US-Africa Business Summit in Angola excludes Polisario
Morocco is represented at this year's edition by Karim Zidane, Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of Investment, Convergence, and the Evaluation of Public Policies.
In contrast, Algeria has downgraded its participation. Although Prime Minister Nadir Laarbaoui was initially expected to attend, it was ultimately the Minister of Energy and Mines, Mohamed Akrab, who led the Algerian delegation to Luanda.
Beyond meetings with the European Union and Japan, the Polisario remains consistently excluded from major partnership summits between the African Union and global powers such as Russia, China, and the United States.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Ya Biladi
21 hours ago
- Ya Biladi
US : Algeria courts co-author of bill designating Polisario as terrorist group
A newly proposed bill in the United States House of Representatives, seeking to designate the Polisario Front as a terrorist organization, is stirring unease in Algeria. This apprehension is underscored by a recent meeting between Algeria's ambassador to Washington, Sabri Boukadoum, and Democratic Representative Jimmy Panetta, who co-authored the bill alongside Republican Jimmy Wilson. «Met with the Algerian Ambassador to discuss the U.S.-Algeria relationship, regional security, and trans-national terrorist organizations in their region of the African continent. Appreciate the dialogue and look forward to continued conversations that promote our mutual understanding and security», stated Panetta on the X platform. This diplomatic engagement from Algeria comes on the heels of a letter sent by «The Global Monitoring Center», an American organization aligned with the Polisario, to Senate Democratic Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer. The NGO voiced its «concern over the inaccurate information and allegations spread by the Moroccan lobby in the United States, as well as attempts to associate the Polisario Front with terrorism and extremist groups».
Ya Biladi
a day ago
- Ya Biladi
Moroccan Urban Planning Minister denies conflict in Marrakech land sale amid Jabaroot leaks
Amid the controversy triggered by leaks from a group calling itself «Jabaroot», which claims to be «Algerian», targeting Morocco's Minister of National Territorial Planning, Urban Planning, Housing, and City Policy, Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri has issued an official response denying any suspicion of conflict of interest related to a major real estate sale involving her family near Marrakech. She emphasized that the transaction was legal, transparent, and had no connection to her government role. The leaked document, widely circulated online, originates from a notary's office in Marrakech and confirms that El Mansouri and her brothers, Zouhair and Saad, sold more than 66 hectares of land in 2023 in the Tassoultante, a small town near Marrakech, for a total of 266.17 million dirhams. The documents indicate that the land is officially classified as agricultural and not eligible for construction under current zoning rules. The contract notes that the buyers were explicitly informed by the notary to check with authorities whether construction would be permitted, and that they would be responsible for doing so. Critics have since accused El Mansouri of using her influence after the land was reportedly converted into two real estate projects. In her statement, El Mansouri stressed that the property is neither state-owned nor under her ministerial oversight. She explained that it was inherited from her late father, Moulay Abderrahmane El Mansouri, who purchased the land from private individuals in 1978. «Contrary to what's been falsely claimed in these malicious leaks, the land was not acquired from the state or any public institution», she said in remarks reviewed by Yabiladi. She added that the land was sold legally by the heirs following their mother's death in 2023, with all transactions properly declared to tax authorities. «The family's appointed agent sold the land in a transparent, legal manner. All sales were declared to the tax office, which collected the appropriate fees. The proceeds were reinvested in Marrakech in clearly declared and legitimate projects», Fatima Zahra El Mansouri. Mansouri further clarified that the property lies outside the boundaries of the Marrakech municipality, which she formerly led as mayor, and stressed that the deal had no link to her political or ministerial roles. She denounced the leaks as part of a «malicious campaign» aimed at damaging her reputation and that of her family. The minister also revealed that her family's legal representative has filed a complaint against those responsible for publishing the documents, which she said were «neither verified nor truthful».
Morocco World
a day ago
- Morocco World
Europe Leads Morocco's Trade Despite Slight Drop in 2024
Rabat – Despite a slight decrease, Morocco's trade exchanges remain overwhelmingly dominated by Europe, new data has confirmed. European partners accounted for 62% of Morocco's total trade, the data from the Exchange Office said this month, confirming a modest decrease from 63.2% in 2023. According to the report, about 56.4% of Morocco's imports originated from Europe, while 71.4% of Moroccan exports went to the EU Trade with Europe increased by 4.1% in 2024, reaching MAD 754.9 billion compared to MAD 724.8 billion the previous year. 'A significant 86.6% of this trade was conducted with European Union countries,' the report said, ranking Spain as Morocco's top European trade partner, followed by France, Germany, Italy, and Turkey. The same report shed light on a 12.7% increase in trade between Morocco and Asian countries, after a decline of 15.8% in 2023. 'Its share in Morocco's total trade increased … from 18.9% in 2023 to 20.1% in 2024,' the report said, attributing the situation to growing trade with China. China tops the list of leading Asian partners to Morocco for the 13th consecutive year. Kazakhstan and India also contributed to the increase, the report explained. Increased trade with the US also contributed to trade momentum with the Americas, with which commercial exchanges grew by 6.1% Trade between Morocco and the US increased by 15.8%, according to the report. As for Africa, Moroccan trade with other African countries also rose by 6.3% this last year, following a sharp drop of -18.1% in 2023/ 'This increase was largely due to trade with Egypt,' the report said, defining Cairo as Morocco's top African trade partner for the sixth consecutive year. With Oceania, trade remains limited, but improved with a 48.1% increase in 2024, the report said, attributing the growth to increased trade with Australia. Overall, Morocco's trade with the world recorded an increase of 6.3%, compared to a 1.7% decline last year. Imports increased by 6.4% reaching MAD 761.3 billion last year, up from MAD 715.8 billion a year earlier, while exports amounted to MAD 456.3 billion in 2024- marking a 6.1% rise compared to 2023. 'As a result, the trade deficit worsened by 6.8%, standing at MAD-304.9 billion in 2024 compared to MAD-285.6 billion the year before,' the report said. Tags: EU and MoroccoEU and Morocco fisheries agreement
