Latest News from Maroc
Maroc
18 hours ago
- Business
- Maroc
UN to Establish 1st Tourism Office on Innovation for Africa in Rabat
A financial agreement for the establishment of the 1st UN Tourism Office on Innovation for Africa in Rabat was signed on Thursday in Madrid, on the sidelines of the 123rd session of the UN Tourism Executive Council. The agreement was initialed by Morocco's Minister of Tourism, Handicrafts and Social Economy Fatim-Zahra Ammor, and Secretary General of UN Tourism Zurab Pololikashvili, attended by the Kingdom's Ambassador to Spain Karima Benyaich. This marks a key step towards the effective operationalization of UN Tourism's first Thematic Office on Innovation for Africa in Rabat. The agreement tackles both parties' commitments, as well as the administrative arrangements granted to the Office, in accordance with article 5 of the Headquarters Agreement inked in January 2025 between the Moroccan Government and UN Tourism. This Office will work towards supporting UN Tourism's 2030 Agenda for Africa, to turn this productive sector into a vector for development on the continent, in line with the Royal Vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, in favor of joint African action. The Thematic Office is a major step forward for tourism promotion on the continent. Building on Morocco's leadership as an African hub for tourism and innovation, it will strengthen cooperation between African states and UN Tourism, bolstering the socio-economic transformation of African tourist destinations through innovative programs. MAP: 29 mai 2025
Maroc
18 hours ago
- Business
- Maroc
Morocco, Spain Sign MoUs For Four Catalan Projects of 500 Million MAD Investment
Four memorandums of understanding were signed on Wednesday in Rabat to implement investment projects totaling 500 million Moroccan dirhams (MAD), spearheaded by Catalan companies. Concluded during a meeting between Morocco's Minister Delegate for Investment, Convergence, and Policy Evaluation, Karim Zidane, and a large delegation of Catalan companies led by Josep Sánchez Llibre, President of Foment del Treball—the main employers' confederation of Catalonia—these agreements pertain to projects expected to create over 700 direct jobs in the cities of Tangier, Tetouan, and Kenitra. These projects span various sectors, including the automotive industry, waste recovery, packaging, and construction materials, reflecting Morocco's ability to turn exchanges into concrete, job-creating initiatives for its youth. As part of efforts to strengthen Moroccan-Spanish economic relations, the meeting provided an opportunity for Zidane to highlight Morocco's exceptional investment appeal and to emphasize the Kingdom's ambition, under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, to become a competitive and sustainable regional hub. The commitment of the Catalan companies, he noted, confirms the relevance of this trajectory, adding that the four projects reflect the willingness of these companies to contribute to Morocco's industrial development. According to him, these investments are the result of an increasingly attractive business climate, made possible by reforms undertaken by Morocco (including simplification of procedures, digitalization, and the strengthening of regional investment centers). For his part, Foment del Treball President Josep Sánchez Llibre expressed his satisfaction with the warm welcome extended to the Catalan business delegation, which came to explore investment opportunities in such a strategically important country as the Kingdom of Morocco. He highlighted the determination of these companies to strengthen their presence in Morocco, noting that these investment projects mark the beginning of a lasting and structured commitment to mutually beneficial economic development. "Catalan investments will continue to flow into Morocco. I can already announce that within a year, we will return with a new delegation of around twenty Catalan companies to explore further investment opportunities," he said. Furthermore, the Spanish Ambassador to Rabat, Enrique Ojeda Vila, welcomed the mission of the delegation, which contributes to consolidating the strategic partnership between the two countries. In addition to their geographical proximity, Spain and Morocco are each other's main economic and trade partners, Ojeda Vila noted. MAP:29 mai 2025
Maroc
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Maroc
Nearly 500,000 Students Sit Morocco's Baccalaureate Exam
Nearly half a million candidates sat for Morocco's unified national Baccalaureate exam for the 2024-2025 academic year, the Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports said on Thursday. A total of 495,395 candidates took the exams, including 385,330 enrolled students and 110,065 independent candidates, the ministry pointed out in a press release. Private school students accounted for 11% of candidates. The majority were in scientific and technical streams (64%), followed by literary and original streams (35%), and vocational fields (1%). The regular session of the Baccalaureate exam began on Thursday and will run through Monday, June 2. A resit session is scheduled for July 3–7, the ministry said. Results for the regular session will be released on June 14, and resit results will follow on July 12. To support the exams, authorities mobilized 1,995 exam centers, equipped with nearly 30,000 classrooms, and deployed 50,600 invigilators, 1,995 observers, and 43,000 markers. The ministry said 597 exam papers were prepared across both sessions, including 231 adapted for students with disabilities. A new ministerial decree detailing organizational procedures was published ahead of the exams, along with an electronic guide for candidates. Efforts to prepare students throughout the year included psychological support, group revision sessions, and anti-cheating awareness campaigns. As part of broader reforms, the ministry has implemented digitized secret numbering of exam papers to improve transparency and reduce errors. MAP: 30 mai 2025
