First Independent Mena Newspaper
The seventh session of the Morocco-China Joint Economic, Commercial, and Technical Cooperation Commission convened Tuesday in Beijing, focusing on deepening strategic partnerships while addressing bilateral trade imbalances. Industry and Commerce Minister Ryad Mezzour co-chaired proceedings with Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Zhang Li. The high-level session demonstrates both nations’ commitment to pursuing strategic dialogue initiated by […]
Malaysia Airlines and Royal Air Maroc have signed a codeshare agreement aimed at expanding travel options between Africa, Europe and Asia, the carriers announced Wednesday. The partnership, which links the two oneworld alliance members, will allow passengers to book connecting flights between Casablanca and Kuala Lumpur via Doha, London and Paris. Under the deal, Royal […]
Morocco’s pepper exports hit nearly 190,000 metric tons during the 2024-2025 season, generating more than $240 million and marking the fifth consecutive record, the foreign exchange regulator said. The volume represents a 3.7% increase over last year and caps an average annual growth rate of 13% over the past five years, the regulator said in […]
Morocco has secured €450 million funding from German Development Bank (KfW) under three agreements inked Tuesday in Rabat by Minister Delegate in charge of the Budget Fouzi Lekjaa and Director of the German Bank for North Africa Daniela Beckmann. KfW is providing Morocco €100 million to enhance the Kingdom’s resilience to climate change and supporting […]
As Morocco’s tourism and travel industry are booming, IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has announced plans to launch a luxury hotel in Morocco in Q4 2026. IHG said it signed a franchise agreement with Sirayane Hospitality, a local hospitality investor and operator, to develop Kimpton Marrakech, a 67-key luxury […]
On Tuesday, December 16, Mauritania’s Minister of Economic Affairs and Development, Dr. Abdallahi Ould Souleymane Ould Cheikh Sidiya, received a delegation from the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) in Nouakchott to sign a US$30 million budget support agreement. The delegation was led by Dr Mahmoud Khan, Director of Operations for Africa, and included Mr. […]
Morocco’s Foreign Exchange Office has introduced groundbreaking reforms allowing accredited agents to utilize electronic payment terminals for currency purchases against dirhams using international bank cards. Clients can also receive dirham-loaded prepaid cards, creating seamless circuits between international payment methods and the domestic economy. The measure responds to sustained international payment growth. According to the Foreign […]
The Alliance of Sahel States (AES), comprising Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, has created a regional investment bank with an initial capital of 500 billion CFA francs (about $820 million), aimed at financing infrastructure and development projects across the three countries. The institution, named the Confederation Bank for Investment and Development (BCID-AES), is designed to […]
Morocco’s central bank kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 2.25% on Tuesday, citing contained inflation and steady economic recovery, while projecting growth to reach 5% in 2025 before easing to an average of 4.5% in 2026 and 2027. Bank Al-Maghrib’s board, meeting for its fourth quarterly session of the year, said agricultural output is […]
Morocco’s leading port operator Marsa Maroc has acquired 45 percent capital and voting rights in Spain’s Boluda Corporacion Maritima (BMT) for €80 million, establishing strategic presence across the Strait of Gibraltar. BMT operates nine ports spanning the Iberian Peninsula and Canary Islands. This strategic partnership “opens pathways to synergies” between both groups, “pooling complementary expertise […]