First Independent Mena Newspaper
A U.S. trade mission will visit Morocco in May 2025 to explore joint business and investment opportunities offered in the North African Kingdom & Africa in agrifood and other sectors. The Western U.S. Agricultural Trade Association (WUSATA) and the 15 Western Region Departments of Agriculture announced participation in the trade mission offering U.S. exporters an […]
Dam filling rate increased to an average of 37% in Moroccan dams totalling 6.3 billion cubic meters, thanks to recent rainfall which revived farmers’ hopes after a prolonged drought. The rate improved from 26% last year, thanks to a sustained rain and snowfall that has continued across the Kingdom since early March. The filling levels […]
DP World has appointed Portuguese construction giant Mota-Engil to oversee the development of the Banana Port, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) first deep-water maritime gateway. Located in Kongo Central province along the Atlantic coast, the port is expected to revolutionize trade in the DRC and strengthen regional economic networks. Banana Port, one of Africa’s […]
The China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) has committed to investing $1.4 billion to revitalize the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), a critical transport route for copper exports in Central Africa. The deal, announced at the recent Zambia International Mining and Energy Conference (ZIMEC 2025), aims to improve infrastructure and operations along the aging railway. Under […]
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has lauded Morocco’s “Airports Strategy 2030” aimed at modernizing airport infrastructure, enhancing the passenger experience, and turning the country into a major global and regional aviation hub. Aviation is a key pillar of Morocco’s economy. In 2023, aviation (including aviation-related tourism) supported856,000 jobs and contributed 7.9% ($11.2 billion) to […]
The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) underscored the importance of integrating environmental and climate dimensions, including agricultural adaptation, into peace, security, and development strategies in Africa. In a communiqué issued on Saturday following a meeting on “Climate Change: Challenges to Peace and Security in Africa,” held recently under the chairmanship […]
Ethiopia’s parliament has enacted a sweeping tax reform targeting both private and public sector employees to fill the financial void created by USAID’s recent funding suspension. The newly established Ethiopian Disaster Risk Response Fund will channel these tax revenues toward critical projects previously sustained by USAID, which had been Ethiopia’s foremost development and humanitarian partner. […]
The upcoming edition of the Crans Montana Forum, scheduled to take place in Casablanca April 24 to 26, will feature several sessions dedicated to the vision of King Mohammed VI regarding the promotion of the Atlantic as a lever for economic and social development. The announcement was made by Jean-Paul Carteron, Founder and President of […]
The World Bank has approved a $600 million financing package for the last and third phase of the “Strengthening Human Capital for a Resilient Morocco” program. The funding aims to enhance Morocco’s resilience to health risks, improve human capital during childhood, reduce poverty among the elderly, and bolster climate risk management, said the WB in […]
Experts at a recent 57th Conference of African Ministers of Finance emphasized the need for African governments to prioritize local currencies for trade and transactions. Hanan Morsy, chief economist of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, highlighted that reducing reliance on the U.S. dollar would protect Africa’s economies from external financial shocks. Africa’s use of […]