First Independent Mena Newspaper
Morocco’s Exchange Office has published a Circular, introducing new vigilance and internal monitoring obligations for offshore holding companies operating within the kingdom’s offshore financial center framework. Economy and Finance Minister Nadia Fettah signed the circular on July 23, and it took effect immediately, applying under the law on combating money laundering and the law governing […]
UN Secretary-General has announced the appointment of Pakistani Maj. General Jawad Ahmed as new Force Commander of the MINURSO in replacement of Maj. General Md Fakhrul Ahsan of Bangladesh, who completed his assignment on 2 August 2026. In a press release, the UN says General Ahmed brings to this position over 35 years of leadership […]
Colombia has recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara territory and withdrawn its recognition of the Polisario’s separatist and Algeria-based entity known as Sahrawi republic. The news came in a Moroccan foreign ministry statement, describing the Colombian position as a major shift. Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula Escobar affirmed the decision during talks with Moroccan Foreign […]
U.S. Representatives Josh Gottheimer (NJ) and Ronny Jackson (TX) have introduced the Polisario Front Terrorist Designation Act, the bipartisan House companion to legislation in the Senate led by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX). The legislation requires the Secretary of State to designate the Algeria-backed Polisario group as a terrorist organization for cooperating with Iran or […]
Morocco’s Interior Ministry said it has detained several people suspected of inciting illegal mass border crossings into the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, following the circulation of social media posts calling for such attempts around August 15. In a statement by its spokesperson, the ministry said it had monitored messages of unknown origin on […]
Kenya has officially submitted a bid to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, seeking to become the first African country to stage this global event. The bid, submitted on August 10, 2026, puts Nairobi in competition with London, Rome and Munich. World Athletics is expected to announce the successful host city next month. Athletics Kenya […]
The Confederation of African Football has thrown its full weight behind FIFA president Gianni Infantino ahead of the next FIFA presidential election scheduled to take place on March 18, 2027, during the 77th FIFA Congress in Rabat, Morocco. The CAF support comes as incumbent president Gianni Infantino is facing backlash following a controversial proposal regarding […]
FIFA has apologized for how it handled its proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise project, confirming the initiative has been withdrawn at an emergency meeting held in Rabat on Wednesday, the football governing body said in a statement, in an episode that briefly rattled relations between FIFA’s leadership and its member associations. The statement, released after the […]
Bubista has resigned from his post as Cape Verde head coach to take charge of Moroccan RS Berkane club. Bubista, 56, leaves after a successful six-and-a-half-year tenure during which he guided Cape Verde to their first-ever FIFA World Cup appearance. The Blue Sharks reached the last 32 of the 2026 World Cup before losing 3-2 […]
Spain should consider returning Ceuta to Morocco, a Foreign Policy article argues, saying the enclave’s disputed status is an outdated geopolitical anomaly that creates unnecessary tensions and leaves Europe vulnerable to migration pressure at one of its most unusual borders. The analysis, published on Aug. 6, examines the history of Ceuta and its position on […]
The 21st edition of the Timitar Festival closed Saturday night in Agadir after three days of strong turnout across its two stages, capping what organizers and attendees described as a flawless edition of the annual music festival built around Amazigh culture and its dialogue with the wider world. The opening night set the tone, with […]
UN Secretary-General has announced the appointment of Pakistani Maj. General Jawad Ahmed as new Force Commander of the MINURSO in replacement of Maj. General Md Fakhrul Ahsan of Bangladesh, who completed his assignment on 2 August 2026. In a press release, the UN says General Ahmed brings to this position over 35 years of leadership […]
Dr. Sofia Ghacham, electrical engineer, ICT researcher, and founder of Women in AI Morocco, made the case that artificial intelligence cannot reach its full potential without the full participation of women — and that Morocco, despite its academic promise, still has significant ground to cover. The path to AI advocacy of Ghacham, who made the […]
