Headlines Morocco

Drumbeat of Bad News Continues for Pseudo-Sahrawi Republic

After the spate of setbacks it suffered recently, the drumbeat of bad news for the Polisario and its self-proclaimed Sahrawi republic seems to be continuing as Jamaica has announced this week that it withdraws its recognition of the Sahrawi entity. In an official document of the Jamaican Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, dated […]

Headlines Morocco

Polisario, Illegitimate Representative of Sahara Population’s Commercial Interests, ECJ Advocate-General Says

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) Advocate-General, Melchior Wathelet, contested the court’s ruling on December 10, 2015 -which partially annulled the Morocco-EU Agricultural Agreement- on grounds that the Polisario is “not entitled to defend the commercial interests of the population of the Sahara.” The ECJ’s Chief Advocate General challenged, in an opinion piece, the court’s […]

Headlines Morocco

Morocco Reiterates Commitment to Cease-fire Agreement, Shows Restraint in Response to Polisario Provocations

Morocco’s Permanent Representative at the UN headquarters in New York, Ambassador Omar Hilale, reiterated the Kingdom’s commitment to the UN-brokered 1991 cease-fire agreement in response to the Polisario’s recent violation of the agreement in the area of Guerguarat and its provocations by threatening to resume armed hostilities on the backdrop of the security measures taken […]

Headlines Morocco

Morocco, Sweden Mend Ties after Diplomatic Row

Morocco and Sweden are mending their strained relations after a row over a failed attempt last year in Stockholm to recognize the Algerian-based auto-proclaimed SADR republic. In a sign of easing tensions between the two countries, Swedish Foreign Minister, Margot Wallström, who is visiting Morocco, met on Wednesday her Moroccan counterpart Salaheddine Mezouar to discuss […]

Algeria Headlines

Algeria to Build Electric Fence on Borders with Libya

After digging trenches on its western and eastern borders, Algeria is planning to build an electric fence on its western borders with Libya, several Libyan and Algerian newspapers reported. The 120-km fence aims at beefing up security measures on the porous borders with Libya to avert the infiltration of terrorists into Algeria amid reports of […]

Algeria Headlines

Hamas Opens Office in Algiers

The Gaza-based Islamist movement, Hamas, has received the green light from the Algerian authorities to open an office in Algiers, Algerian press reported. Following the example of its rival Fatah, which already has a representation in Algiers, Hamas has been given approval to open an office in Algeria which will be headed by Abu Al-Bara, […]

Headlines Morocco

New Setback for Polisario Proponents at European Parliament

Polisario proponents at the European Parliament have suffered a new setback with the rejection of an amendment to include a new aid to the Algerian-based separatist group in the 2017 EU draft budget. Three extreme left MEPs presented the amendment to add 150 million euros in support of the Polisario sugarcoating their arguments with defending […]

Algeria Finance Headlines

Budget crisis, Structural Challenges Delay Completion of Algeria’s Mega Mosque

The plummeting oil prices propelled Algeria in an economic crisis marked by a sharp decrease in exports and a deepening budget deficit threatening to halt several mega projects in the country, chief among which is Algeria’s mega mosque. In 2011, when global oil prices were at their peak, works started to build the mosque overlooking […]

Headlines Morocco

Moroccan Army Steps Up Vigilance to Counter Arms Trafficking on Southern Borders

Following the operation launched by Moroccan authorities to clear the border area with Mauritania of all trafficking and illegal commercial activities, the Royal Armed Forces strengthened their level of vigilance in the southern provinces in light of intelligence reports warning of a potential attempt by the Polisario to smuggle an arms cargo into the Kingdom. […]

Algeria Headlines

Algerian Consumers’ Association Calls for Opening Oran-Oujda Air Link

Calls are mounting within the Algerian civil society for a normalization of ties with Morocco. This time the Algerian Consumers’ Association called for opening an air route between the eastern Moroccan city of Oujda and the Western Algerian city of Oran to ease traffic for many border families who are looking forward to visit their […]