The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a $1.3bn (£1bn) loan to help Morocco improve its preparedness against natural disasters, three weeks after an earthquake killed nearly 3,000 people in the country. Some Moroccans criticised the government for its handling of the 8 September earthquake in the High Atlas mountains, …
Read More »Morocco to spend $12bn to rebuild earthquake-hit regions
Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has said that the country will spend $12bn to rebuild the regions destroyed by the 8 September earthquake. The funds will also be used to support the more than 4.2 million people in the provinces most affceted by the earthquake. The palace said on Wednesday said …
Read More »Moroccan authorities criticized for slow response to earthquake
There’s been criticism in Morocco of the speed of the official response to Friday’s earthquake, which is now known to have killed more than 2,800 people. Heavy lifting equipment has begun to arrive in remote regions of the Atlas mountains, which have been the hardest-hit. But in many areas villagers …
Read More »French minister affirms that Morocco is able to face the earthquake alone
The French Interior Minister declared on France 2 that Morocco, faced with a deadly earthquake, is capable of facing the difficulties alone. Guest of France 2 this Monday morning, the interior Minister reaffirmed the position of the executive on the earthquake which struck this Maghreb country in the night from …
Read More »Moroccan jailed for criticizing king on Facebook
A Moroccan man accused of criticising the country’s king on social media has been sentenced to five years in prison local media reported, citing his lawyer. Said Boukioud was charged with “undermining the monarchy” for comments he posted on Facebook in 2020 criticising Morocco’s normalisation of ties with Israel. He …
Read More »Morocco recalls its ambassador to Sweden after Koran burning
Authorities in Morocco have recalled the country’s ambassador to Sweden following the burning of a Koran at a demonstration in Stockholm. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rabat called the action offensive and irresponsible at a time when Muslims were celebrating one of the holiest days in their calendar. The …
Read More »Moroccan Football Federation offers thousands of free tickets
The Moroccan Football Federation says it’s offering 13,000 free tickets to fans for the country’s World Cup semi-final against France on Wednesday. The nation’s national airline, Royal Air Maroc is putting on 30 flights to Qatar at reduced rates. Huge excitement is building in the country after a series of …
Read More »Morocco: large demonstration against cost of living and political repression
Between 1,200 and 3,000 Moroccans demonstrated in Rabat on Sunday against “high cost of living and political repression”, at the call of left-wing organizations, against a backdrop of accelerating inflation and rising social discontent. This national march, one of the largest in recent months, brought together between 1,200 and 1,500 …
Read More »Morocco wants to start manufacturing military drones
Morocco is seeking to develop a local military industry, in particular with the manufacture of intelligence and combat drones, said the Moroccan Minister in charge of the administration of National Defense, Abdellatif Loudyi, quoted Saturday in a report of a parliamentary meeting. “The Moroccan government wants to develop certain sectors …
Read More »Moroccan authorities issue cannabis production permits
Moroccan authorities issued 10 permits for farmers to legally grow cannabis for industry and export for the first time. Farmers in the northern regions of al-Hoceima, Chefchaouen and Taounate will be allowed to produce and sell cannabis for medical, pharmaceutical, and industrial use, in accordance with a law passed by …
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