First Independent Mena Newspaper
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) downgraded its 2025 projections Monday, forecasting fewer than five billion air trips this year compared to the previously anticipated 5.22 billion, as the aviation sector faces mounting economic uncertainties. During IATA’s annual general assembly in New Delhi, the organization revised industry profit expectations to $36 billion, down $600 million […]
Morocco continues its military modernization drive with U.S. Defense Department’s approval for a $260 million acquisition of 612 FGM-148F Javelin anti-tank missiles and 200 portable launchers, reinforcing the kingdom’s defense capabilities amid regional security challenges. The U.S. Department of Defense authorized the transaction on May 31, 2025, following preliminary approval from the Defense Security Cooperation […]
Algeria is grappling with a deepening currency crisis as the Algerian dinar continues its relentless slide, raising alarm over the country’s economic stability, inflationary pressures, and the sustainability of state finances. Since late 2019, the dinar has lost significant value against the euro, falling from 204 dinars per euro in December 2019 to over 260 […]
Morocco has denounced in a letter to the President and members of the UN Security Council a biased paragraph on the Moroccan Sahara in the Council’s latest report for the year 2024 to the UN General Assembly. The letter was sent by Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Omar Hilale, following the adoption, on […]
Morocco has secured a significant diplomatic victory in its long-standing quest to uphold its territorial integrity and address the legacy of colonial-era divisions, following the United Kingdom’s endorsement of the autonomy plan for the Sahara. The UK’s foreign minister David Lammy described the Moroccan proposal as “the most credible, viable and pragmatic basis for a […]
In a dramatic pivot away from traditional regional alliances, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have deepened their collaboration under the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), aiming to reclaim sovereignty and reshape their economic future, including through the planned launch of common currency. Born out of frustration with ECOWAS and external pressures, the AES is fast-tracking […]
Africa, home to one-third of the world’s critical mineral reserves, stands at a crossroads: remain a source of raw exports or become a central player in the global energy transition. Despite abundant resources — including cobalt, lithium, copper, and rare earth elements — Africa received just 10.4% of global mineral exploration investment in 2024, down […]
With just months to go before Ivory Coast’s October 2025 presidential election, the newly formed Coalition for a Peaceful Alternation (CAP-CI) is intensifying pressure on the ruling party to ensure credible and inclusive polls. At the heart of its demands: judicial impartiality, revised electoral lists, and the reinstatement of disqualified candidates, including opposition figure Tidjane […]
Morocco has officially dismantled the near-monopoly held by le Centre Monétique Interbancaire (CMI) over electronic payment terminals, marking a major shift in the country’s digital economy and financial sector. The reform, which took effect on May 1, 2025, allows banks, fintech firms, and independent payment providers to directly offer point-of-sale (POS) services to merchants, a […]
Flash floods ravaged the town of Mokwa killing at least 115 people, as rescuers say the real toll is still hidden beneath the mud and debris. The River Niger, swollen by days of relentless rain, surged through the heart of Niger State on Wednesday night. It tore through Mokwa, leaving behind a trail of ruin […]