Business Finance Headlines Morocco

Fitch Maintains BBB Rate for Morocco with Stable Outlook

Credit rating agency, Fitch, affirmed Morocco’s long-term foreign and local currency issuer default ratings (IDRs) at ‘BBB’ with a Stable Outlook. Fitch explained that Morocco’s BBB rating was driven by its economic performance, public finance and external finance metrics. “Economic policy focuses on maintaining macroeconomic stability and is unlikely to change much as a result […]

Business Headlines Morocco

Morocco: Tourism authority targets 11 million tourists for 2017

Moroccan tourism authority has announced its 2017 ambition as the industry authorities hope to increase arrivals from China and Italy and hit an 11 million-tourist target. Figures of tourist arrivals for 2016 second semester have saved the session and hyped hope at ONMT. Around 10.4 million tourists visited the kingdom in 2016. To reach the […]

Business Energy Headlines Morocco

King Mohammed VI Launches Final Stage of World’s Largest Solar Plant

Morocco has bolstered its leadership in renewable energies with the inauguration of the fourth and final stage of the Noor Solar plant complex in Ouarzazate with a 582 MW total capacity. King Mohammed VI launched works to achieve the fourth phase, which uses photovoltaic (PV) technology to produce electricity. The site will have a capacity […]

Asia Business Headlines International Morocco

Morocco Bridges India with Francophone Africa, Times of India says

On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Morocco and India, the Times of India published an Op-ed making the case for strengthening relations with the North African Kingdom as a means to outreach diplomatically and economically to francophone Africa.   The author of the article, Rudroneel Ghosh, calls on his country […]

Business Emerging Markets

Mediterranean Countries Make 10-Year Pledge to Save Fish Stocks in their Sea

Fifteen Ministerial delegates representing both northern and southern Mediterranean countries have signed on Thursday a flagship Declaration whereby they make a 10-year pledge to save the Mediterranean fish stocks and protect the region’s ecological and economic wealth. The text, dubbed Malta MedFish4Ever Declaration, crowns months of negotiations that started in Catania, Sicily in February 2016, […]

Business Energy Headlines Morocco

Sound Energy Confirms ‘Significant’ Gas in Third Well in Eastern Morocco

Sound Energy confirmed significant gas potential upon completing the drilling of its third gas well TE8 in the Tendrara license area in eastern Morocco, the company said. The well, drilled to a target depth of 3,120 meters, showed that the proven hydrocarbon system in Algeria spreads into Morocco, the company said in a statement. Sound […]

Business Energy

Morocco’s Phosphates Revenues Stood at 42 billion Dirhams in 2016

The consolidated revenues of Morocco’s state-run phosphates company, Office Chérifien de Phosphate (OCP), fell to 42.47 billion dirhams in 2016, compared to 47.73 billion dirhams in 2015. The OCP, the world’s leading phosphates exporter, imputed the drop to the slide in phosphate and fertilizer prices, prompting efforts to increase production and cut costs to counter […]

Business Finance

IMF Expresses Concern over Impact of Lower Oil on Algerian Economy

“Algeria continues to face important challenges posed by lower oil prices (…) and growth in the nonhydrocarbon sector slowed under the effects of spending cuts”, says the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Inflation increased from 4.8 pc in 2015 to 6.4 pc in 2016 and stood at 8.1 pc year-on-year in January 2017. As to unemployment, […]

Business Emerging Markets

Casablanca Hosts 5th International Africa Development Forum

Over 1200 African businessmen and senior government officials from nearly 40 countries are taking part in the 5th International Africa Development forum which opened doors Thursday in Casablanca, Morocco’s economic capital, under the theme: “New Inclusive Growth Models in Africa”. The two-day event seeks to promote trade and investment between African countries which are urged […]

Business Energy

Sound Energy Confirms Gas Potential in Eastern Morocco

Sound Energy confirmed gas discoveries while drilling its third TE-8 gas well in the Tendrara license area in eastern Morocco. The news comes after the company announced recent success at the company’s first two Tendrara wells (TE-6 and TE-7). The UK-based company said that gas has been discovered at a depth of 2,643 in the […]