First Independent Mena Newspaper
Morocco’s February 2026 decision to ban sardine exports to the European Union has set off an industrial and diplomatic crisis in Spain, where the regional parliament of Galicia has passed a motion demanding urgent government action to negotiate the ban’s reversal with Rabat. Effective from February 1 and expected to remain in force for at […]
The partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz in 2026, triggered by escalating US-Israel-Iran tensions, has exposed the fragility of global energy supply chains — and in doing so, has accelerated Morocco’s emergence as what geopolitical analyst Khaled Hamadé calls a strategic “resilience ark.” The president of the International Institute of Geopolitical Studies who presented […]
Morocco’s Competition Council has issued a wide-ranging advisory calling for structural reforms to the country’s pharmaceutical distribution sector, targeting regulatory bottlenecks, territorial inequalities in pharmacy coverage, outdated remuneration models, and insufficient digitalization across the medicine supply chain. At the heart of the Council’s recommendations is the urgent need to accelerate market authorization procedures. Currently, obtaining […]
The relationship between Morocco and the European Union is undergoing a significant transformation — moving away from a decade-long period of tension toward a more balanced and strategically mature partnership, explained Doha Lkasmi, Director General of NSI Maroc and a researcher affiliated with Sciences Po Paris’s Center for International Research, in an analysis published by […]
Morocco may activate its $4.5 billion IMF Flexible Credit Line (FCL) if global oil prices surge beyond $120 per barrel, Morocco’s central bank governor Abdellatif Jouahri said, highlighting that the country maintains powerful liquidity backstops and solid macro-economic fundamentals in the face of rising geopolitical uncertainty. Speaking at a press conference in Rabat following the […]
Australia is actively positioning itself as a partner of choice in Morocco’s ambitious national desalination program, as the Kingdom’s water strategy continues to attract growing international interest. Australian Ambassador Damien Donavan recently visited the Ministry of Equipment and Water in Rabat for talks focused on bilateral cooperation prospects, signaling Canberra’s intent to translate diplomatic ties […]
Morocco’s Ministry of Transport and Logistics has announced the launch of an exceptional financial support mechanism for road transport professionals, with applications opening on Friday, March 20, 2026, in direct response to the surge in international oil prices and its knock-on effect on domestic fuel costs. The support program mirrors a similar initiative successfully deployed […]
Morocco recorded a 0.6% year-on-year decline in its Consumer Price Index in February 2026, according to figures released by the High Commission for Planning, continuing a deflationary trend driven primarily by falling food prices even as non-food costs edged marginally higher. The drop was largely attributable to a 2% decline in food product prices, which […]
Morocco produced an average of 1.6 million tons of barley per year between 2021 and 2023, making it the top North African country, meeting 80% of its local demand, according to data released by UN Food & Agriculture Organization. Barley is Morocco’s second most widely grown cereal after wheat. It is primarily used as fodder […]
American Ambassador to Morocco Duke Buchan has affirmed that the North African Kingdom “offers boundless opportunities for U.S. firms looking to invest”. The diplomat made the remarks during a meeting held lately in Rabat with Moroccan minister of Industry and Trade Ryad Mezzour. They discussed ways of strengthening further partnerships to deepen economic cooperation between […]