Royal Moroccan Navy engages in strategic naval exercises with France and Portugal
The Royal Moroccan Navy is currently participating in a naval exercise in France alongside its Portuguese and French counterparts, as part of the Clemenceau 25 mission. These joint maneuvers reflect «close military cooperation» between the three nations.
The exercises also enable «the exchange of expertise and a collective response to crises, contributing to stability and security in the Mediterranean», according to the French Army's General Staff on the platform X.
As a reminder, the Royal Moroccan Navy held the Chebec naval exercise with the French Navy from October 7 to 13. This annual event, which began in 1994, continues to strengthen ties between the two navies.
The Royal Moroccan Navy is also active in the waters of Gibraltar. Last week, the ship Tariq ibn Ziad and the two offshore patrol vessels Hassan II and Lieutenant Colonel Al-Rahmani crossed the Strait en route to the Mediterranean.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Morocco World
a day ago
- Morocco World
Assets of Tebboune's Sons in France Face Potential Asset-Freezing Measures
Rabat – Algerian President Abdelmajid Tebboune could face a new scandal amid reports on France's potential freezing of the assets of about 20 Algerian dignitaries. Mohamed Sifaoui, a French-Algerian investigative journalist, has revealed that two of Tebboune's sons, Mohamed and Khaleld, hold assets in France. Sifaoui made his remarks during an interview with Algerian journalist Abdou Semmar. During the interview published this week, the journalist claimed that while Tebboune may have no assets in France, his sons do. These assets could be seized and frozen by French authorities, which would see bilateral tensions escalate even further since the two countries started exchanging hostile diplomatic decisions in the aftermath of France's endorsement of Morocco's position on the Western Sahara dispute. Sifaoui made several other revelations, including pointing out the abuse of power by the Algerian regime. He said that Mohamed Tebboune was entrusted by his father with a government advisory role despite his lack of experience. Mohamed Tebboune also has connections with Turkish businessmen, he suggested, adding that this would eventually land him in jail when his father's mandate ends. 'They own commercial properties, stock assets, etc. What we call financial assets in other words, wealth… both of them have assets in France,' the Algerian journalist said, noting that this is 'confirmed information.' The journalist slammed the Algerian president for criticizing France while his sons have financial holdings there, noting that he not only relies on information from government reports but also verifies and fact-checks information himself. 'That's why I haven't published it yet,' he said. 'I have the names and will probably publish them by the end of the week. But among those are the two sons of Abdelmadjid Tebboune.' Sifaoui and his interviewer then both launched into a debate about the hypocrisy of the Algerian ruling class, slamming Algeria's establishment for claiming to adopt an anti-French policy while their children and families hold active assets in France. This is not the only bombshell revelation Sifaoui made about the Algerian regime's involvement in similar scandals. Beyond the regime's interference in the domestic affairs of other countries, a new comprehensive investigation has shed light on clandestine operations allegedly orchestrated by the Algerian regime on French soil. Last month, French outlet Le Journal du Dimanche reported that, under President Tebboune, the Algerian government has been actively involved in a campaign to suppress opposition voices abroad. A senior French security official, speaking on condition of anonymity to the news outlet, said: 'We possess reliable intelligence confirming that Algerian services did not act independently.' This includes attempts to abduct or intimidate prominent dissidents residing in France, such as YouTube r Amir DZ and journalist Abdou Semmar. Algeria and France have experienced political tensions for months. According to L'Express, France is now considering freezing the assets of several dignitaries of the Algerian regime. There have also been exchanges of hostile measures from both countries, including travel restrictions against officials from both sides. In recent years, both countries have taken measures to expel officials or made other similar measures. In May, diplomatic sources told AFP that Algeria was planning to expel more French officials. In response, French Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot confirmed that ties between France and Algeria were 'completely frozen.' Tags: algeria and francerelations between Algeria and France
Morocco World
2 days ago
- Morocco World
Cote d'Ivoire's President Ouattara Bans Opposition to Consolidate Power
