First Independent Mena Newspaper
Morocco and Finland have reaffirmed their commitment to a strengthened bilateral relationship following high-level talks in Rabat between Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and his Finnish counterpart Elina Valtonen, with discussions spanning economic cooperation, regional security, and key geopolitical issues. On the economic front, Bourita highlighted notable progress in trade relations, pointing to the presence of […]
Algeria’s reaction to the unfolding developments in Iran reignited questions over the coherence of its foreign policy, exposing familiar patterns of hesitation, selective outrage and inconsistencies that diplomats say increasingly undermine its credibility on the regional stage. The strikes, which killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top officials, targeted the regime with […]
Royal Air Maroc (RAM) has been among the airlines that canceled its scheduled flight from Casablanca to Doha, as well as the return Doha–Casablanca service, after Qatar closed its airspace amid rapidly deteriorating regional security conditions. A Qatar Airways flight scheduled to depart Casablanca at 15:30 on Saturday was also canceled due to the closure, […]
A group of Tunisian lawmakers has submitted a comprehensive proposal of law to Parliament aimed at overhauling key sections of the country’s nationality Code in a bid to tighten eligibility for citizenship and adapt provisions relating to birthright nationality. Under the draft legislation, naturalization would be conditioned on legal entry and a continuous seven-year […]
Morocco is reshaping the way it views and manages its artisanal sector — moving decisively from treating it as a social support mechanism toward positioning it as a genuine driver of national economic wealth and export growth. The sector’s current scale is already impressive. Artisanal activity contributes approximately seven percent of Morocco’s GDP and employs […]
The Libyan Red Crescent has recovered two bodies following the capsizing of a migrant boat off eastern Libya. In a statement issued on Sunday, 1 March 2026, the organisation confirmed that the vessel overturned in the area between Al-Tamimi and Umm Al-Razm, near Derna. Emergency teams from the Umm Al-Razm branch, supported by colleagues from […]
Finland has expressed supports to the Autonomy Plan for the Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty as “one of the most feasible solutions” to the regional dispute. This position was expressed in a Joint Communiqué adopted in Rabat this Sunday following a meeting between Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Elina Valtonen, who is on an official visit […]
A Panamanian-flagged merchant ship was shipwrecked on Saturday off the coast of Laayoune, the Moroccan Ministry of Transport and Logistics said in a press release. This incident occurred following a report of water ingress while the commercial vessel “DURA BULK” was en route to the port of Laayoune carrying a cargo of bulk clinker, the […]
Morocco and Egypt have emerged as the primary African recipients of European Investment Bank financing in 2025, as the EU’s financial arm deployed a record €3.1 billion across the continent through its international development branch, EIB Global — representing one third of the institution’s total disbursements outside the European Union. The investment drive, aligned with […]
Morocco’s Ministry of Agriculture is accelerating its labeling agenda, with several emblematic local specialties — including olive oils, honey, and dried fruit — set to receive Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status in the coming months. The push is being driven through technical assistance launched by the Regional Directorate of Agriculture for the Fès-Meknès area. Among […]