Business Emerging Markets

Union of Arab Banks Underscores Resilience of Moroccan Banking Sector

The General Secretariat of the Union of Arab Banks released a study underscoring the resilience of the Moroccan banking sector, which remains insulated from external risks that could affect its performance. The Beirut-based Union added that the Banking sectors of Morocco, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Sudan show high resilience thanks notably to political conditions. The […]

Business Finance

Bahrain’s Al Baraka to Set up 25 Agencies in Morocco

Bahrain’s Al Baraka group forged a partnership with Morocco’s BMCE Bank of Africa to create AL Baraka Maroc which aims at creating a network of 25 agencies in Morocco in the first quarter of 2017. The Bahraini group made the announcement after Morocco’s central bank gave the green light to five Moroccan banks to set […]

Business Energy

Morocco Selects Ashurst, HSBC as Advisors for ‘Gas to Power’ Project

Morocco’s Electricity Utility (ONEE) selected two British firms as technical and financial advisors for its gas to power project. The London-based law firm Ashurst has been selected under a contract worth €1.9 million, while the Emirati branch of the British bank HSBC won a legal contract standing at $7.2 million. The gas to power project […]

Business Finance

Morocco Approves Islamic Banking

As expected, Morocco’s Central Bank has finally given its green light to five Moroccan banks to set up Islamic banks – known locally as participative banking- and allowed three banks to sell Islamic products. The regulatory approvals concern the three major Moroccan banks Attijariwafa Bank, BMCE of Africa and Banque Centrale Populaire (BCP), and two […]

Business Features Headlines

Financial Times Names ‘Attijariwafa Bank’ Best in Morocco

The Banker Magazine, an offshoot of the Financial Times, awarded Attijariwafa Bank the title of the “Best Moroccan Bank” in 2016 for the 8thconsecutive time. Attijariwafa Bank Group was awarded two other prizes in London during the month of December, granted by prestigious British magazines in recognition for its performance over the past year. EMEA […]

Business Headlines Morocco

Morocco Bought $6.2 bln in Weapons from 2008 to 2015- Congressional Report

Morocco spent $6.2 billion on weapon deals from 2011 to 2015, said an annual Congressional study dubbed, “Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations, 2008-2015, one of the most comprehensive assessments of global arms sales available in an unclassified form. The US continues to be the main arms supplier of Morocco over the same period with […]

Business Finance

Morocco’s Economy to Post 4.2% Growth in 2017- Central Bank

Morocco’s Central Bank, Bank Al Maghrib, forcasted a 4.2% growth rate for Moroccan economy in 2017, up from 1.2% in 2016. The positive growth rate was put forward on the backdgrop of a promising crop year following abundant rainfall, the Bank said. The bank has kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 2.25 percent as […]

Business Headlines Morocco

Emirates to Operate Airbus A380 Dubai-Casablanca Daily Flights

Dubai airline, Emirates, announced that it would operate its first ever commercial Airbus A380 flight to Casablanca. The iconic double decker 491-seat aircraft will operate daily flights to Morocco replacing the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft currently used on the Dubai-Casablanca route. The company said in a statement that the switch to A380 will offer a total […]

Algeria Finance Headlines

Concern in the EU over Instability Prospects in Algeria

EU officials and media continue to voice concern over the threats of instability in Algeria, which braces for a political crisis marked by the opacity of the regime and disagreements on who will succeed the ailing President Bouteflika and an economic crisis triggered by shrinking oil revenues. “Europe should draw lessons from the tragedy in […]

Business Headlines Morocco

Delaware Governor to Attend Atlantic Dialogues in Morocco

Governor of Delaware, Jack Markell, will participate on Friday in the “Atlantic Dialogues” in Rabat, a conference on issues pertaining to Atlantic Ocean countries. The US governor will take part in a panel alongside with senior officials, business leaders, opinion shapers and the media from North and South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia. The three-day […]