His Majesty King Mohammed VI has ordered the provision of one million dollars for the benefit of the Yemeni people, who are living in miserable conditions and famine because of the war.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans residing abroad revealed, "Nasser Bourita," shortly before this evening, Monday, March 1, 2021, that the financial donation to Yemen came within the framework of the contribution of the Kingdom of Morocco to the international solidarity effort to save the Yemeni people.
Burita's announcement of the royal financial support for the Yemeni people came on the occasion of his participation today, Monday, in the conference remotely, for donor countries to help the Yemeni people, organized by Switzerland and Sweden, under the auspices of the United Nations.
The decision is due to “deep misunderstandings with the Federal Republic of Germany on fundamental questions of the Kingdom of Morocco.”
Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the suspension of all contact with Germany’s embassy in Rabat.
The foreign ministry’s statement, which went viral online, argued that the decision is due to “deep misunderstandings with the Federal Republic of Germany on fundamental questions of the Kingdom of Morocco”
The ministry called on all ministerial departments and all the bodies which come under their supervision to suspend all contact, interaction or cooperative action “in any way, shape or form.”
“Any derogation from this suspension can only be done on the basis of an explicit prior agreement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Residing Abroad.”
The Moroccan ministry concluded its statement, saying that it has taken the decision to suspend all contact or approach with the German Embassy in Morocco.
Major news outlets published the same statement, but the state agency and Morocco’s government have yet to confirm the news.
Morocco and Germany have long maintained good relations.
In December 2020, Germany provided Morocco with €1.387 billion in financial support to help Morocco face its domestic COVID-19 crisis, boost the national economy, and advance development initiatives.
In December, Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita held a phone call with his German counterpart Gerd Muller to deepen cooperation between Morocco and Germany in different fields, including efforts to fight COVID-19.
The two ministers welcomed the conclusions of the latest intergovernmental development cooperation negotiations.
The same month witnessed discussion between Morocco and Germany on green energy development.
The European country expressed determination to support green energy development in the North African country.
It remains to be seen whether the decision has links with Germany’s position over Morocco’s stance in sovereign dossiers, including Western Sahara.
Some observers acquainted with Morocco-Germany relationship believe the cause of the rift is Germany’s refusal to extradite Mohamed Habjib a former Morocco terrorism convict who lives in Germany. Hajib has been living in Germany since 2017 after he spent seven years in a Moroccan prison for terrorism charges.
Since he moved to Germany with his Irish wife, Hajib has published a series of videos in YouTube where he accuses Moroccan security services of having subjected him to torture, charges that many of his cellmates deny.
Other observers pointed that the main reason behind this bout of tension between two countries is the Transparency International’s recent report about Morocco. The German NGO released a report that was very critical of the country’s track -record in fighting corruption.
Dismissing the efforts the country has made over the past year to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigate its social and economic impact, and also launching country-wide vaccination campaign, the report painted a very dark picture of Morocco’s economic outlook, blaming it on corruption and the “failure” of the state to tackle it.
For many observers who spoke to MWN, the report smacks of being politically motivated. A money-laundering and anti-corruption expert, who spoke to MWN on the condition of anonymity, wonders why Transparency International never questions the level of corruption raging in any reputable German multinationals or Germany’s money-laundering deficiencies.
“In the meantime, Germany is being sued by the EU commission for its Anti-money laundering deficiencies. It has been called “a money laundering paradise” by the commission,” the expert told MWN.
In fact, as recently as late last month, the EU launched legal proceedings against Germany over money-laundering claims. The move was praised by German MP who said his country is “a money laundering paradise.” These legal proceedings have not been reported by TI, nor did the German-based and funded NGO express its concerns about the country’s money-laundering deficiencies.
“At the same time Germany has been heavily criticized for not punishing its companies that commit bribery abroad. For example, Siemens was punished by the US. Freesenius was happily bribing Morocco, and also punished by the US. However, TI never issued a repot about them,” the expert added.
