First Independent Mena Newspaper
A major diplomatic shift unfolded during the weekend in the long-stalled Sahara dispute, as Algeria takes part in multilateral negotiations in Madrid after years of refusing to sit at the same table as Morocco. The move marks a watershed moment for a country that has long claimed an observer status, while keeping generous support to […]
The Israeli Knesset this week held an unprecedented parliamentary debate on whether to recognize the independence of Kabylie, marking the first time a foreign parliament formally examines the self-determination claim of the restive region in northern Algeria. The initiative comes one month after the Kabyle Provisional Government proclaimed the “Federal Republic of Kabylie” during a […]
US Senator Ted Cruz told a Senate hearing on counterterrorism in North Africa and the Sahel that Iran is working to transform the Polisario Front into a regional proxy force, warning that the alleged cooperation between the separatist group and Iran‑backed networks represents a growing security threat to the US and its partners. “Iran is […]
Morocco’s integration into the EU’s new mechanism for monitoring humanitarian assistance to the Tindouf camps marks a major policy shift, giving Rabat a formal role in scrutinizing the use of European funds and food aid. The EU–Morocco arrangement, published on January 28, establishes a regular control mechanism jointly managed with Rabat to ensure that aid reaches […]
Rym Ghachem, president of the Tunisian National Council of the Order of Physicians, was elected this Sunday as the new head of the Fédération maghrébine des médecins, marking the first time a woman has led the regional medical body. The election followed the 8th congress of the Federation, held from 31 January to 1 February […]
French parliamentary leaders reasserted Paris’ clear position supporting Morocco’s territorial integrity during the fifth Morocco-France Parliamentary Forum held Thursday in Rabat. National Assembly and Senate presidents confirmed France’s stance as expressed by President Emmanuel Macron in his July 30, 2024 message to King Mohammed VI and his October 29, 2024 address to Moroccan Parliament members. […]
The 15th meeting of Morocco-EU Association Council, held Thursday in Brussels, was crowned with the adoption of a new European position on the Moroccan Sahara, recognizing that “genuine autonomy could represent the most feasible solution” to the decades-long regional conflict. In a joint statement, the European bloc aligned its position to that of the UN […]
Senegal reiterated its firm and steadfast support for Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over its entire national territory, including the Sahara region. This stance was expressed in the Joint Communiqué adopted Monday in Rabat, following the Morocco-Senegal High Joint Partnership Commission, co-chaired by Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch and Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko. The […]
The Polisario Front has been forced back into diplomacy after the United States firmly reaffirmed that any political settlement of the regional Sahara dispute must take place exclusively within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty, diplomatic sources said. A discreet Polisario delegation traveled to Washington between January 19 and 23 to participate in US-facilitated exploratory talks […]
Sweden “expresses support for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan, in light of the recently adopted Security Council resolution 2797,” as a “credible basis” for negotiations to achieve a definitive solution to the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara. This position was expressed in an official statement issued by the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, following a phone […]