First Independent Mena Newspaper
Moroccan-French 35 year-old journalist and writer Leila Slimani has been crowned winner of the French most prestigious literary award Prix Goncourt 2016 for her book “Chanson douce”, making her the first woman of Moroccan origin to get this award, which won her a personal congratulatory message from Morocco’s King Mohammed VI. Leila Slimani on Thursday […]
Aziz Akhannouch was elected new secretary General of the National Rally for Independents succeeding Salah Eddine Mezouar who presented his resignation following the October 7 legislative elections. Akhannouch, who served as Agriculture and Fisheries Minister in the outgoing government, won the election by 1,707 votes against 98 votes for his rival Rachid Sassi during a […]
Moroccan authorities have welcomed the appointment of Portugal’s Antonio Guterres as the new UN Secretary General, as they pin high hopes to see his term usher a new era of trust and cooperation on the Sahara issue following the turbulences between Morocco and the UN during Ban Ki-moon’s terms which was marred by verbal blunders […]
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy appointed his former Justice Minister Rachida Dati political advisor, after he launched last week his campaign for the center-right primaries. The appointment of Dati, the first woman of north African descent to hold a major government post, came as no surprise as Sarkozy seeks to mend ties with her and […]
The setting up of the Observatory on Extremism and Violence tasked with the scientific research on these social calamities locally and globally is putting Moroccan academics at the forefront of the comprehensive approach regarding issues relating to extremism. The new structure will be headed by Moroccan renowned Professor EL Mostafa Rezrazi, who has issued authoritative […]
Tunisian former Foreign Minister became Thursday Secretary General of the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU.) The 72-year-old former diplomat was appointed by the AMU Foreign Ministers Council at the 33rd session held in Tunis. Bacchoube will replace country-man Habib Ben Yahia, outgoing Secretary General of the AMU. Bacchoube was Tunisia’s Foreign Minister from February 2015 to […]
Yasmina Filali Head of la Fondation Orient Occident was announced Thursday winner of Swiss-based Schwab Foundation’s 2016 Social Entrepreneur Award for her excellent action in “providing job training to underprivileged Moroccans, sub-Saharan migrants and refugees.” Yasmina Filali features among 11 other laureates crowned by a high profile jury committee chaired by Bangladeshi Mohammad Yunus of […]
Audrey Azoulay, daughter of King Mohamed VI’s adviser Andre Azoulay, has been appointed as France’s new Minister of Culture and communication in the new cabinet line-up of Prime Minister Manuel Valls. Audrey Azoulay has replaced outgoing Fleur Pellerin. Prior to her appointment, she was special advisor to President François Holland for cultural affairs. The 43 […]
During the Council of Ministers chaired Saturday in the southern city of Laayoune, King Mohammed VI appointed some 40 new Ambassadors to several foreign capitals. The official list of the new ambassadors has not been disclosed yet, but press reports, quoting reliable sources from the Foreign Ministry, leaked some names. Among these, there is Lalla […]
The nomination Saturday of career diplomat Nasser Bourita as Minister Delegate for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation was greeted without surprise in Morocco and also abroad. All those who are following the activities of Moroccan diplomacy know that Nasser Bourita has been for years an active player in all outstanding events and activities, conferring with high-level […]