For Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta, Maldivians were converted to Islam by a Berber merchant known as Abu al-Barakat Yusuf al-Barbari. In the Islands the Muslim scholar is regarded as a medieval hero who saved the nation from a sea monster.
The President of Ceuta, Juan Vivas, speaking on Tuesday at a diplomatic forum in Madrid, dismissed concerns that Morocco might launch a new Green March to reclaim the Spanish-controlled enclave. «I have no fear—none at all—that Ceuta faces any risk of a possible Green March», he stated. Vivas warned that spreading such speculation does more harm than good. «Circulating baseless claims like these only has the opposite effect of what we want to achieve», he
The 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), currently underway in Geneva until April 4, featured the presentation of two statements on the Western Sahara issue. Speaking on behalf of a group of around 40 countries, Yemeni Ambassador Saeed Majawar reaffirmed Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara and supported the autonomy plan proposed by the Kingdom in 2007 as a solution to the regional dispute, according to MAP. «Morocco has long engaged in constructive, voluntary, and
The Court of Appeal in Marrakech ruled, Tuesday, to increase the sentence of Said Ait Mehdi, head of the Coordination of Victims of the Al Haouz Earthquake, to one year in prison. The court also convicted three other defendants, who had been acquitted by the Court of First Instance, sentencing them to four months in prison each. One month ago, the Marrakech Court of First Instance had sentenced Said Ait Mehdi to three months in prison, a fine of 500 dirhams, and 10,000 dirhams in
The Spanish National Court has rejected the asylum application of a Moroccan citizen who swam into Ceuta in May 2021, during the migration crisis that saw thousands of people crossing into the city. The court emphasized that there were insufficient grounds to grant him international protection, as Morocco is not in a state of conflict that would justify asylum, and there are no circumstances threatening his personal safety. The applicant arrived in Ceuta on May 17, 2021, and applied for
In 2023, EU countries granted citizenship to 1.1 million people, marking an increase of about 6.1% (+60,200 people) compared to 2022. Moroccans ranked second on the list of those who obtained citizenship in EU countries, according to numbers shared by Eurostat last week. The largest number of new nationalities were granted by Spain (240,200; 22.9% of the EU total), followed by Italy (213,600; 20.3%) and Germany (199,800; 19.0%), said the organization responsible for providing the EU
Morocco has overtaken France to become the largest consumer of Spanish gas in 2024, according to data from the Spanish Strategic Reserves Corporation for Petroleum Products (Cores). The report shows that Morocco imported 9,703 gigawatt hours of natural gas through the Maghreb-Europe Gas Pipeline, surpassing France (9,362 GWh) and Portugal (4,056 GWh). This marks a significant shift, as France and Portugal have historically been among the top consumers of Spanish gas. While Spain is not a
The Spanish Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, dismissed concerns that the strong relations between U.S. President Donald Trump and Morocco—particularly Washington’s recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara during his first term—would influence Spain’s stance on Ceuta and Melilla. When asked about the matter, Albares responded, «Absolutely not», emphasizing that «Morocco is a friendly country and a strategic partner, while
The Casablanca Court of First Instance sentenced activist Fouad Abdelmoumni on Monday, March 3, to six months in prison and a fine of 2,000 dirhams. Until now, he had been prosecuted while free on charges of «insulting public authorities, spreading false allegations, and reporting a fictitious crime he knew did not occur». On social media, Abdelmoumni had commented on French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Morocco from October 28 to 30, 2024, addressing
Moroccan economy is projected to grow by 5% in 2025, up from 3.3% in 2024, driven by monetary policy, expansion in non-agricultural sectors, and increased foreign direct investment (FDI). According to a study by Fitch Solutions, FDI in the automotive, aerospace, and renewable energy sectors will play a key role in sustaining growth, supported by infrastructure investments ahead of the 2030 World Cup, co-hosted with Spain and Portugal. Remittances from Moroccans living abroad have also shown