First Independent Mena Newspaper
Trade ministers from across Africa will gather on 14 April to discuss the implications of the new 10% tariff imposed by the United States on imports from several African nations. The tariffs, announced by president Donald Trump, are expected to severely impact African exporters, especially those reliant on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), […]
U.S. defense manufacturer Lockheed Martin has shown interest in Morocco’s investment opportunities offered in the defense industry which has attracted several companies including India’s Tata Advanced Systems, Turkish Baykar, Bluebird Company… A senior Lockheed Martin delegation led by Brig. Gen. Joseph Rank (Ret.), CEO for Africa & Saudi Arabia, visited lately Rabat and Casablanca to […]
The United States’ reaffirmed on Tuesday its recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara, as announced by President Donald Trump to King Mohammed VI in 2020. The Tuesday news made the headlines of international media. During a phone conversation in December 2020, President Donald Trump informed King Mohammed VI that he had issued a presidential […]
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has decided to terminate its six-month $5 million lobbying contract with the U.S. public relations firm Earhart Turner, instead preferring to pursue direct negotiations with the Trump administration. The lobbying contract, signed in March 2025, aimed to enhance Congo’s image in Washington, particularly in the context of a mineral […]
The Trump administration has reaffirmed its commitment to the $4 billion Lobito Corridor rail project in Africa, aiming to strengthen United States-Africa economic ties while countering China’s growing influence in the region. The initiative, which connects Angola, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is seen as a vital trade route for transporting minerals […]
The Trump administration has reiterated its recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara and reaffirmed that the autonomy plan represents the only basis for a just and lasting solution to the dispute. This came in a State Department statement following talks in Washington between foreign minister Nasser Bourita and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “The […]
Peru’s political party “Fuerza Popular” has voiced its strong support for Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over its entire territory. The supportive stand was expressed by the party’s chief Keiko Fujimori during a meeting she held Monday in Rabat with Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rachid Talbi El Alami. Keiko Fujimori, a former congresswoman […]
The United States has unveiled a sweeping new tariff regime affecting 185 countries, including 51 African nations, with rates ranging from 10% to 50% depending on each country’s existing duties on American imports. Set to take effect April 5-9, these “reciprocal tariffs” represent President Donald Trump’s latest effort to address what he termed in an […]
Gen. Michael Langley, Chief of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) has lauded Morocco’s regional leadership, describing the North African Kingdom as a regional leader exporting security and economic development throughout the continent. In a statement made lately before the U.S. Senate Committee on armed services, the four-star General said Morocco provides training to more than 1200 […]
Libyan writer and politician Samir Shegwara has been arrested on national security charges after he published documents that allegedly link his country’s intelligence services to the 1988 Lockerbie bombing. Shegwara, who has been openly discussing these files since 2018, was detained on 20 March 2025 after the BBC reported that the documents could serve as […]