First Independent Mena Newspaper
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) raised its 2016 growth forecast for the Middle East and North Africa on the backdrop of a slight increase in oil prices, but maintained its cautious outlook for Saudi Arabia. The Washington-based Fund said in its July 2016 World Economic Update report that the Middle East, along with Pakistan and […]
Egyptian veteran diplomat, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, was elected Thursday as the next Secretary General of the Arab League. Ahmed Aboul Gheit was the only contender for the post and was highly expected to win votes of the 22 members of the organization. Egypt traditionally nominates the League’s chief. Even though the election was a vote […]
King Mohammed VI of Morocco has underlined this Monday the leading role played by his country in promoting interfaith dialogue and fostering religious tolerance. In his opening address to the international conference on the rights of religious minorities in Islamic countries, currently held in Marrakech, the Monarch said Morocco has always been an outstanding model […]
Morocco has been solicited to provide logistical support to a US-led international coalition that is to intervene in Libya in the framework of the fight against the Islamic State group in the war-torn North African country According to Moroccan “Al Massae” daily, Morocco has been invited to take part in the US–led international coalition against […]
Morocco, land of tolerance, peace and co-existence, will host January 25-27 in Marrakech an important conference on the rights of religious minorities in Muslim countries. The list of attendees include eminent religious leaders from Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt and many other Muslim countries. The conference, which is expected to issue a […]
Riyadh has re-appointed its former envoy to Morocco Abdelaziz Khouja as the new Saudi ambassador to the North African country, a move described by analysts as meant to consolidate further Saudi-Moroccan alliance amid Saudi-Iranian diplomatic turmoil. Abdelaziz Khouja known as an expert of Morocco has been confirmed by Riyadh last Monday, January 11, as the […]
Russian Foreign Ministry Monday offered its mediation to help Gulf rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran end diplomatic spat caused by Riyadh’s execution of Saudi Shia cleric followed by assaults on two Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic missions in Iran. “We ask… Tehran, Riyadh and other Gulf countries to show restraint,” the ministry said in a statement before […]
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir Sunday announced the suspension of diplomatic ties between the two gulf regional rivals following the attack on the Saudi diplomatic mission in Teheran over the execution of Shiite cleric in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi top diplomat told reporters at a news conference that all Iranian diplomats have been asked to […]
The invitation extended by a Moroccan association to a controversial Islamic scholar from Saudi Arabia to visit Morocco has caused concerns amongst different organizations, thinkers, analysts and large layers of society over his anti-Shia, anti-Sufi and extremist stances. The infamous cleric, Mohammad al-Arifi, was also unwelcome because of his repeated calls for jihad, holy war, […]
Iran has allowed French Accor Hotels Group to start business in the Islamic country with the opening of two hotels near Tehran’s international airport. CEO of the group who made the announcement Monday said Accor would be the first Western hotel group to establish in Tehran following the historic Vienna Pact. The CEO of the […]