First Independent Mena Newspaper
Burkina Faso’s government has expelled the United Nations’ top official in the country, Carol Flore-Smereczniak, following the publication of a report detailing grave violations against children amid the ongoing jihadist conflict. The country declared Flore-Smereczniak “persona non grata,” citing her involvement in the preparation of the UN report released in March. The document, which covered […]
The European Union issued more than 606,000 visas to Moroccan citizens in 2024, marking a significant increase and reflecting a notable improvement in diplomatic relations between Morocco and its European partners, Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said. In a written response to a parliamentary question regarding visa reciprocity, Bourita emphasized that Morocco’s approach to visa […]
Northern Togo is facing a mounting threat from jihadist militants infiltrating from neighboring Burkina Faso, with the Togolese government maintaining strict silence as the situation deteriorates. Foreign Minister Robert Dussey recently acknowledged that over 62 people have been killed by militants since January — more than double last year’s toll — in one of the […]
Bechtel, a leading U.S. construction and engineering firm, is interested in the investment opportunities offered in Morocco’s airports modernization projects as the country braces for co-hosting the FIFA World Cup 2030 along with Spain and Portugal. According to Africa intelligence news platform, the American company hopes to secure a contract for the modernization of the […]
Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah met with French President Emmanuel Macron’s Special Envoy to Libya, Paul Soler, on Sunday to review the ongoing security operation in Tripoli and set priorities for the next stage of stabilization efforts. The talks disclosed on August 18 by the Prime Minister’s office, addressed bilateral relations, Libya’s political trajectory, […]
Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya once again clarified Japan’s official position on the Polisario separatist entity at the opening of the ministerial meeting of the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) in Yokohama on Tuesday. “I would like to make it clear that the presence at this meeting of any entity that […]
A diplomatic crisis has erupted between France and Mali following the arrest of Yann Vezilier, a French embassy employee accused by Mali’s military government of plotting to “destabilize” the Sahel country. Malian authorities allege Vezilier, whom they claim is linked to French intelligence, was recruiting military and civil society figures to orchestrate a coup. The […]
Upon instructions of King Mohammed VI, Chairman of Al-Quds Committee, Morocco is sending an additional 100 tons of emergency humanitarian assistance to the inhabitants of Gaza, said a press release issued Monday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The additional relief consists mostly of foodstuffs and medicines for children and infants. In early August, Morocco […]
Despite “significant efforts” by Qatari mediators, peace talks between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government and M23 rebels have missed key deadlines, as violence intensifies across eastern regions. A draft peace agreement — based on a Declaration of Principles signed in Doha on 19 July — was shared with both sides, according to a […]
Morocco’s handicraft sector posted a 14% year-on-year increase in exports during the first seven months of 2025, driven by surging demand for traditional garments and a sharp rise in shipments to Turkey and the United States, according to government data. Total exports reached 737 million dirhams ($72 million) between January and July, up from 648 […]