First Independent Mena Newspaper
Morocco’s handicraft sector posted a 14% year-on-year increase in exports during the first seven months of 2025, driven by surging demand for traditional garments and a sharp rise in shipments to Turkey and the United States, according to government data. Total exports reached 737 million dirhams ($72 million) between January and July, up from 648 […]
The Sahel has experienced a sustained high level of lethality tied to militant Islamist groups in recent years. The nearly 10,500 average annual deaths over the past 3 years are more than double the 4,900 annual fatalities experienced between 2020 and 2023, according to a recent study by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies. This […]
A U.S. delegation composed of diplomats and military officials from the American Embassy in Rabat reportedly arrived on Monday in the Moroccan Saharan city of Laayoune for talks with MINURSO leadership, including Head of UN Mission Alexander Ivanko and Commander of MINURSO Force, Major Gen. Fakhrul Ahsan. According to press reports, talks are expected to […]
A joint counterterrorism operation between Spain and Morocco has led to the arrest of two individuals suspected of jihadist activity in Catalonia, underscoring the role of Morocco’s security services in pre-emptive action against terrorist cells. On Thursday, Spanish National Police, with critical support from Morocco’s General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance (DGST), detained two men aged […]
Morocco is the only Arab and African country to participate in “UNITAS 2025”, the world’s longest-running multinational maritime exercise, to be organized in the United States from September 15 to October 6, 2025. The year’s exercise features approximately 8,000 personnel from 26 allied and partner nations, including multiple ships, submarines, and aircraft (fixed wing and […]
Morocco’s National Tourist Office (ONMT) has picked the London-based Rooster agency to promote the country’s tourist destination in the UK and Ireland. Rooster’s mission includes managing media, collaborating with influencers, engaging travel industry professionals, organizing events, and enhancing Morocco’s Nation Brand. The British Communications agency has been chosen after successful marketing campaigns from late 2024 […]
Morocco’s southern port city of Laâyoune has recorded 796 tons of octopus landings within a month of the fishing season’s July 15 opening, marking a strong start to what officials describe as a digitally transformed marketplace that balances commercial interests with sustainability requirements. The harvest has maintained robust pricing levels, averaging 100 dirhams ($10) per […]
Falcon Energy Materials said it has begun constructing its pilot graphite processing facility within the Fluoralpha SA industrial zone in Morocco, marking a strategic milestone in the company’s plan to become a fully integrated supplier of battery-grade anode materials. The pilot plant, located near Jorf Lasfar, benefits from direct access to world-class port infrastructure, competitive […]
Morocco’s Interior Ministry has initiated unprecedented investigations into alleged systematic appropriation of public lands worth billions of dirhams, with suspicions falling on local elected officials accused of facilitating illegal transfers to influential real estate developers. Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit ordered comprehensive inquiries following confidential reports revealing an organized network specializing in the illegal acquisition of […]
All wars and conflicts experience watershed moments offering new opportunities for the sides involved to decide whether to continue the bloody journey leading to nowhere, or choose the path of peace and compromise. In October, the UN Security Council will hold a pivotal meeting on the Sahara conflict as the United States, France and the […]