A report issued by Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project in 2018 said German’s real estate market had become a magnet for money-laundering and dirty money. The report was based on Transparency International Report that is no longer accessible.
Source: Morocco World News
In March 5, 2020, the first balloon service was launched at Draa Tafilalt in the Tinghir region. The expedition trip to the Tanghit oasis was carried out from the “Talazit” area to Ait Issa.
This kind of activity is intended for tourists and all citizens interested in this type of sport and tourism entertainment.
The owner of this balloon project is Yammine Daoudi and his purpose of presenting this project is to promote the tourism, develop the region, and create new job opportunities for the residents of the region.
Morocco is home to major discoveries recently, including the world’s oldest starfish fossil.
Scientists have discovered a crushed ossified lung of a 66- million years old coelacanth in Oued Zem, in Morocco’s Beni Mellal-Khenifra region.
SCI News reported the discovery on Monday, announcing that a team of paleontologists unearthed a crushed ossified lung of the marine coelacanth.
The species lived during the Late Cretaceous epoch, which dates back to 66 million years ago.
Other reports suggested that experts discovered the remains of the Coelacanths species by accident.
“A collector had bought the specimen thinking the bone might have been part of a pterodactyl’s skill,” said one news report.
Paleontologist David Martil said “only one animal has such a structure and that is the Coelacanth.”
Martil, a professor at the School of the Environment, Geograppy, and Geosciences at the University of Portsmouth, explained that the collector of the specimen was “disappointed he did not have a pterosaur skull.”
He added, “But my colleagues and I were thrilled as no Coelacanth has even been found in the phosphate deposits of Morocco, and this example was absolutely massive.”
The species emerged 200 million years before the first dinosaur.
Scientists believed it to be extinct, until researchers discovered a living Coelacanth off South Africa in 1938.
Morocco is home to major discoveries that recently made international headlines. One of the latest discoveries was just a few days ago, when a team of scientists from Moroccan and Spanish universities discovered a 2.5 million year old macaque fossil in Guefait, Morocco.
On January 20, researchers from Cambridge University and the University of Western Australia discovered a precious 480 million years-old fossil of a Starfish in the Fezouata shale of the Anti-Atlas Mountain range.
Source: Morocco World News
In a South Florida war room, occupied most days by a party of one, a former President of the United States is plotting his return -- and his revenge.
Family dynamics in flux
Sunshine State headquarters
The Polisario supporters attempted to hoist the flag of the self-styled Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic at the consulate.
The Spanish government has “categorically” condemned violent protests by Polisario supporters in front of the Moroccan Consulate General in Valencia.
Earlier on Sunday, a group of Polisario sympathizers and activists “committed acts of vandalism” in front of the Moroccan diplomatic representation, Morocco’s state media reported.
In a statement, the Spanish Foreign Affairs repudiated the move, saying that it “undermines the inviolability, integrity, and dignity of the consular headquarters.”
“Spain categorically condemns the acts committed on Sunday by some participants in a rally… in front of the Consulate General of Morocco in Valencia,” read the statement.
Footage of the incident, shared on various social media platforms, showed the group of Polisario supporters entering the Moroccan consulate building and trying to hoist the flag of the self-styled, Polisario-governed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR).
Freedom to demonstrate is fundamental and guaranteed by Spanish regulations, but “no demonstration in the context of the right of assembly can degenerate into illegal actions, like the attempt made this Sunday,” the Spanish government said.
It described the event as “a flagrant violation” of the country’s laws, promising to open investigations and “take all appropriate measures to ensure respect for the integrity and inviolability of the diplomatic missions accredited in our country.”
Morocco strongly condemned the vandalism and violence on Sunday.
“We followed this morning, the criminal and irresponsible acts that the Polisario ordered through a handful of criminals who hung what I would simply call a rag at the level of the enclosure of the Consulate General of the Kingdom of Morocco in Valence in the place of the national flag,” Morocco’s Ambassador to Spain Karima Benyaich told reporters.
