Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita visited Moldova on Tuesday, April 15, for a working visit marked by a significant diplomatic development: the Moldovan government announced its support for Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara, first presented in 2007. Chisinau described the plan as «the most serious and credible basis» for resolving the dispute. This backing was formalized in a joint statement issued after talks between Bourita and his Moldovan counterpart,
The U.S. Department of State announced on Tuesday, April 15, its approval of a potential military sale to Morocco. The deal involves the acquisition of 600 FIM-92K Stinger Block I missiles and related equipment for the Royal Armed Forces (FAR), with an estimated value of $825 million (approximately 7.7 billion dirhams). On the same day, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency formally notified Congress of the proposed sale. Morocco has also requested engineering, logistics, and technical
After only a few days of calm, the diplomatic crisis between France and Algeria has reignited. Algeria has expelled 12 staff members from the French embassy in Algiers in response to France's arrest of an employee at the Algerian consulate, who is suspected of involvement in the kidnapping of an Algerian dissident. In a swift response, French President Emmanuel Macron announced today that France would take reciprocal measures, including the expulsion of «12 employees from the Algerian
Following Malawi, Zambia and the Union of the Comoros—both members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)—have now also voiced their rejection of the memorandum of understanding signed on April 2 with the Polisario. In a note addressed to the Kingdom’s embassy in Lusaka on April 8, the Zambian government «explicitly rejects the memorandum of understanding», describing it as «non-binding». Zambia also reaffirms its
Moroccan winger Bilal Ould-Chikh, who plays for FC Volendam, has opened up about the racism he continues to face from the stands—despite his decisive performances on the pitch. In an interview with NU.nl, cited by Voetbalprimeur, the former Morocco U20 international described the shocking abuse he’s endured this season. During an away match against FC Den Bosch, he was reportedly called a «cancerous Muslim». The 27-year-old also spoke of a «feeling of structural
Following the circulation of shocking videos showing teenagers brutally torturing animals, the main minor featured in the clips has been identified as a resident of Sidi Yahya El Gharb. Human rights organizations involved in the case are calling for legal action against him and urging greater awareness of animal welfare.
Teachers affiliated with Morocco’s five major trade union confederations are observing a nationwide strike on Wednesday, April 16, following the death of a vocational training teacher who was assaulted by one of her students in Erfoud. In a joint statement sent to Yabiladi, the education branches of the UMT, CDT, UGTM, FNE, and FDT also announced regional sit-ins on Monday and Tuesday to denounce the violence targeting school staff. In coordination with the Union Against School
The Polisario Front is seeking to avoid being added to the United States' list of terrorist organizations—a list that includes groups such as Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, both aligned with the Iranian regime. The separatist movement has previously been linked to these entities in Syria.
Last week, Morocco fell victim to a major data breach after two of its public institutions were targeted in cyberattacks claimed by an Algerian hacking group. The incident has raised serious questions about the country's cybersecurity policies and the strategies in place to protect personal data and public institutions. Moroccan entrepreneur and consultant Youssef El Maddarsi, CEO of Naoris Consulting, offers insight. He leads initiatives at the crossroads of decentralized cybersecurity,
Staffan de Mistura is approaching his mission with renewed optimism, promising to present a new roadmap for the Sahara to the parties involved in the coming months. This marks a shift from last October, when the UN envoy had expressed a desire to resign.