First Independent Mena Newspaper
The IMF kept its 2026 growth forecast for Tunisia at 2.1% in its April regional outlook but warned that the economy remains highly exposed to external shocks, particularly energy price volatility linked to the war in Iran and disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz. In its Regional Economic Outlook for the Middle East and Central […]
A Sudanese delegation has engaged officials from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to push for the restoration of full partnership with the World Bank, aiming to secure funding for reconstruction and accelerate debt relief efforts. The talks, held on the sidelines of the IMF-World Bank spring meetings, underscored Sudan’s priority to […]
Morocco’s Casablanca‑Settat region has become the first regional authority in the country to tap the capital markets, issuing 1 billion dirhams (€92 million) local-currency bond with cornerstone support from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The EBRD said it invested MAD 400 million (€36.8 million) in the issuance, helping to ensure the bond’s […]
Morocco has formalized a new high-value financing partnership with the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID), signing a Country Partnership Framework worth an indicative €500 million for the period 2026-2028. The agreement was concluded by Finance Minister Nadia Fettah and OFID President Abdulhamid Al Khalifa on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank Spring […]
Morocco’s phosphates and fertilizer giant OCP has raised $1.5 billion through its first international hybrid bond, marking a milestone as the first African corporate to issue a US dollar‑denominated hybrid instrument on global markets. The landmark transaction also helped reopen Middle East and North Africa public primary bond markets, which had been dormant for more […]
The Libyan Investment Authority has welcomed United Nations Security Council Resolution 2819 of 2026, which permits the reinvestment of frozen cash assets while maintaining existing sanctions, in a move aimed at preserving their value. The Authority noted on Wednesday, April 15, that the resolution, adopted unanimously, strengthens its capacity to review, audit and monitor assets […]
Morocco expects to steadily reduce its public debt over the rest of the decade as economic growth strengthens and the budget deficit remains contained, despite pressures from global geopolitical tensions, a senior finance official told Bloomberg. Public debt is forecast to fall to about 60% of gross domestic product by 2030 from roughly 67% at […]
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Mauritanian authorities have concluded a technical agreement on a new 42-month financial support program following a recent mission to Nouakchott. According to Mission Chief Félix Fischer, the arrangement is designed to “help Mauritania meet its financing needs, preserve its macroeconomic stability, and implement its National Development Plan.” […]
Libya has reached a significant milestone in its post-conflict recovery, with rival political institutions agreeing to adopt a unified state budget for the first time in over 13 years. Governor of the Central Bank of Libya, Naji Issa, announced over the week-end that the eastern-based House of Representatives and the Tripoli-based High Council of State […]
Libya and Sudan have reaffirmed on April 12 their commitment to advancing Africa’s economic architecture, with renewed efforts to operationalize the African Investment Bank positioned at the centre of their engagement. Acting Libyan Foreign Minister Taher Al-Baour held talks in Tripoli with Sudan’s Foreign Minister Mohi El-Din Salem, focusing on regional developments and the […]