First Independent Mena Newspaper
Africa’s economic growth is expected to hit 3.9% in 2025, up from 3.3% in 2024, but still lower than previously projected, according to the African Development Bank (AfDB). In its latest African Economic Outlook report, released during its ongoing annual meeting in Côte d’Ivoire, the Bank downgraded its forecast by 0.2 percentage points, citing uncertainty […]
Nigeria’s seaports have come under renewed international scrutiny as the European Union released a report identifying the country as a major gateway for counterfeit goods entering West Africa and beyond. In its 2025 Report on the Protection and Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in Third Countries, the EU classified Nigeria among eight “Priority 3” countries […]
U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) chief, General Michael Langley, has stood by his controversial remarks criticizing Burkina Faso’s junta leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, for insufficient counter-terrorism efforts — clarifying that his comments were rooted in military concerns, not political interference. Speaking in Nairobi ahead of a regional defense conference, Langley explained that his earlier statements — […]
Icelandic low-cost airline Company PLAY launches a new route connecting Keflavík International Airport with Agadir, Morocco. The inaugural flight is scheduled for 19 December 2025, with weekly service every Friday through mid-April 2026. This new destination joins Marrakesh, which PLAY will also serve with scheduled flights next winter. Located on Morocco’s Atlantic coast, Agadir offers […]
As Akinwumi Adesina prepares to step down after a transformative decade as President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), five candidates from across the continent are competing to succeed him in an election set for 29 May in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Five contenders — Swazi Tshabalala (South Africa), Amadou Hott (Senegal), Samuel Munzele Maimbo (Zambia), […]
In a landmark move to deepen regional integration and boost trade, Uganda, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic (CAR) have agreed to construct a 1,800-kilometre cross-border highway linking Kampala to Bangui via Juba. The ambitious infrastructure project, announced following a Tripartite Ministerial Meeting in Kampala, will be implemented in two phases. Initial efforts will […]
French Ambassador to Morocco, Christophe Lecourtier, inaugurated this Tuesday a visa-applications processing center, “TLS Contact”, in Laayoune, translating France’s commitment to supporting the autonomy initiative under Moroccan sovereignty for the Sahara. The inauguration of this center, affirming the strengthening of French consular presence in the Southern Provinces, bears political and symbolic dimensions beyond mere service […]
Syrian authorities have confirmed the closure of the premises occupied by the Algeria-backed polisario separatists in Damascus and reaffirmed their commitment to respecting the Kingdom’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity. This came as a Moroccan technical delegation is visiting Syria to supervise the reopening of Morocco’s embassy in Damascus, as announced by King Mohammed VI […]
Moroccan state-owned OCP Group and Italian SACE group have agreed to a €365 million green financing facility, the first of its kind under OCP’s Green Finance Framework and the first guaranteed by SACE Push Strategy in Morocco. This strategic partnership reinforces OCP’s commitment to sustainability and innovation in plant nutrition solutions. SACE, Italy’s insurance and […]
In a gesture of transparency and international cooperation, Mauritania’s Minister of Culture & Communication, El Housseine Ould Medou, welcomed on May 26 a high-level delegation from Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in Nouakchott. The visiting mission, led by RSF’s Director General Thibaut Bruttin, forms part of the organization’s regional tour to assess and support press freedom […]