First Independent Mena Newspaper
The involvement of Moroccans in the terrorist attacks that killed 14 in Barcelona will undoubtedly impact the Moroccan diaspora and institutions in the country after a series of anti-Muslim attacks targeted Morocco’s consulate in Tarragona (north east Spain), a mosque in Montblanc town, north of Tarragona, and another mosque in Madrid. Red painting was spilled […]
The EU, France, Spain and Germany have welcomed the appointment of Germany’s former President Horst Köhler as new Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary General for the Sahara. “The EU is looking forward to working with Kohler,” said an EU Spokesperson in a statement to Morocco’s news agency. “The EU continues to encourage all parties […]
The silent diplomatic row between Morocco and Spain over Ceuta and Melilla may worsen as the Spanish Defense Ministry considers deploying unmanned aerial vehicles to patrol the borders of the exclaves in northern Morocco. Enlisting airborne surveillance at Spain’s land borders with Morocco aims at reducing the numbers of Spain’s border guards, reports Spanish news […]
A diplomatic frost is silently developing between Rabat and Madrid, after Spanish media spoke of an upcoming visit by the Queen of Spain to the enclave of Ceuta on September 9. The Spanish-occupied city of Ceuta is yet again at the heart of a new row after Morocco protested in 2007 against a visit by […]
Several NGOs rescuing migrants off Libya’s coasts have suspended operations because of security threats from Libyan coastguard whom they accuse of firing at their ships. Germany-based Sea-Eye has joined Save the Children and halted its interventions in international waters to save migrants crossing the Mediterranean to reach Europe’s southern coast. The charity said it made […]
In their quest to reach the European Eldorado, migrants are increasingly shunning the Libyan routes for security reasons in favor of the closer and less risky Moroccan-Spanish land and sea borders. Deaths in sea embarkations, almost impenetrable six-meter high fence and heavily patrolled land borders on the Moroccan and Spanish sides seem not dissuading thousands […]
Rape, torture and slave labor are among the horrendous daily realities for people stuck in Libya in their desperate attempt to escape war, persecution and poverty in African countries, and reach Europe. The dark picture was described in a new report compiled by Oxfam and Italian partners, MEDU and Borderline Sicilia, which called on Italy […]
Poland opens its doors to migrants from Europe, notably from Ukraine and Belarus, but not from North Africa and the Middle East, said Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski. In an interview with Russian news agency Ria Novosti, the Polish Minister reiterated his administration’s stand against refugees, saying that Poland will never apply the relocation plan […]
Morocco bought €127 million worth of French arms in 2016, making it the second weapon market for France in Africa, said the French Defense Ministry. Morocco came second in terms of spending on French arms behind Egypt, which spent €1.3 billion in the same year, the Ministry said in a report. Since 2012, French arm […]
After launching the world largest solar complex, Morocco is busy working to construct the biggest desalination plant in the globe, a landmark project to cost €309 million. The plant, to be built by Spanish company Abengoa in the city of Agadir, will be able to provide 275,000 m3 of desalinated water per day. The facility’s […]