“I wish to express our indignation, condemning in the strongest terms these acts of vandalism and violence, which, like what happened in El Guerguerat, confirms the mafia and outlaw character of its sponsors.”
This provocation, she underlined, “once again expresses the forward flight of the Polisario in the current context and recalls the very nature of this criminal and outlaw separatist organization which never ceases to call on its supporters to commit acts of violence and vandalism wherever he is.”
The news comes amid global concerns over recent developments in the Western Sahara conflict. It is understood that the pro-Polisario supporters in Valencia were reacting to what the Polisario leadership has described as a declaration of war by Morocco.
On November 13, Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces launched a “non-offensive” operation to dislodge a group of armed Polisario members who had been obstructing traffic in the buffer zone in Guerguerat.
According to reliable, non-Moroccan reports, Morocco first pushed for a diplomatic solution, pleading with the UN to warn Polisario against unnecessary escalations in the buffer area.
After Polisario ignored and defied repeated UN warnings for three weeks, Rabat finally intervened to establish a “security cordon,” restoring traffic between Morocco and Mauritania.
In response, Polisario dramatically accused Morocco of “declaring war” by “attacking Sahrawi civilians who were demonstrating peacefully in the areas.”
But many observers and analysts have poured cold water on Polisario’s mendacious claims. “The Polisario feeds on conflicts, threats, and instability. Without this, they have no reason to exist,” one analyst has said.
Meanwhile, even in Spain, where the media usually sympathize with Polisario’s “Sahrawi cause,” there have been suggestions that the Guerguerat crisis was an “escape route” for a Polisario leadership beset by diplomatic setbacks and intense scrutiny over embezzlement and torture allegations.
In its report on the Guerguerat crisis, Spanish newspaper Lavanguardia, which is generally pro-Polisario in tone, noted: “The conflict in Guerguerat could be the escape route that the Polisario has found to appease internal criticism and return to the front lines without having to resort to an open war, for which it would not be prepared.”
Source: Morocco World News
In December 2020, Morocco voted in favor of removing cannabis from the UN’s Schedule IV category of drugs that have limited or no therapeutic use.
Morocco’s government council will discuss on Thursday, February 25 a bill on the “legal use of cannabis,” a statement from the Head of Government office announced on Tuesday.
Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani will chair the government council, which will “consider” the bill on legalizing the use of cannabis, the statement reads.
The statement does not provide further details on the bill. However, the announcement about the bill comes just a few months after Morocco voted in favor of removing cannabis from the list of the UN’s Schedule IV category of drugs that have limited or no therapeutic use.
Morocco was the only member of the UN Commission on Narcotics Drugs (CND) in the Middle East and North Africa region to give a nod to the removal of cannabis from the list of toxic substances.
Algeria, Bahrain, and Egypt have all voted against the move.
The use of cannabis is illegal in Morocco; it is criminalized by the country’s Penal Code. But the drug is still among the most used substances in Morocco.
Authorities frequently crackdown on the trafficking of cannabis resin.
One of the recent operations took place on Monday in Rabat, where police seized 9.5 tonnes of cannabis resin.
A few years ago, a movement called “Maroc Cannabis 2016” called on the government to legalize cannabis production and Morocco.
Data from a 2019 report released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) confirmed that Morocco is the world’s largest producer of cannabis. The country produces over three times more than the next highest contender, the European country Moldova.
Cannabis production in Morocco continues to grow, with the production of cannabis herbs increasing from 35,653 tons in 2016 to 35,703 tons in 2017, according to the report.
It remains to be seen whether the government will approve the bill on the legal use of cannabis in Morocco.
In addition to the bill on cannabis, the government council will examine three draft decrees about implementing the decree-law relating to the promulgation of exceptional measures for the benefit of employers affiliated to the National Social Security Fund (CNSS) and their declared employees.
Source: Morocco World News
A landslide on the Italian coast near Genoa caused the collapse of a cemetery Monday, leading to hundreds of coffins falling into the sea.
