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Morocco applies for $5 bil IMF loan, likely to get the loan
On 6 March 2023, the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Executive Board met in an informal session to consider a request from Morocco for a two-year loan arrangement under the IMF’s Flexible Credit Line (FCL). The amount under consideration is US$ 5 billion. The...
Maghreb competition: The ridiculous debate over who should claim ownership of the Haiek veil
Opinion by Arezki Daoud: Competition between the regimes of Algeria and Morocco has gone mainstream. Now Algerians and Moroccans are battling each other over the silliest things, from who presumably owns specific foods to who should claim ownership of specific arts...
Morocco: Appeals court reduces sentence of rights activist Rida Benotmane but he is still in prison
A Moroccan appeals court halved the sentence of rights activist Rida Benotmane, jailed for social media posts calling for rallies against "abuses by security forces", his lawyer said Tuesday. "The sentence has been reduced to a year and a half in prison," said lawyer...
How Morocco’s image is taking a beating at the European Parliament ($)
Morocco’s image in the European Parliament has taken a hit these days with its members (MEPs) investigating allegations of bribes paid by Morocco to influence the parliament’s positions on issues important to the North Africa nation. Furthermore, MEPs have also been active investigating Morocco’s alleged use of Pegasus spyware and how it is still detaining independent journalists in its prisons. These allegations are making Morocco’s standing in the European parliament difficult to hold. There is even the risk of the country’s representatives being banned from entering the EU parliament’s facilities.
Morocco: Inflation exceeds 8%, unions protest economic hardship, defy government’s ban on marches
Moroccan trade union activists protested Sunday in the capital Rabat and other cities to denounce surging costs of food and fuel, defying a government ban against marches. Protesters from the Democratic Labour Confederation (CDT) staged rallies outside their offices...
Belgian police detain Member of European Parliament in alleged Morocco/Qatar bribery scandal
Police on Friday detained a Belgian European Parliament member for questioning after searching a bank safe belonging to him as part of a probe into a bribery scandal that has rocked the EU. Belgium's federal prosecutors said "several raids" were carried out Friday...
Construction of a Morocco-Spain tunnel under consideration but challenges abound
By Valentin Bontemps: In limbo for years, plans for a tunnel linking Spain and Morocco have been officially revived by Madrid and Rabat although the dream of an underwater rail link faces multiple obstacles. What is the project? The idea was first raised in 1979 by...
Morocco: European Parliament to launch hearing on Morocco’s alleged use of Pegasus spyware, Morocco denies claim
The Moroccan parliament decried Wednesday an "unjust campaign" against it at the European Parliament ahead of a hearing in Brussels over the North African country's alleged use of Pegasus spyware. The European Parliament is set to hear from experts, human rights...
Morocco: Man sets himself ablaze outside Morocco consulate in Madrid, motives unknown
A Moroccan man sustained serious injuries after setting himself on fire outside the Moroccan consulate in Madrid on Tuesday, police and diplomatic sources told AFP. He was badly burnt and emergency services took him to hospital. It took place in a northeastern...
Morocco/Qatar: Probe on corruption scandal and bribery in EU parliament set to intensify
By Matthieu Demeestere: Under the terms of a plea deal struck with Belgian investigators, former Italian lawmaker Pier Antonio Panzeri has begun to spill the beans in the graft scandal rocking the European Parliament. Panzeri is the central figure in a suspected...
Morocco: Criticized by EU Parliament, Rabat hits back in what could become a diplomatic row
Moroccan lawmakers on Monday voted unanimously to review ties with the European Parliament, accusing it of meddling after a resolution that urged the kingdom to respect press freedom. Members of both houses of Morocco's parliament met in the capital Rabat for a joint...
Western Sahara: Brahim Ghali reelected head of Polisario Front
The Polisario Front, which seeks independence for Western Sahara, re-elected its leader Friday in its first vote since the breakdown of a UN-supervised truce with Morocco, which controls most of the disputed territory. Brahim Ghali, 73, was elected to a new three-year...
Morocco: Euro Parliament concerned about press freedom in Morocco as kingdom denies corruption allegations
The European Parliament on Thursday condemned what it described as a decline in press freedom in Morocco, saying it was "concerned" by corruption allegations against Rabat. A corruption scandal involving European Parliament members that erupted last month sent...
Morocco among top sources of illegal immigration to Switzerland
Illegal immigration into Switzerland almost tripled last year, the government announced Thursday, citing a recent influx of Afghan and Moroccan migrants. The numbers of people arrested for illegal immigration jumped from 18,859 in 2021 to 52,077, the Federal Office...
Morocco in Spanish court over journalist accusing Rabat of spying on him with Pegasus spyware
By Christian Chaise: Morocco on Friday called on a Madrid court to exonerate the kingdom of repeated claims by a Spanish journalist that it was responsible for bugging his phone with Pegasus spyware. The demand was made as a court heard Rabat's case against...
Western Sahara: Polisario leader Brahim Ghali expected to be reelected after ongoing Congress meeting
The Polisario movement, which seeks independence in disputed Western Sahara, started meeting Friday for leadership elections in the shadow of mounting tensions between host Algeria and Morocco, which controls most of the territory. More than 2,200 members of the...
Insurgencies: Three alleged members of Islamic State group arrested in Morocco and Spain
Moroccan and Spanish authorities have broken up a jihadist cell linked to the Islamic State group and arrested its three members in a joint operation, Morocco's security services said Wednesday. One of the "extremist elements" was arrested by special forces from...
Podcast: Sahel and North Africa week in review 7 Jan 2023
Greetings to our second episode of Week in Review and a quick summary of what we are tracking in the Sahel and in North Africa. Today is Saturday, the 7th of January 2023. This past week was somewhat subdued in the region largely due to the year-end holiday season and...
Spain cracks down on use and abuse of undocumented migrants in agriculture
Spanish police said Thursday they have broken up a criminal group that exploited undocumented migrant workers in the agricultural sector, mainly from Morocco, and sold them false documents. Officers arrested 43 people in the southern province of Malaga suspected of...
Morocco: EU parliament worker and boyfriend of arrested Greek MEP implicates Morocco in corruption scandal
The EU on Wednesday defended a trip by its top diplomat to Morocco, which has been linked, along with Qatar, to a graft scandal unrolling at the European Parliament. As "there is no proof" of wrongdoing at this stage, it is right the trip by EU foreign policy chief...
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