Latest news with #IstiqlalParty
Ya Biladi
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
South America : Morocco eyes countries still recognizing the «SADR»
Moroccan diplomacy, both official and partisan, has recently shifted its attention to several South American countries that recognize the «Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR)». On Friday, May 23, Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita welcomed Marta Lucía Ramírez, former Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia, in Rabat. Ramírez, a member of Colombia's conservative party, now in opposition, also met the same day with Nizar Baraka, Secretary-General of the Istiqlal Party and Minister of Equipment and Water. «I shared with Minister Nizar Baraka our experience in successfully developing infrastructure concessions, enabling unprecedented construction over the past 50 years», she wrote on the platform X. This visit comes amid tensions within Colombia's left-wing government, in power since August 7, 2022. Vice President Francia Márquez, from the Afro-Colombian community, has publicly accused President Gustavo Petro's administration of «racism» and «patriarchy». President Petro reinstated Colombia's recognition of the «SADR» just three days after taking office—a move that sparked criticism from the upper house. On October 25, 2022, a majority of Colombian senators adopted a resolution expressing their «deep rejection and total disagreement» with the Foreign Ministry's decision to renew ties with what they described as a «separatist movement» claiming statehood, noting that «the vast majority of countries, including the United Nations, do not recognize it». Colombia is preparing for presidential elections in the summer of 2026. «The country needs a strong center-right candidate in 2026», Marta Lucía Ramírez told a Colombian media outlet last March. Ramírez's visit to Morocco coincides with that of Nabil Benabdellah, Secretary-General of the Party of Progress and Socialism (PPS), who is visiting Venezuela and Cuba—two countries that also recognize the «SADR». In Caracas and Havana, Benabdellah is scheduled to meet with officials from the United Socialist Party of Venezuela and the Cuban Communist Party. The PPS has maintained cordial relations with these two leftist parties, currently in power in their respective countries. This renewed focus on countries recognizing the «SADR» follows a Moroccan diplomatic push in Mexico three months ago. That effort was marked by two key events: a speech by the President of the House of Representatives, Rachid Talbi Alami, in the Mexican Parliament, and a visit to Mexico City by Driss Lachgar, First Secretary of the USFP.
Morocco World
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Over 80% of Moroccans Reject LGBT People, Atheism Stands at Just 0.1%
Doha – Nearly 80% of Moroccans labeled homosexuality as deviant and expressed total rejection of LGBT people, according to Afrobarometer's 2024 survey released Wednesday. Only 2.5% voiced any degree of acceptance. The data lays bare Morocco's firm societal rejection of non-conforming sexual identities and gender expressions. Religious identity remains overwhelmingly uniform: 99.9% of respondents identified as Muslim, while only 0.1% declared themselves atheist. In a country where Islam is both cultural and institutional, these figures place Morocco among the world's most religiously uniform societies, where secular or non-religious identities are virtually invisible. Meanwhile, digital connectivity is high: over 96% own a mobile phone, and 80% access the internet. Additionally, 58% report having personal bank accounts. 81.5% feel no connection to any political party The survey also revealed deep political disillusionment. Over 81% of Moroccans feel no connection to any political party, with only 9% expressing party affiliation. Trust in political institutions remains low, with parties barely reaching 15% approval ratings. Current Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch faces serious disapproval, with 37.9% reporting complete distrust and 32.2% rejecting his performance outright. The report also shows 44% of Moroccans believe the government has failed to improve conditions for the poor. About 36.1% rated the government's job creation efforts as 'very poor,' while 42.4% gave the same rating for price stabilization efforts. Corruption allegations further undermine confidence, with 45% of citizens believing most parliamentarians are involved in corrupt practices. The death penalty maintains strong support, with 70.4% of Moroccans backing its use for serious crimes like murder. Only 25% believe no crime justifies capital punishment. The judiciary, however, maintains relatively high public confidence, with over 68% of Moroccans placing complete trust in the courts. On international relations, approximately 60% support Morocco's neutrality in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Only 5% believe Morocco should back Russia against Ukraine. The survey also revealed that 55% of Moroccans have never considered emigrating. However, among those who have, economic factors dominate their motivation – 22.1% cite better job opportunities and 5.3% seek broader business prospects abroad. When it comes to reproductive rights, 33.6% hold that abortion is justified when pregnancy threatens a woman's health. However, 33% reject abortion even in cases of rape or incest, and 56% oppose it when financial difficulties are cited as the reason. Regarding civic participation, 76% of citizens want their opinions considered before public policies are formulated, pushing back against unilateral decision-making. Looking ahead to upcoming legislative elections, 34.1% of respondents indicated they won't vote. Among decided voters, support is fragmented: 4% for the Istiqlal Party, 3.8% each for the Justice and Development Party (PJD) and Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), and just 3.2% for the National Rally of Independents (RNI). Read also: Multidimensional Poverty Drops in Morocco, But Rural Inequalities Persist
Ya Biladi
19-05-2025
- Business
- Ya Biladi
Istiqlal Party leader Nizar Baraka acknowledges government's failure to create one million jobs
Nizar Baraka, Secretary-General of the Istiqlal Party and Minister of Equipment and Water, acknowledged the government's failure to meet its promise of creating one million jobs during its term, which ends next year. Speaking at the Istiqlal Party's National Council session on Saturday, May 17, in Salé, Baraka said, «We must be honest with Moroccans; the goal of creating one million jobs is unattainable». He added that the government is entering a new phase in addressing employment challenges, highlighting that approximately 180,000 jobs were created in the first quarter of 2025, compared to a loss of nearly 80,000 jobs during the same period last year. Meanwhile, the High Commission for Planning reported that the national economy generated around 282,000 jobs between the first quarters of 2024 and 2025.