Maxwell “will renounce her French and British citizenship to eliminate any opportunity for her to seek refuge in those countries, if the Court so requires,” her lawyers wrote in a filing published by the Courthouse News website.
The defendant’s legal team argued that by doing so, Maxwell will not be able to seek “any protection against extradition” that applies to citizens of these countries.
The court document also said that Maxwell is willing to have her and her husband’s assets placed in a new account that would be monitored to ensure that she will not use the money to flee from prosecution.
This is Maxwell’s third request to be released on bail. Her previous request was denied in December, as the court argued that “no conditions” of release can assure that Maxwell shows up for trial.
Maxwell was arrested last year on charges of aiding American financier Jeffrey Epstein in the sex trafficking of underage girls. She pleaded not guilty and is set to stand trial in July.
A convicted sex offender, Epstein was found dead in his prison cell in 2019 after new criminal allegations were brought against him.
Source: RT.com
The UN official described Morocco among major countries that invest in renewable energies.
The Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), Inger Andersen, has described Morocco as exemplary in terms of renewable energies.
The UN official made the remarks recently at a joint press conference with the UN Secretary-General to present the UN’s latest report on the environment.
Andersen said: “I should cite Morocco as an example of the countries which invested ten years ago in renewable energies.”
Andersen said countries like Morocco are major producers of renewable energies from the dual thermal wind and solar power.
Morocco’s Minister of Energy Aziz Rabbah echoed Anderson’s assessment, noting that the country has considerably invested in developing its renewable energies ambitions.
Morocco’s investment in development projects is estimated at $6 billion.
In his presentation, Andersen also called on developing countries to invest in nature and initiate the shift in energy transformation to achieve a “renewed economy” that respects the environment.
The installed capacity of renewable energy sources in Morocco amounts to 3,950 megawatts.
The number represents about 37% of the total installed electric power or 20% of the country’s electricity demand.
Around 100 renewable energy programs are under development in Morocco.
The country is also home to several major solar projects, including the Ouarzazate Solar Plant.
The world should tackle climate change, biodiversity challenges, and pollution crises at the same time, according to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)’s report.
UN Secretary-General Guteress said that such crises require “urgent action by the whole of society.”
Guteress said that about two-thirds of global CO2 emissions are linked to households, emphasizing that “people’s choices matter.”
“The atmosphere and the oceans have become dumping grounds for our waste and governments continue to pay more to exploit nature than to protect it,” he lamented, adding that “we overuse and degrade the environment on land and sea,” the UN chief said.
Despite a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions due to COVID-19, global warming is set to increase by 3 degrees Celsius during this century, said the UNDP report .
Pollution-related diseases kill some nine million people prematurely every year, while more than a million plant and animal species are at risk of disappearing, the study found.
Source: Morocco World News
If American investors slash foreign direct investment (FDI) stock in China by half, their annual capital gains could drop as much as $25 billion, the business lobbying group said in research released on Wednesday. At the same time, the reduced investment will benefit US competitors, while America’s GDP would see a one-time loss of $500 billion, according to a report assessing the potential cost of the decoupling of the world’s two largest economies.
“Pulling two huge economies apart will be expensive,” the Chamber of Commerce said, adding that the two nations are still deeply intertwined. However, the study noted that “full, comprehensive decoupling is no longer unthinkable.”
The US-China trade deal has not eliminated all the tariffs that were imposed in the midst of the trade war between the two nations. If relations further deteriorate, and 25-percent tariffs are applied to all two-way trade, it could lead to $190 billion in annual losses for the US economy by 2025, the chamber said.
The study also estimated that a full decoupling would have an impact on the flow of people, hurting revenue from tourism and education. According to its estimates, if Chinese tourism and education spending drop by half from pre-coronavirus pandemic levels, the US could lose from $15 billion to $30 billion per year in services trade exports.
The report also focused on the potential consequences of decoupling in four industries important to US national interests. The findings show that losing access to the Chinese market by the aviation industry would lead to annual output losses of $38 billion to $51 billion, or $875 billion cumulatively by 2038.
