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Attacking Morocco will not restore European Parliament’s credibility

The European Parliament has exposed itself as a corrupt institution full of hypocrites’ intent on outsourcing the blame to clean themselves even at the cost of undermining what used to be a privileged partnership with Morocco. The anti-Morocco resolution- adopted last month and wrongly sugarcoated in press freedom and human rights concerns- is but the […]

Europe Headlines International Morocco

French lawyer exposes baseless Pegasus accusations against Morocco

Morocco has been targeted with unfounded accusations of using Pegasus malware to spy on dissidents, said its French lawyer, adding that 18 months after these “imaginary” accusations were made, Amnesty or any of the accusers failed to show any hard evidence of wrongdoing. These claims “have not been backed by any technical evidence,” Olivier Baratelli […]

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France loses influence in Sahel

France, the former colonial master in the Sahel, is receiving a series of blows as its foothold shrinks on the back of growing anti-French sentiment and increasing Russian incursions. After their retreat from Mali following a ten-year failure to eradicate Jihadist groups, now Burkina Faso asked France to withdraw its troops from the country within […]

Europe Headlines International Morocco

Morocco’s Parliament hosts conference on EP’s smear campaign

Moroccan lawmakers, lawyers, analysts and representatives of civil society are taking part in a conference hosted this Wednesday by the Moroccan Parliament to discuss the hostile campaign led by some French members of the European Parliament against Morocco. The debate will focus on the use by MEPs of human rights and the Pegasus spyware as […]

Africa Features Headlines International

Mali: Russia’s Lavrov holds talks with junta leaders as UN mission’s HR chief expelled

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Mali Tuesday (7 February) for talks with its junta leaders who only two days earlier ordered the rights chief with the UN peacekeeping mission in the country to leave for expressing views against Russia’s Wagner Group in Mali. Lavrov’s visit of fewer than 24 hours will be his […]

Columns Europe Headlines International Morocco Opinions

France does damage control in Rabat as it tilts closer to authoritarian Algeria

Few days after the adoption of a French-instigated European Parliament resolution hostile to Morocco, French Ambassador to Rabat tried to distance his country from the move that has angered Moroccan authorities and triggered a commensurate response from the European Parliament. In an interview with French-speaking magazine Telquel, French Ambassador Christophe Lecourtier said that the resolution […]

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Burkina Faso denies paying Russian mercenaries with gold mine rights granted to Nordgold

Burkina Faso has denied claims that it awarded a mining permit to Nordgold just because it is a Russian company, its mines minister told the media on Sunday (5 February), rebuffing Western concerns that the ruling junta is seeking closer ties with Moscow. Burkina Faso allows all companies to operate in the west African country […]

Africa International

Burkina Faso rally calls for ‘sovereignty’ without France, endorses junta in power

Several thousands of demonstrators rallied in Burkina Faso’s capital on Saturday (28 January) in support of the ruling junta, a few days after the confirmation of the departure of France special forces from the country by February. Packing Nation Square in central Ouagadougou, demonstrators held signs bearing slogans including “Down with imperialism,” “Down with French […]

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France recalls ambassador to Burkina Faso after Ouagadougou ordered pullout of troops

France’s Foreign ministry Thursday said it has recalled its ambassador to Burkina Faso amid diplomatic tension after the government of the West African country ordered Paris to remove its troops from its soil in rejection of 2018 military agreement between the two countries. “In the context of the latest developments in Burkina Faso, we have […]

Africa Europe Headlines International

France agrees to pull troops from Burkina Faso, UNHCR warns of vacuum in Sahel

France will withdraw its troops from Burkina Faso within a month in response to the request from the junta-ruled Burkinabe government, the French foreign ministry said Wednesday, Jan.25. “According to the terms of the accord, the termination (of the 2018 agreement on the status of French armed forces present in the country) takes effect a […]