Maroc
18 hours ago
- Health
- Maroc
Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity to Launch New Cataract Surgery Campaign in Ifrane
The Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity will launch a new local medical campaign dedicated to cataract surgery, on May 30 at the Provincial Hospital Center (CHP) of Ifrane, and will benefit underprivileged populations from the Ifrane province. Continuing its efforts to bring quality healthcare closer to rural communities, the Foundation will provide full support for 150 cataract surgeries, the Foundation said in a press release. The beneficiaries of this initiative come from twelve communes in the municipalities of Ifrane and Azrou, including Timahdit, Dayet Aoua, Tleguit, Bekrit, Sidi El Makhfi, and Ain Louh, the same source noted, adding that they were identified among patients screened by the Foundation's connected medical mobile unit (UMMC – Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity), based in Sidi El Makhfi, and at the Ifrane Provincial Hospital. Additional outreach and pre-screening operations were carried out by Foundation teams on May 7 and 8 across four sites: central Ifrane, Sidi El Makhfi, Timahdit, and Azrou. A total of 911 consultations were conducted by general practitioners, ophthalmologists, and laboratory technicians mobilized by the Foundation. This phase helped diagnose new cases requiring surgery, while also assessing the general health status of all patients through comprehensive pre-operative evaluations (including ophthalmological consultations and biological assessments). The surgical procedures scheduled for May 30 and 31 will be carried out at the CHP of Ifrane, where two operating rooms equipped with four surgical stations have been specially prepared for the campaign. This initiative is made possible through the close collaboration of institutional and community partners in the Fez-Meknès region. A multidisciplinary medical team of over 50 professionals—including volunteer ophthalmic surgeons and operating room staff from the CHP of Ifrane—will ensure the successful execution of the surgeries. The team will be supported by the Foundation's staff, including medical supervisors, social workers, and paramedical personnel, to provide comprehensive support and follow-up care for all beneficiaries. This campaign is being implemented with the support and participation of local authorities, regional and provincial health and social protection departments, the CHP of Ifrane, the Hassan II University Hospital Center in Fez, and the "Friends of the Visually Impaired in Fès" Association (Association « Amis des Malvoyants de Fès »). Between January and April 2025, the Foundation also organized four multidisciplinary and specialized medical campaigns in the provinces of Zagora, Tan-Tan, Berkane, and Taounate. These operations benefited 11,272 individuals—7,410 of whom were women—and included 334 surgical procedures (cataract, general and pediatric surgery, circumcisions) as well as 23,461 medical consultations and specialized treatments. This new campaign is part of the Foundation's continued efforts to bring healthcare closer to rural populations and to contribute sustainably to the improvement of their living conditions. MAP: 29 mai 2025
Maroc
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Maroc
MAP Seals Cooperation Agreements with Three Mediterranean News Agencies
Maghreb Arab Press Agency (MAP) signed three cooperation agreements in Marrakech on Thursday, with the Italian News Agency (ANSA), the Syrian News Agency (SANA) and the Bosnia-Herzegovina News Agency (FENA) respectively, as part of the 33rd General Assembly of the Alliance of Mediterranean News Agencies (AMAN). Inked by MAP Director General Fouad Arif and ANSA CEO Stefano de Alessandri, the first agreement establishes a framework for the reciprocal exchange of the two agencies' news services, and authorizes the provision of dispatches in English to enrich the respective international news offer. It also provides for the possibility of joint projects in favor of institutional and economic communication in the two agencies' respective countries. The second agreement, initialed by Arif and SANA Agency Director General Ziad Al-Mahamid, establishes a framework for the free, reciprocal exchange of multimedia content, including text, images, videos and computer graphics. The agreement further tackles direct, secure access to both agencies' editorial platforms, as well as priority given to each for coverage of events in their respective countries, in addition to facilitating correspondents missions' on the field, organizing professional visits and joint training in editorial, technical and digital fields. The third agreement, signed by Arif and FENA Managing Director Ilija Musa, focuses on free exchange of the two agencies' online content. It also includes a logistical cooperation component, facilitating joint coverage of events and official visits, as well as reciprocal access to multimedia content and likely exchanging newsletters, books, archives and professional expertise. Furthermore, this partnership encourages exchanges of visits between managers and journalists from the two agencies, as well as arranging targeted training related to their professional activities. At the 33rd General Assembly of this Mediterranean Alliance, held in Marrakech on May 28-29, MAP was elected president of AMAN for the 2025-2026 period. Held under the theme "Football and Media in the Mediterranean: Building Bridges Beyond Borders," this Assembly was an opportunity to highlight the large-scale projects implemented in Morocco, under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, as part of hosting the 2030 Football World Cup. MAP: 29 mai 2025
