First Independent Mena Newspaper
Morocco’s GDP growth will continue to exceed 4.0% in both 2026 and 2027, despite negative spillovers from the US-Iran conflict, according to the forecast of Fitch Solutions, which provides credit, economic, financial data, research and analytics used by financial institutions, corporations and governments. “We forecast growth of 4.1% each year, broadly in line with consensus. […]
Harmattan AI, a private defense technology firm supported by French giant Dassault, has announced it signed a major strategic partnership with the Royal Armed Forces to deploy next-generation autonomous air defense capabilities and build a sovereign, technologically advanced defense industrial base. In a press release issued Thursday, Harmattan AI said it will contribute its expertise […]
South Korea is aiming to conclude a comprehensive economic partnership agreement with Morocco by mid-2027, its trade minister said, citing the need to improve competitiveness for Korean firms operating in the North African market. Current tariff structures put Korean companies at a disadvantage, limiting their ability to use Morocco as a manufacturing base for exports […]
Construction of Morocco’s Dakhla Atlantique port complex has reached 62% completion, project director Nisrine Iouzzi said, highlighting progress on a major offshore project set to boost regional trade and support emerging energy industries. The port, designed as an island facility in open sea, is planned to serve as a key maritime and logistics hub linking […]
Morocco’s cereal harvest is projected to reach 90 million quintals in the 2026 season, including 44 million quintals of soft wheat, Agriculture Minister Ahmed El Bouari said. Speaking before the upper house of parliament, El Bouari said the crop would also include 21 million quintals of durum wheat and 25 million quintals of barley. Collection […]
The Central Bank of Sudan has announced the accreditation of Electronic Banking Services (EBS) as a SWIFT global financial messaging and wire transfer service bureau, marking a significant step toward reintegrating the country’s banking system into the global financial network. The announcement positions EBS as the first approved SWIFT service bureau in the country and […]
Morocco is betting that its new Nador West Med port, due to enter service by the end of 2026, will anchor a broader industrial transformation of the country’s eastern Oriental region, as authorities seek to replicate the success of Tanger Med and deepen integration with global trade routes. Beyond its role as a maritime gateway, […]
Royal Air Maroc Cargo is focusing its growth strategy on high-value trade flows between Asia and Africa, positioning Casablanca as a key redistribution hub serving more than 30 destinations across the continent, Moroccan media reported. The cargo unit of Morocco’s national carrier aims to capitalize on rising demand for electronics, e-commerce shipments, industrial goods and […]
Morocco’s push to prioritize domestically produced wheat following a strong harvest is being hampered by bottlenecks in harvesting, rising costs and some quality concerns, industry officials and sector reports indicate. After abundant winter rains ended a seven-year drought, Morocco expects cereals output to double this season to around 9 million tons. To shield local farmers […]
Morocco’s industrial, energy and mining production started 2026 on the back foot, with official data pointing to a broad-based decline across the country’s main productive sectors. According to figures from the High Commission for Planning (HCP), the index of manufacturing industries excluding oil refining contracted by 1.4 percent in the first quarter of 2026 compared […]