Asia Europe Finance Headlines International

International Conference on Lebanon raises $1Bln

One billion dollars has been raised for Lebanon and its army at the International Conference in Support of Lebanon’s People and Sovereignty held in Paris, French diplomacy announced on Thursday. “In the face of the war’s toll, participants responded to the United Nations’ appeal and announced $1 billion in aid, including $800 million in humanitarian […]

Emerging Markets Finance Headlines Morocco

IFC injects $37 Mln in Morocco’s BLS Logistics Company

The International Finance Corporation has announced a $37 million investment in Morocco’s logistics service provider BLS to support the company’s growth strategy and strengthen Morocco’s position as a regional logistics and trade hub. The IFC funding will help BLS finance its expansion plans, which include creating an estimated 500 new jobs by 2030 through the […]

Emerging Markets Finance Headlines Morocco

Morocco increases defense budget as it prepares for industrialization

The Moroccan government increased the budget allocated for defense to 133 billion dirhams ($13.5 bln) as it prepares to promote defense industries and upgrade equipment, as shown in the draft budget for 2025. This year, Morocco’s defense budget was at 124 billion dirhams, highlighting the country’s efforts to modernize its army with state-of-the art technologies. […]

Emerging Markets Finance Headlines Morocco

Morocco allocates 340 bln MAD to public investments in 2025

Morocco’s 2025 budget has allocated 340 billion dirhams ($34.5 bln) to public investments, up 1.5% from last year. The investments would focus on key sectors such as renewable energies, telecommunications, housing, farming, electricity, water, phosphates, roads, and transports, according to the draft budget. The 2025 assumes a 4.6% growth rate in 2025, up from 3.3% […]

Finance Headlines Mauritania

IMF supports Mauritania to continue economic reforms with nearly $48 million

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has announced a preliminary agreement to provide financial support to Tanzania and Mauritania, totaling approximately $428.15 million, to help both countries pursue crucial economic reforms. For Mauritania, the IMF will disburse around $39.7 million through the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF), alongside an additional $8.6 million […]

Finance Headlines Libya

Libya’s Central Bank announces provision of over $3 billion to resolve liquidity crisis

The Central Bank of Libya (CBL) has unveiled a significant initiative aimed at bolstering the country’s banking sector by allocating 15 billion dinars (over 3 billion USD) to all operational banks in the coming months. This distribution is set to be implemented across all bank branches throughout Libya. This announcement followed a crucial meeting held […]

Emerging Markets Finance Headlines Morocco

Morocco to raise social protection, health and education budgets in 2025

The Moroccan government has elaborated a 2025 budget that bolsters spending on social protection as well as on the health and education reform, finance minister Nadia Fettah Alaoui said. The government will press ahead with the generalization of mandatory health coverage, financial assistance to needy families, and will launch the generalization of the pension system, […]

Columns Finance Headlines Tunisia

Tunisia puts final nail in central bank independence

Tunisian lawmakers are preparing a law that would remove the exclusivity of the central bank in setting the benchmark interest rate, thus ending the bank’s monetary policy independence. The bill suggests that the central bank should set the interest rate after the approval of the government. President Kais Saied has often taken aim at the […]

Egypt Emerging Markets Finance Headlines Tunisia

World Bank revises downwards growth rate forecasts for Tunisia, Egypt in 2024/2025

The World Bank has revised Tunisia’s 2024 economic growth forecast downward to 1.2%, compared to the 2.4% projected in April 2024. In its October 16, 2024 report, “Growth in the Middle East and North Africa,” the Bank expects Tunisia’s growth to stabilize at 2.2% in 2025. The report cites weak growth across the MENA region, […]

Emerging Markets Finance Headlines Morocco

Ministers’ Council, chaired by King Mohammed VI, adopts 2025 appropriation bill

A Ministers’ Council, convened Friday in Rabat under the chairmanship of King Mohammed VI, debated and adopted the 2025 appropriation bill which seeks to boost social cohesion, enhance economic sovereignty, and to achieve a strong economic recovery, with a growth rate of 4.6% in 2025, and a limited inflation rate at 2%. At the start […]