Rabat – Cote d'Ivoire's young democratic journey is backsliding as the incumbent president looks to tighten his grip on a presidency he is no longer supposed to run for. In a move aimed at strengthening his position of power in the Ivorian political makeup, President Alassane Ouattara has banned the most influential presidential candidates from the 2025 election. President Ouattara originally came to power in 2010 after an election against then incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo turned into a civil war, which killed 3000 people. Ouattara changed the constitution in 2016 to allow himself to run for a third term in 2020, and Ivorians fear he will stand again for reelection in 2025. He has also been accused of gradually becoming increasingly autocratic throughout his presidency. A popular opposition figure, particularly among young voters, Tidjane Thiam of the Democratic and Peace Party had been rising quickly in the polls. In addition to being the nephew of the country's first President Houphouet-Boigny, Thiam is widely perceived as experienced and competent to run a country that often prides itself as the economic leader in Francophone West Africa. Disqualifying popular candidates Despite Thiam receiving overwhelming support within his party and his popularity among younger Ivorians, a court blocked his bid to become presidential candidate in April 2025. The court notably cast doubt on Thiam's Ivorian nationality, arguing that his holding of French citizenship made him unreliable as the future leader of a sovereign nation. Thiam has contested what he sees as a political trial, noting that he had renounced his French citizenship long before launching his bid to become president of Cote d'Ivoire. And this week, in a decision that has polarized the West African nation and sent it into crisis, the Independent Electoral Commission announced banning Tidjane Thiam from the electoral list. Even more controversially, the ban applies to three other candidates whose popularity and political influence could prove a headache for President Ouattara's camp in any election: former president Laurent Gbagbo, former youth leader and political organizer Charles Blé Goudé, and former Ouattara acolyte Guillaume Soro. A very dependent electoral commission In a telling sign of political intervention from the presidential camp, the Commission contentiously stated that this list is definitive and would not be revised under any circumstances prior to the October elections. Both independent observers and supporters of the banned presidential hopefuls have accused Ouattara of illegally disqualifying his most formidable opponents to centralize power. Once hailed in the West as the savior of Ivorian democracy, President Ouattara is now roundly denounced by his opponents and some of his former advocates in the Western press as a power-hungry agent of democratic backsliding in the West African nation. Thiam has called on the UN to oppose Ouattara's dictatorial project, arguing that the past few years have seen Cote d'Ivoire 'slide towards a total lack of democracy.' Other candidates are qualified to participate in the coming elections, however. These include former First Lady Simone Ehivet Gbagbo and former Minister of Commerce Jean-Louis Billon. But neither of these candidates have the same popular support as Thiam and the other banned contenders. While it is not clear whether the media protestations of the banned candidates will bear any meaningful fruit on the actual political scene, one thing is for certain: this decision means that the October elections will be deeply divisive. Tags: Cote d'Ivoireivory coastOuattarapolitics
Ya Biladi
2 days ago
- Ya Biladi
Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan presides over military graduation at Kenitra's Royal College
Under the directives of King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and Chief of the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR), Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan presided on Wednesday over the graduation ceremony for the Higher Defense Course and the Staff Course at the Royal College of Higher Military Education (CREMS) in Kenitra. Upon his arrival at CREMS, Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan was welcomed by the Army Corps General, Inspector General of the FAR and Commander of the Southern Zone, as well as the Colonel Major, Director of CREMS. He then reviewed a detachment of the Royal Air Forces presenting honors, according to a statement from the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces. He was then greeted by the Army Corps General, Commander of the Royal Gendarmerie; senior officers from the FAR General Staff; the Wali of the Rabat-Salé-Kenitra region; the Governor of Kenitra Province; the Commanding Officer of the Kenitra Garrison; and members of the academic staff. Following a presentation on «The Role of the FAR in Border Security», Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan awarded certificates of higher military education, specialized master's degrees in national defense, and staff diplomas to both Moroccan and international officer trainees from the Higher Defense Course and the Staff Course. The Colonel Major, Director of CREMS, also presented him with a selection of the trainees' academic work, including research theses produced by graduates of the Higher Defense Course. The ceremony concluded with a commemorative photo of Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan with the two graduating classes. This year's graduates include 296 officers from the 25th class of the Higher Defense Course and the 59th class of the Staff Course, among them 77 officers representing 28 different countries.
