First Independent Mena Newspaper
Vice-President of the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development, Mark Bowman, will visit Morocco this June 18 – 20 to discuss with Moroccan officials the Bank’s support for private-sector financing and transition to green economy. During the visit, Mr. Bowman will meet several government officials, members of the business community and sign agreements on new […]
Morocco’s budget deficit widened to 22.9 billion dirhams ($2.3 billion) at the end of May 2025, up from 11.2 billion dirhams a year earlier, the treasury said. The deficit was however offset by a positive balance of 14.1 billion dirhams from special treasury accounts and autonomously managed state services. Total ordinary revenues rose 19.6% year-on-year […]
Tunisia’s economic prospects have taken a hit as the World Bank revised its growth forecast downward, projecting a modest 1.9% expansion in 2025, down from an earlier estimate of 2.2%. The outlook for the following years is even more subdued, with growth expected to slow to 1.6% in 2026 and 1.7% in 2027. The downgrade […]
The Algerian regime has failed to fulfil its promise of raising the tourist currency allowance from a meager 106 euros to 750 euros. The promise was made by Tebboune who has turned Algiers into the capital of illusion, following his repetitive blunders. Tebboune, with a theatrical flair, pledged to increase the tourist allowance, in an […]
On Tuesday, European Union announced the removal of the United Arab Emirates from its “high-risk” list for money laundering. In addition to the UAE, the EU also delisted Barbados, Gibraltar, Jamaica, Panama, the Philippines, Senegal, and Uganda. At the same time, Monaco was added to the list along with nine other countries. According to the […]
The World Bank has approved a $350 million financing package for the Greater Casablanca Mobility & Logistics Hub, which aims to improve services for passenger railways in the Greater Casablanca area. The funding will also support Morocco’s national railway operator – Office National des Chemins de Fer (ONCF) – in managing and expanding railway infrastructure. […]
Africa’s energy investment landscape is undergoing a dramatic shift as China’s once-dominant role in fossil fuel infrastructure gives way to diversified, cleaner, and more commercially driven models. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), Chinese development finance for African energy projects has plummeted by over 85% since 2015, contributing to an overall drop in public […]
Global spending on energy is expected to reach $3.3 trillion in 2025, marking an all-time high, according to the World Energy Investment 2025 report released earlier this week by the International Energy Agency (IEA). This figure represents a 10% rise compared to 2024. Out of this total, around $2.2 trillion, or 67%, will go toward […]
The Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has called on African governments to tap into over $4 trillion in untapped domestic capital to bridge the continent’s widening infrastructure gap. In its 2025 State of Africa’s Infrastructure report, the AFC emphasized that pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, commercial banks, and reserves collectively hold the capital needed to transform […]
In a bold financial maneuver, Libya’s eastern-based authorities have fast-tracked the approval of a $12.7 billion infrastructure budget—framed as a national development drive, but widely viewed by analysts as a calculated step to consolidate control over oil revenue streams. Overseen by Belgassim Haftar, son of military strongman Khalifa Haftar, the Development and Reconstruction Fund is […]