teams from 11 African countries have accepted the invitation from the FRMH and CAHB. The list of

Afcon qualifiers 2025 : Morocco crushes Central Africa 5-0

The Moroccan national football team dominated its Central African counterpart by 5 goals to 0 on Saturday evening at the Stade d'Honneur in Oujda, in the African qualifiers for the African Cup of Nations (CAN 2025). Morocco, already qualified for the final phase of the next CAN as hosts, fielded a slightly reshuffled lineup, with newcomers Youssef Belammari and Jamal Harkas starting. Solid leaders of their group after two wins in as many games against Gabon (4-1) and Lesotho (1-0), the Atlas

Casablanca to replace palm trees with trees after environmental advocacy

The Morocco Environment Movement 2050 held a long-awaited meeting with Casablanca Governor Mohamed Mehidia on Thursday, following two years of persistent advocacy and awareness efforts regarding the city's palm tree planting policies. According to Salima Belemkaddem, the association's president, the governor responded positively to the latest appeal aimed at protecting Zerktouni Street, a major artery in Casablanca. Governor Mehidia agreed to prevent the planting of Washingtonia palms in

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