First Independent Mena Newspaper
Morocco’s national railway operator, Office National des Chemins de Fer (ONCF), has awarded Italian engineering company SITE two contracts worth over €140 million for the new high-speed rail line linking Kénitra to Marrakech. SITE will provide telecom, power, and cybersecurity systems for the 400-km Kénitra–Marrakech line ahead of 2030 FIFA World Cup organized by Morocco, […]
Russia is intensifying efforts to boost its presence in Africa through expanded military and economic partnerships, even as its actual investments on the continent continue to lag behind lofty geopolitical ambitions. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed this week that Russia’s presence in Africa is “growing,” with new emphasis on “sensitive areas such as defense and […]
French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday hailed the “strong and clear” commitment of King Mohammed VI of Morocco to developing a blue economy in Africa, during the opening of the “Africa for the Ocean” summit, which he co-chaired with Princess Lalla Hasnaa. The summit, held in Nice as part of the 2025 United Nations Ocean […]
The planned continental tunnel project connecting Spain and Morocco beneath the strait of Gibraltar has inspired American entrepreneur Elon Musk, who aims to develop a similar initiative in the United Arab Emirates called the “Dubai Loop.” According to Spanish media, Musk’s “Dubai Loop” project resembles the tunnel Spain and Morocco plan to build in the […]
Morocco has advocated a strategic rethink of Africa’s maritime role, built around three key pillars, namely blue growth; stronger South-South cooperation and regional integration around oceanic spaces; and maritime effectiveness through Atlantic synergies. This came in a message King Mohammed VI addressed on Monday to the participants in the “Africa for the Ocean” Summit, co-chaired […]
Several hardline members of the Algeria-backed separatist group have joined jihadist groups operating in the Sahel region, according to a Spanish intelligence report cited by La Vanguardia newspaper. Radicalized polisario operatives are now holding senior positions within terror networks active in the Sahel, including al-Qaeda and ISIS branch in West Africa, said the alarming report, […]
Princess Lalla Hasnaa is representing King Mohammed VI at the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC-3) held in Nice June 9 to 13, joining over 50 heads of state and 1,500 delegates from nearly 200 countries for the five-day summit addressing critical marine conservation challenges. The conference, co-organized by France and Costa Rica under the […]
The Russian mercenary group Wagner has officially announced its departure from Mali after over three years of operations against Islamist insurgents. But Moscow’s military footprint in the West African country remains intact through the Kremlin-controlled Africa Corps, signaling a strategic shift rather than a retreat. Wagner declared its mission “accomplished,” citing the restoration of government […]
Cameroon has been named the world’s most neglected displacement crisis, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council’s annual ranking, which evaluates crises based on lack of funding, media coverage, and political engagement. Surpassing Burkina Faso, which held the top spot for two years, Cameroon now leads a list that includes eight African nations. More than 3.4 […]
The United Kingdom is intensifying its defense partnerships with Kenya, Somalia, and Nigeria as part of a renewed strategic focus on African security outlined in its newly released Strategic Defence Review (SDR). The review, adopted by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government, identifies the three nations as critical allies in combating global threats and securing vital […]