First Independent Mena Newspaper
Morocco’s cereal imports declined by 11 percent during the first seven months of 2025, dropping to 5.847 million tons from 6.57 million tons in the corresponding period of 2024, according to data released by the National Federation of Cereal and Legume Traders. The reduction reflects strategic inventory management amid abundant global supplies, though structural dependency […]
In the late 1970s, Algeria geared the Polisario towards separatism as it was orchestrating a far more complex and calculated strategy that extended well beyond the borders of the Sahara territory. Through its support for the Polisario militias, Algeria not only advanced its position in the Sahara dispute but also laid the groundwork for a […]
Morocco’s centuries-old rotating savings system, known locally as “daret” or tontine, is undergoing a digital transformation aimed at addressing the financial exclusion affecting 53 percent of the country’s adult population. The new mobile application, developed by former French banking executives Nabil Chakir and Mourad Chokeir, seeks to modernize this informal financial practice while preserving its […]
Morocco reached the final of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 after overcoming holders Senegal 5-3 on penalties following a tense 1-1 draw after extra-time at the Nelson Mandela National Stadium in Kampala on Tuesday night. With the match still locked at 1-1 after extra-time, penalties decided the contest. Morocco converted all five of their […]
The political storm surrounding French LFI MEP Rima Hassan has laid bare a long-obscured truth among European leftists: Algeria is the principal architect and enforcer of the separatist narrative in the Sahara conflict. Rima Hassan, once hailed as the voice of Palestine in European politics and an echo of Algerian positions on the Sahara, now […]
Japan has decided to expel Polisario’s representatives from its territory and banned them from engaging in any political activity outside the African Union delegation that took part in the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) held from 19 to 23 August. The decision confirms Tokyo’s firm position of not recognizing the Polisario separatist […]
The latest report by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on the Sahara conflict marks a decisive shift in favor of Morocco’s autonomy plan. Covering developments from July 2024 to June 2025, the report- submitted to the UN General Assembly- abandons the decades-old fixation on a referendum and instead highlights growing international support for Morocco’s autonomy […]
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved a $200 million loan to support Morocco’s resilience efforts to mitigate the social and economic impacts of climate change. The loan is part of a co-financing programme with the World Bank, which has already committed $350 million. The funding will enable Morocco cut greenhouse emissions, carry out […]
Marrakech has reinforced its position as Morocco’s premier tourist destination, recording 5,058,516 overnight stays in classified tourist accommodation establishments during the first half of 2025, representing a 6% increase from 4,762,507 stays in the same period last year, according to the Tourism Observatory. The city’s occupancy rate reached 71% compared to 68% the previous year, […]
Morocco’s Ministry of Agriculture has completed a nationwide livestock census revealing a total of 32,832,573 head of cattle across the kingdom. The census was conducted between June 26 and August 11, 2025, as part of royal directives to reconstruct national herds following years of drought. The census documented 23,158,248 sheep (including 16,348,449 females), 7,474,172 goats […]