First Independent Mena Newspaper
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 […]
Construction of the Dakhla Atlantique port complex — now more than 53% complete — is rapidly transforming Morocco’s southernmost Atlantic coast into a major continental logistics hub, with ambitions extending deep into sub-Saharan Africa. The project stands as the flagship infrastructure investment of Morocco’s Southern Provinces development model and a central pillar of the Royal […]
Morocco has cemented its position among the continent’s three largest sovereign debt issuers in 2026, alongside Egypt and South Africa, according to the latest S&P Global Ratings report. The ranking reflects growing market confidence in the Kingdom’s financial management and the tangible results of a sustained reform agenda pursued over recent years. The backdrop is […]
Morocco’s OCP Group is pressing ahead with its international growth strategy, as its fertilization solutions subsidiary OCP Nutricrops secures government approval to establish two new foreign entities — one in France and one in India — marking a significant step in the group’s transition from export-focused operations to embedded local market presence. The authorizations were […]
Sudan’s rival factions, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), have accused each other of responsibility for a deadly drone strike that killed 17 civilians in Chad on Wednesday, March 19. The Chadian government confirmed the attack occurred in the border town of Al-Tina and said the drone originated from Sudanese […]
Morocco’s February 2026 decision to ban sardine exports to the European Union has set off an industrial and diplomatic crisis in Spain, where the regional parliament of Galicia has passed a motion demanding urgent government action to negotiate the ban’s reversal with Rabat. Effective from February 1 and expected to remain in force for at […]
The partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz in 2026, triggered by escalating US-Israel-Iran tensions, has exposed the fragility of global energy supply chains — and in doing so, has accelerated Morocco’s emergence as what geopolitical analyst Khaled Hamadé calls a strategic “resilience ark.” The president of the International Institute of Geopolitical Studies who presented […]
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 […]
British newspaper The Sun has cast new attention on Tangier, portraying the northern Moroccan port city as an accessible, low‑cost sunshine escape for travellers seeking short breaks just beyond Europe’s southern coastline. In its latest travel feature, the newspaper highlighted Tangier’s proximity to Spain, noting that the city sits only a brief ferry ride from […]
The relationship between Morocco and the European Union is undergoing a significant transformation — moving away from a decade-long period of tension toward a more balanced and strategically mature partnership, explained Doha Lkasmi, Director General of NSI Maroc and a researcher affiliated with Sciences Po Paris’s Center for International Research, in an analysis published by […]