First Independent Mena Newspaper
Morocco’s southern provinces recorded significantly higher voter turnout than the national average in Wednesday’s legislative elections, even as nationwide participation fell from 50.86% in 2021 to 38.08% in 2026. Certified tallies from the Ministry of the Interior showed turnout reaching 77% in Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra, 61% in Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab, and 53.48% in Guelmim-Oued Noun. The […]
While Spanish political debate remains dominated by the July migrant surge into Ceuta and unfounded accusations directed at Morocco, a more structural shift has taken hold on the Western Mediterranean route shaped by Algeria. Algeria has in fact become the principal departure point for irregular migrants heading to Europe. According to converging assessments from Frontex, […]
New calls circulating on social media are urging people to attempt irregular entry into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta (Sebta) on Wednesday, September 23, the day of Morocco’s legislative elections. The messages claim that Moroccan security forces will be preoccupied with securing the vote, creating an “exceptional opportunity” to cross the border. One of the […]
Morocco has co-organized with the United Nations and the UN Alliance of Civilizations a global conference on intercultural dialogue and tolerance on the sidelines of 81st UNGA. The Conference, held Thursday, sought to promote interreligious and intercultural dialogue and tolerance in countering hate speech and promoting social cohesion. The conference, attended by the UN Secretary-General, […]
In the wake of the July 2026 migrant crossings into occupied Ceuta, Spanish political forces, particularly the Partido Popular and Vox, have intensified efforts to drag a purely bilateral issue with Morocco, into the European Parliament and frame it as an EU-wide “hybrid attack.” This calculated move aims less at solving migration pressures than at […]
The OCP Group, with Mohammed VI Polytechnic University through its Al Moutmir initiative, held a three-day international gathering in Benguerir from September 15 to 17 on the role of women in transforming agricultural and food systems. The event, held under the theme ‘Where Women Lead, Food Systems Transform,’ marked the UN International Year of Women […]
Spanish and much of the Western media have spent recent weeks fixated on the discomfort of Ceuta’s resident population following the July mass crossings. Headlines speak of strain, insecurity and an “invasion.” What they systematically downplay is the far greater human cost borne by the migrants themselves once they set foot on the enclave’s territory. […]
The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has expressed deep concern over the execution of more than 30 people in eastern Libya in recent weeks, calling on authorities to immediately halt further executions. In a statement issued on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, UNSMIL said it had engaged political and technical authorities after receiving initial […]
FC Barcelona players have collectively refused to wear LaLiga-backed t-shirts promoting a political message on Sebta, drawing a clear line against the instrumentalization of football for colonial territorial claims. The entire squad declined to don the garments carrying the slogans “Todos somos caballas” and references to Ceuta’s “Spanishness” before their match against Racing Santander. Club […]
European Commissioner for Migration Magnus Brunner has commended Morocco’s cooperation which facilitated the return of most of the people who entered Ceuta illegally within a matter of hours after the mass crossing end of July 2026. In an address made Tuesday during the European Parliament Plenary debate on the situation in Ceuta, Mr. Brunner hailed […]