First Independent Mena Newspaper
A recent U.S. deportation of five convicted foreign nationals to the African kingdom of Eswatini has ignited outrage among human rights groups and African leaders. The individuals — originally from Vietnam, Jamaica, Cuba, Yemen, and Laos — were expelled after their home countries refused to accept them. All five have serious criminal convictions, including murder […]
South African car exports to the United States have plummeted dramatically, falling over 70% in the first quarter of 2025, and tumbling further to 80% in April and 85% in May, 2025, following the imposition of steep tariffs by US President Donald J. Trump. The automotive industry, which relies heavily on the US market under […]
Morocco’s dirham appreciated 1.3 percent against the U.S. dollar while weakening 0.7 percent versus the euro between May and June 2025, according to Bank Al-Maghrib’s latest monthly economic review, reflecting broader currency market dynamics and the euro’s strength. The central bank attributed these movements partly to the euro’s 2.1 percent appreciation against the dollar during […]
Morocco will import up to 20% of its annual soft wheat needs from the United States for the first time, according to Moulay Abdelkader Alaoui, president of the National Federation of Milling (FNM). This strategic shift comes amid a global drop in wheat prices, driven by expectations of record harvests worldwide, Alaoui told Medias24. The […]
Morocco and Brazil are charting an ambitious path toward enhanced economic cooperation, with officials pledging to transform historical ties into concrete business opportunities during a high-profile forum in Marrakech on Wednesday. Investment Minister Karim Zidane, addressing over 100 business executives and institutional leaders at the LIDE Forum, positioned Morocco as more than just an African […]
In a rare diplomatic move, President Donald Trump hosted the leaders of five West African nations — Liberia, Senegal, Gabon, Mauritania, and Guinea-Bissau — at the White House on Wednesday (9 July), declaring a shift in U.S. policy from aid to trade. The meeting comes amid deep cuts to U.S. foreign aid following the dissolution […]
President Donald Trump has slapped the Algerian and Tunisian regimes with higher tariffs reaching respectively at least 30% and 25% and warned them that any reprisals would draw tougher counter-measures. In separate letters sent to Presidents Abdelmajid Tebboune of Algeria and Kais Saied of Tunisia, Trump notified them that the new higher tariffs take effect […]
Mauritania is preparing to reestablish diplomatic relations with Israel, according to a report by news platform Semafor, signaling a major diplomatic shift in North Africa and the broader Middle East. The announcement is expected to be made during a high-level summit hosted at the White House, part of a renewed US effort to expand normalization […]
U.S. Senior Advisor for Africa Massad Boulos had met separately with Moroccan Delegate Minister for Investment Karim Zidane and Algerian Secretary of State for Africa Mansouri on the sidelines of the U.S.-Africa Business Summit held lately in Luanda, Angola. The announcements were made by Boulos on his X account. During the U.S.-Africa Business Summit, “I […]
A sharp rise in immigration scams is devastating would-be African migrants after Canada’s expanded Francophone Mobility Programme unintentionally opened a door for fraudsters. Originally intended to bolster French-speaking immigration, the scheme has been exploited by “ghost consultants” who promise guaranteed visas for steep fees. In the first half of 2024 alone, Canada refused more than […]