First Independent Mena Newspaper
A legislative push in the United States Senate to formally designate the Polisario Front as a foreign terrorist organization is gaining traction, with a fourth senator joining the initiative just ten days after the bill was first introduced. Republican Senator David McCormick formally endorsed the Polisario Front Terrorist Designation Act of 2026 on March 23, […]
The American embassy in Nouakchott has issued a high security alert, warning against “an elevated risk of terror attacks in Mauritania directed at the U.S. Embassy and against U.S. citizens.” “Targets may include, but are not limited to, the U.S. Embassy or places or areas where American citizens are known to congregate,” said the U.S. […]
The United States’ newly declared strategic review of MINURSO, coupled with the Security Council’s Resolution 2797 renewing the mission with strengthened oversight, marks a decisive shift in the UN’s approach to the Sahara file, one that aligns increasingly with Morocco’s long‑standing call for a political solution based on autonomy under its sovereignty. A senior UN […]
U.S. Representative to UN Mike Waltz has announced that his country is conducting a comprehensive, performance-based review of several peacekeeping missions including the MINURSO within the frame of a new Trump policy to optimize effectiveness of UN bodies, streamline bureaucracy, reduce costs and restore accountability. Mr. Waltz made the announcement during his testimony at a […]
Former White House Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt has warned that the Iran‑backed strategy of empowering non‑state armed groups is expanding into North Africa through alleged ties with the Polisario Front. In an opinion piece published by Semafor, Greenblatt argues that while global attention remains fixed on crises in the Middle East, “another Iranian proxy […]
American Ambassador to Morocco Duke Buchan has affirmed that the North African Kingdom “offers boundless opportunities for U.S. firms looking to invest”. The diplomat made the remarks during a meeting held lately in Rabat with Moroccan minister of Industry and Trade Ryad Mezzour. They discussed ways of strengthening further partnerships to deepen economic cooperation between […]
The US is seeking to plug its fertilizers shortage following supply disruptions in the Gulf by increasing imports from Morocco and Venezuella, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said. “We’ve … established licenses for Venezuela to produce more fertilizer. We’ve had discussions with Morocco,” he told CNBC. Additional supplies from Morocco and Venezuela would represent […]
A series of US government assessments issued between 2021 and 2025 depict Algeria as an entrenched authoritarian system dominated by the military, with Washington expressing growing concern over political repression, limits on civil liberties, state-controlled economy and use of proxies involved in terrorist acts in the region. The reports come as Senator Ted Cruz introduces […]
Sixty-four agricultural groups, including the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), have sent a letter to the chief executives of two of the nation’s largest domestic fertilizer producers, urging them to support the removal of duties placed on imported phosphate products from Morocco. “The recent Middle East conflict has led to increases in the prices of […]
U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) have introduced the Polisario Front Terrorist Designation Act of 2026. The move comes as the U.S. House of Representatives is considering a bipartisan bill tabled last June by Republican Joe Wilson (South-Carolina) and Democrat Jimmy Panetta (CA) for branding the Algeria-backed Polisario militia […]