Additionally, losing a share in China’s semiconductor market would result in $54 billion to $124 billion in lost output and put 100,000 US jobs at risk. For the chemicals industry, the imposition of tariffs alone could lead to up to $38 billion in output losses and nearly 100,000 lost jobs. Lost market share in medical devices would result in $23.6 billion in annual revenue, while lost revenue over a decade could exceed $479 billion, the group said.
“Even based on our rough assessment, we can see that the costs of anything approaching ‘full’ decoupling are uncomfortably high,” the Chamber of Commerce concluded. While the group added that alternative ways to deal with China “would complement any decoupling scenario,” it said that if Washington still wants to confront China over its practices, it should unite with “like-minded partners” to minimize the costs to the economy.
Source: RT.com
A British-Syrian man living in Istanbul, Turkey, murdered his Moroccan girlfriend during Valentine’s Day celebrations, Turkish newspaper Sabah has reported.
The 50-year-old man reportedly stabbed his 38-year-old Moroccan partner in the throat after he discovered that she was cheating on him.
The crime occurred on the evening of February 14 in an apartment in the Fatih Haseki Sultan neighborhood, in the European part of Istanbul.
According to Sabah, the man found out his girlfriend was engaged in a relationship with another man, right after the couple returned home from a date to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
After learning about his partner’s alleged infidelity, the British-Syrian man had a nervous breakdown. He stabbed the Moroccan victim in the throat and then repeatedly stabbed her in seven different parts of her body.
Sustaining several fatal injuries and covered in blood, the woman died at the crime scene before she could receive medical help.
After he killed his Moroccan girlfriend, the man reportedly took a video of her dead body and sent it to a Palestinian man — the victim’s alleged second partner.
“This is how you end up for doing me wrong,” the murderer threatened the victim’s friend, as quoted by Sabah.
The man who received the video immediately reported the incident to the police. The murderer was arrested in the apartment two hours after the crime.
According to preliminary investigations, the British-Syrian man works in the tourism industry. He migrated to Turkey approximately six months ago.
He lived with the murdered Moroccan woman in the same apartment “for some time,” according to Sabah.
The suspect refused to talk to the police after his arrest. He will remain in custody pending the end of investigations.
Source: Morocco World News
Moroccan soups make for delicious meals that are rich in nutrients to strengthen your health.
Morocco might be most famous for its delicious couscous and tajine, but many also celebrate the country for its tasty and healthy Moroccan soups.
The North African kingdom’s food is as diverse as its culture. You can find exquisite soups that will keep you warm during winter or healthy ones that will speed up your recovery and strengthen your immune system.
Based on a healthy Mediterranean diet, Morocco’s cuisine is centered around vegetables, beans, fruits, nuts, and whole grains, with a moderate amount of dairy, poultry, eggs, and seafood. Moroccan food occasionally features meat.
Morocco’s cuisine is also special with its culinary masteries that fuse between European and Amazigh gastronomy, which give it an exotic taste with rich flavors that attracts people from across the world.
Moroccans may serve soups for breakfast, dinner, and on occasions such as weddings, Eids, and other celebrations. These are five delicious Moroccan soups that you should integrate into your diet to keep you warm in winter and to provide you with all the nutrients you need.
Harira
Harira is Morocco’s most famous soup. It features on Moroccan iftar tables every evening during Ramadan. Moroccans also enjoy it often not during Ramadan for its many health benefits and its delicious taste.
Made of tomatoes, chickpeas, celery, parsley, onion, vermicelli, turmeric, and you can even add chicken, meat, or eggs, the soup is rich in healthy ingredients that are packed with protein, vitamins, minerals.
Chickpea is rich in minerals, vitamins, and fiber with a moderate number of calories, allowing you to enjoy a healthy, tasty meal without worrying about your weight. In fact, the fiber and protein in the legume will slow your digestion and promote fullness, which can help you manage your weight.
Another important ingredient in Moroccan Harira soup is turmeric. It is simply one of the healthiest spices out there. Turmeric contains medical properties called curcumins that work as a powerful anti-inflammatory tool and antioxidant.
