First Independent Mena Newspaper
Morocco will host the 58th United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development in March 2026. The announcement was made at the expert session of the 57th UNECA and the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development, currently held in Addis […]
Africa’s gross domestic product is projected to grow by 3.8% in 2025 and 4.1% in 2026, establishing the continent as the second-fastest growing global region, according to economic forecasts released during the 57th Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development in Addis Ababa. Economic experts acknowledge African economies’ remarkable resilience but caution […]
Morocco’s efforts to preserve water resources were highlighted in London Friday at a ministerial roundtable on water security in the context of climate change and the challenges of sustainable development. The issue of water and its preservation is at the heart of Morocco’s development strategy, said minister of energy transition and sustainable development, Leila Benali, […]
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is reportedly seeking its own version of the minerals-for-security deal that has been offered by the Trump administration to Ukraine. Reuters reported that a Congolese Senator had written to the US State Department offering a similar deal that would help the war-torn country address its security challenges, notably in […]
Russia significantly boosted its agricultural exports to Africa in 2024 by 19%, reflecting the country’s growing economic influence across the continent amid the continuing war in Ukraine. During the previous fiscal year, Russia’s agricultural exports to Africa surpassed $7 billion, according to a statement released by the Agricultural Export Center (Agroexport), with Egypt, Algeria, and […]
Emirates NBD, the largest bank in Dubai by assets, has commenced due diligence on a potential acquisition of a stake in Banque du Caire, Egypt’s sixth-largest commercial bank. This acquisition is part of Egypt’s ongoing efforts to privatize state-owned businesses as the country seeks to raise up to $2.5 billion in its 2024-2025 fiscal year. […]
Prices of cobalt, a key mineral for energy transition, began to rise following an export ban by the Democratic Republic of the Congo to balance the market. On China’s Wuxi Stainless Steel Exchange on Monday, cobalt trading was paused after prices jumped nearly 12%, the highest since October. Last month, DRC said it will stop […]
Morocco is preparing to launch a tender to launch 5G bandwidth, a project that attracts interests from China’s Huwawei and western firms, Morocco’s Finance News Hebdo said. Huwawei is already operating in the country in partnerships with local operators Maroc Telecom and Orange Maroc and seems to be better placed compared to western peers such […]
Chinese state-owned firms are playing a dominant role in port development across Africa, with a presence in 78 ports across 32 countries as builders, financiers, or operators, sparking concerns about China’s long-term geo-strategic aims. According to a new report by the Washington-based Africa Center for Strategic Studies, these Chinese firms are not only builders and […]
Morocco won the presidency of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), in an event that highlights the Kingdom’s clout and leadership within the continent. The one-year-term presidency will feature the chairmanship by Morocco’s industrial minister Ryad Mezzour of the Confederation of African Ministers for Finance, Planning, and Economic Development. Algeria, as was expected, attempted […]