First Independent Mena Newspaper
G20 member States, under the leadership of South Africa’s 2025 presidency, are convening in Durban with the hope of reaching a consensus on urgent global financial reforms. The finance and Central bank deputies gathered on Monday and Tuesday to address pressing issues such as debt relief, development financing, and the restructuring of multilateral financial institutions. […]
Morocco’s ambitious social protection program will require 39 billion dirhams in funding for 2025, rising to 41 billion dirhams in 2026, as the government expands universal healthcare and direct social assistance, Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch announced Tuesday. Speaking before the Chamber of Counselors during a monthly plenary session on economic policy, Akhannouch detailed the government’s […]
Morocco’s economy is projected to grow 4.4 percent in 2025 and 4 percent in 2026, driven by robust domestic demand and investment, though concerns mount over a widening trade deficit that could reach 20.1 percent of GDP by 2026. The High Commission for Planning’s exploratory economic budget reveals an economy gaining momentum despite global uncertainties. […]
Morocco is moving forward with the operationalization of the national agency for the strategic management of state holdings (ANGSPE), a key institution created to modernize and professionalize the management of public assets, local media reported. Established by decree-law in 2023, the ANGSPE is now entering its implementation phase. It will serve as the central body […]
The initial public offering (IPO) of Vicenne, a leading Moroccan medical equipment company, broke a new record on the Casablanca Stock Exchange with an IPO that was oversubscribed 64 times. The offering attracted over 32 billion dirhams in demand by investors for shares worth just 500 million dirhams, resulting in an unprecedented oversubscription. Vicenne offered […]
South African car exports to the United States have plummeted dramatically, falling over 70% in the first quarter of 2025, and tumbling further to 80% in April and 85% in May, 2025, following the imposition of steep tariffs by US President Donald J. Trump. The automotive industry, which relies heavily on the US market under […]
Morocco’s microfinance sector faces significant transformation as proposed regulations dramatically increase lending limits and introduce new deposit frameworks, positioning microfinance institutions as crucial intermediaries for small business financing. The draft decree, implementing Law 50-20 on microfinance, establishes differentiated credit ceilings based on institutional structure and client profiles. For associative microfinance institutions serving low-income populations, limits […]
Morocco has solidified its position as a key trade partner for Spain, emerging as the third-largest supplier of agricultural and fisheries products to the Iberian nation after France and the Netherlands, according to official data released by Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food. The figures, published in the 2024 Foreign Trade Report, reveal that […]
Morocco’s OCP Group has commissioned the country’s longest water pipeline, a 203-kilometer engineering marvel transporting desalinated water from the Atlantic coast to inland phosphate mining operations, achieving complete water autonomy two years ahead of schedule. The Jorf Lasfar-Khouribga pipeline, operated by OCP Green Water, represents a MAD 5 billion ($556 million) investment addressing Morocco’s persistent […]
The Mohammed VI Investment Fund has officially designated 14 management companies to oversee thematic and sectoral investment funds aimed at supporting Moroccan startups and innovation-driven enterprises. This announcement follows a highly competitive call for expressions of interest launched on April 15, 2024, which attracted 47 applications from both domestic and international firms. The selection process […]