First Independent Mena Newspaper
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) marks its fifth anniversary amid growing concerns about its implementation pace and effectiveness. Despite ambitious goals to create a unified market of 1.3 billion people and generate $450 billion in additional revenue by 2035, the agreement faces substantial obstacles in translating vision into reality. Infrastructure deficiencies pose a […]
A commission in military-ruled Niger suggested the country needs 5 years before it returns to civilian rule, triggering criticism from the regional bloc ECOWAS. The military seized power in 2023, ousting President Mohamed Bazoum. Following the coup ECOWAS imposed sanctions on the coup leaders and suspended Niger from all ECOWAS decision-making bodies. Niger joined other […]
Moroccan Saharan regions of Dakhla-Oued Eddahab and Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra signed on Thursday in Laayoune a partnership agreement with Kenya’s Mandera County Government, a move aimed at strengthening South-South cooperation and consolidating further Morocco’s relations with African countries. The agreement was inked by President of Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra Regional Council, Sidi Hamdi Ould Errachid, and […]
Participants in the 2nd Forum of Chairpersons of Foreign Affairs Committees of African Parliaments reiterated, on Thursday in Rabat, their firm rejection and condemnation of “all forms of separatism, along with its instigators and perpetrators,” and warned against “any complacency or alignment with this phenomenon.” “Whilst recognizing the need for a new African awareness of […]
Somali government forces, alongside local militias, successfully repelled a series of attacks on four military bases by the jihadist Al-Shabab group on Thursday (20 February), resulting in the deaths of over 130 militants. The assaults targeted four military bases in the Middle Shabelle region, an area that has been a recent hotspot for clashes between […]
Côte d’Ivoire has officially taken control of its last remaining French-controlled Port-Bouët military base, marking the end of France’s military presence in the country. The handover ceremony, held on 20 February, which included a symbolic changing of the guard, reflects broader changes in the region’s relationship with Paris. For decades, France maintained a significant military […]
Morocco is deeply committed to promoting peace, security and development in Africa, said on Thursday in Rabat, Moroccan foreign Minister Nasser Bourita at the 2nd Forum of Chairpersons of Foreign Affairs Committees of African Parliaments. Addressing the meeting, convened under the theme: “Towards Establishing Lasting Foundations for Stability and Security in Africa,” the minister called […]
Princess Lalla Asmaa, President of the Lalla Asmaa Foundation for Hearing Impaired Children and Youth, chaired the launch ceremony of the third edition of “United, We Hear Each Other Better” program in Rabat. This operation, which aims to restore the hearing of 100 children from 17 African and the Middle Eastern countries, including Palestine, Syria, […]
Malawi on Thursday reiterated its “firm support for the national unity and territorial integrity” of Morocco. Speaking on the sidelines of the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety, Malawian Transport and Public Works Minister Jacob Hara praised the continued support provided by the Kingdom to the Malawian people, and welcomed the strengthening of bilateral […]
Africa is set to establish its own credit rating agency by June 2025, marking a significant shift in how the continent’s economies are evaluated. The Africa Credit Rating Agency (AfCRA) aims to provide more nuanced sovereign ratings by incorporating local contexts often overlooked by traditional agencies like Moody’s, Fitch, and Standard & Poor’s. This initiative […]