The ingredient also helps in lowering heart disease risks and even has benefits against depression. Besides its many benefits, this Moroccan soup is delicious and warm and there is no doubt you will ask for a second fill after you try it.
Belboula (barley soup)
Belboula, also called Hssoua, is a barley soup that Moroccans mostly serve for breakfast, but you can also eat it whenever as a light and healthy snack.
The Moroccan soup is lightly cooked with barley grounds or semolina, water, olive oil, and cumin, while a pinch of butter and a fair amount of milk are added at the end.
Most Moroccans will associate this tasty soup with health and recovery. If you are feeling ill or running on a cold, your stomach will refuse most heavy food, which is why Belboula is the perfect meal to have in those times.
The light meal will give you the nutrients your body needs to fight off the cold, warm you up, and satisfy your taste buds.
Barley is a grain that is rich in vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial plant elements that reduce hunger and promote fullness, improve digestion, and might help reduce cholesterol and the risk of heart disease.
Loubia (bean soup)
Almost all Moroccans love this delicious soup. You can serve it as a side or a main dish.
The white beans soak overnight before you cook them with olive oil, fresh tomatoes, ginger, paprika, garlic, and cumin. If you like spicy food you can add a harissa or chili pepper.
These healthy ingredients give the soup an exquisite flavor that you can enjoy with a loaf of soft Moroccan bread, olive oil, and a sprinkle of cumin.
The Moroccan soup’s benefits lie in the beans and its spices. White beans are rich in protein, fiber, folate, magnesium, iron, copper, antioxidants, and vitamin B6.
These elements help in energy production, improve digestive health, help transport oxygen throughout your body, and might protect against chronic illnesses including heart disease.
Bean soup is also the perfect meal for athletic people or heavyweight figures because it can promote muscle building and hormone production.
Soba (vegetable soup)
Moroccan Soba is a vegetable soup that is perfect for all seasons, but especially in winter. Because winter is the flu season, when anyone may fall victim to a harsh cold, it is important to follow a healthy diet that strengthens your immune system and keeps you healthy through cold days and nights.
Soba is packed with healthy nutrients because it consists of many powerful vegetables such as lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, celery, pumpkin, bell peppers, and others.
It also has legumes, which are low in calories yet rich in minerals, vitamins, and fiber to help you stay healthy, boost your energy level, and keep you warm.
The cook boils all the vegetables together then grinds them up and serves the soup with olive oil, salt, paprika, ginger, sauteed onion, and cumin.
In addition to all the healthy vegetable ingredients, the Moroccan soup’s benefits also come from the various spices the cook uses in it, especially ginger.
Ginger contains powerful medicinal properties due to its natural oil, gingerol. The oil has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. It can treat nausea, lower blood sugar, and help with weight loss.
Bissara (dry green pea soup)
Bissara is not only one of Moroccans’ favorite soup but also foreigners’ top choice. Moroccans often serve it for breakfast, especially in the northern region and the mountain where it can get extremely cold, but you can also serve it with other meals as a side dish.
Almost all Moroccans love to indulge in this tasty and healthy soup that keeps them warm during the chilly mornings. You can also find the meal in most traditional Moroccan restaurants.
You make this Moroccan soup with dry green peas (or dry fava beans), cooking them in water with olive oil, salt, cumin, paprika, red pepper until you achieve a thick sauce. Moroccans serve it hot with olive oil, cumin, and bread for dipping.
The benefits of bissara are plenty. The popular soup is rich in protein, fiber, iron, folate, and vitamins (A, K, and C). These nutrients balance blood sugar levels, boost digestion, and can protect against chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes.
Moroccan food has earned many fans from across the world throughout the years. Moroccans and international culinary lovers alike consider it healthy with its richness in nutrients, and delicious for its diverse and delightful flavors.
Integrating these five soups in your diet can help you stay healthy in the long term without having to give up the pleasure of a tasty meal.
Source: Morocco World News