Morocco World
19-05-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
‘It's Over': Nizar Baraka Concedes Government Failure on Million-Job Commitment
Doha – Nizar Baraka, Secretary General of the Istiqlal Party and Minister of Equipment and Water, acknowledged the government's failure to meet its major commitment of creating one million jobs by 2026. 'It's over, we cannot create one million jobs by 2026. We tell the truth to Moroccans,' Baraka declared Saturday during his party's national council meeting in Salé. Despite this admission, Baraka pointed to positive employment trends in early 2025. The first quarter saw the creation of 180,000 net jobs, compared to a loss of 80,000 positions during the same period last year. Baraka attributed this improvement to increased public investment, which reached MAD 340 billion ($34 billion) this year, up from MAD 220 billion ($22 billion) in 2020. His ministry's investment budget alone jumped from MAD 40 billion ($4 billion) to MAD 70 billion ($7 billion). Addressing price increases, Baraka condemned what he called 'inflationary greed' among some traders and speculators. 'We face non-citizen behaviors from people who have exploited the inflationary context to raise commercial margins and make excessive profits at the expense of citizens… and this, we will not accept,' he asserted. The minister called for maintaining unity within the government coalition. He warned that premature competition for first place in upcoming elections could harm government performance and citizens' interests. The Akhannouch government's term has been marked more by job losses than gains. According to the High Commission for Planning (HCP), 432,000 jobs were lost during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, while 230,000 were created in 2021. The Moroccan economy lost 24,000 jobs in 2022 and destroyed 157,000 positions in 2023. In January, Baraka had painted a concerning picture of Morocco's employment situation. He cited youth unemployment at 39.5%, overall unemployment at 21.3%, and women's unemployment at 29.6%. 'Our country's youth have objective and legitimate reasons to feel anxious about the future and fears about uncertainty,' Baraka stated during a national event commemorating the 81st anniversary of Morocco's Independence Manifesto. Tags: Aziz AkhannouchNizar BarakaUnemployment in Morocco
Morocco World
24-03-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
Government Under Scrutiny After Nizar Baraka's Latest Statements on Sheep Prices
Rabat – Moroccan Minister of Equipment and Water, Nizar Baraka, is facing intense criticism following his recent appearance on the political TV show 'Nokta Ila Satr' on Al Aoula, where he made what some commentators deemed as 'corrupt' remarks about sheep prices. The backlash stemmed from Baraka's statement that the government had allocated MAD 130 million ($ 13.54 million) in public funds to sheep importers last year, enabling them to earn substantial profits while Moroccans struggle in a cost-of-living crisis. Many Moroccans found Baraka's comments out of touch with his governmental position, criticizing him for sounding more like an ordinary citizen than a high-ranking politician and leader of the Istiqlal Party. Commentators pointed out that the minister seemed unaware of the government's role in the sharp price increases, despite its ability to implement price caps and regulate profit margins. This disconnect fueled further criticism, especially after Baraka confirmed government financial support for sheep exporters. Baraka has faced similar criticism in the past regarding the same issue. In February, during the lunar month of Shaban, he publicly addressed red meat and poultry sellers, urging them to 'fear Allah' and stop 'eating up Moroccans' money' by excessively inflating prices, which made meat and poultry unaffordable for many. His recent comments contradict previous criticisms of sheep sellers, whom he accused of doubling their profit margins and selling sheep at vastly inflated prices. Although Baraka, an economist with a PhD, has stressed the government's role in protecting citizens' purchasing power through price caps, he also argued that such measures might harm farmers and only benefit importers. Baraka has often suggested that the primary cause of price inflation is greed and profiteering, proposing an ethical economic charter as the solution. He even remarked that the Istiqlal Party could not accept ongoing greed at the expense of citizens' well-being, and called for urgent government action to address this issue. These remarks were particularly contentious given recent comments by Minister of Industry and Trade, Riad Mansour, who revealed that 18 major speculators currently control red meat prices in Morocco, driving profit margins to unprecedented levels. Mansour noted that the margin for importing and distributing red meat had surged from MAD 10–15 ($1-1.05) per kilogram to MAD 40 ($4.17), reflecting both rising import costs and market manipulation. Adding fuel to the corruption fire, there are, albeit unproven, claims that these speculators are mostly parliamentary members and politicians — a dangerous claim that some Moroccans believe given their lack of faith in the government's integrity. Morocco has been grappling with rising food prices in recent years, placing a significant burden on families, especially during Ramadan, when demand for key food items spikes. In February 2025, the High Commission for Planning reported a 0.3% rise in the Consumer Price Index compared to January, while food prices rose by 0.6%. Despite government assurances about market stability, some essential goods continued to see price increases, attributed in part to the ongoing drought, which has now lasted six years. In light of this, some have called for alternative marketing models to reduce the number of intermediaries, potentially lowering prices and providing more affordable goods.
