First Independent Mena Newspaper
The Central Bank of Libya has instructed commercial banks and electronic payment providers to allow officially registered foreign residents to use e-wallets as part of efforts to expand digital payments and promote financial inclusion. According to a letter dated March 11, 2026 and referenced 9/2026, which was leaked to Libyan media, the directive is […]
War in the Gulf raises the prospect of renewed imported inflation in Morocco, just days before Bank Al‑Maghrib (BAM) holds its first quarterly monetary policy meeting of 2026. The conflict, which shows no sign of easing, has rattled global markets and revived fears of an energy‑driven shock at a moment when Morocco had begun restoring […]
Egypt’s Monetary Policy Committee on Thursday, November 20, has opted to maintain all key interest rates, keeping the overnight deposit rate at 21 percent, lending at 22 percent, and the main operation and discount rates at 21.5 percent. The decision underscores a guarded policy posture as inflation risks remain elevated both at home and abroad. […]
The Central Bank of Libya announced on Tuesday, 14 October 2025 that it has contracted to print 60 billion Libyan dinars (approximately 11.03 billion U.S. dollars) to sustain liquidity as it phases out old banknotes. The Tripoli-based institution described the move as a precautionary measure to replace the 1, 5 and 20 dinar notes with […]
Morocco is advancing plans to launch a central bank digital currency (CBDC), the e-Dirham, as part of a broader push to modernize its financial system and boost financial inclusion. The central bank governor Abdellatif Jouahri said late September that the project had entered an “advanced study phase,” positioning Morocco among more than 100 countries exploring […]
Libya’s Speaker of Parliament Aguila Saleh met with Central Bank Governor Najee Issa and his deputy Marai al-Barassi in Benghazi on Wednesday, August 20, to discuss planned economic reforms and monetary policy. The talks, attended by Deputy Speakers Fawzi al-Nuwairi and Misbah Douma, centered on tackling the country’s ongoing liquidity crisis and advancing electronic payment […]
Mauritania’s central bank has picked Casablanca stock exchange as a partner to help it set up the country’s first stock market in Nouakchott. This breakthrough agreement is in line with the momentum ushered by King Mohammed VI and president Mohamed Ould El-Ghazouani in favor of promoting cooperation between the two countries. The opening of Mauritania’s […]
Two key sources of Morocco’s inflow of hard currency, remittances from Moroccans abroad and tourism receipts are heading towards another record in 2026 at 123 billion dirhams ($12.8 bln) and 125 billion dirhams ($13 bln) respectively, the central bank said. This improvement would help offset the deepening trade deficit due to higher imports of equipment […]
The Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT) announced on Saturday December 28 its decision to maintain the key interest rate at 8%, following a meeting of its board of directors. This decision reflects the Bank’s cautious approach to stabilizing the economy while carefully navigating inflationary pressures and broader economic uncertainties. In its official statement, the BCT […]
Governor of Morocco’s central bank, Bank Al-Maghrib (BAM), Abdellatif Jouahri, said earlier this week that the legal framework governing crypto-assets in Morocco, currently undergoing adoption process, aims to regulate this ecosystem while preserving the financial innovation that can emerge from it. “We wanted to regulate the use of crypto-assets, without stifling the innovation that can […]