Islamic Development Bank charts three-year plan for Arab-African trade

The Islamic Development Bank is developing a roadmap to strengthen Arab-African trade over the next three years, according to Hakim Elwaer, IDB’s official spokesman. The roadmap includes identifying business opportunities in the areas of finance, building logistics platform, supporting trade, credit and insurance, and developing the necessary infrastructure to facilitate trade .

.com | Morocco looks to new markets to boost stagnant tourism

Morocco’s key tourism sector barely grew last year amid security challenges, but operators are hoping Chinese and Russian visitors will boost their fortunes in the coming years. While political turmoil and jihadist attacks have battered the sector in Egypt and Tunisia, Morocco registered 10 million visitors last year, according to the Moroccan Tourism Observatory.

UPDATE 1-Morocco threatens to cut EU ties if farm deal founders

Feb 6 Morocco’s government said on Monday it would end economic cooperation with the European Union if the bloc does not honour a farming deal, weeks after an EU court ruled that trade accords do not apply to the disputed Western Sahara region. In a statement to MAP state news agency, the agriculture ministry said the EU should resist any attempts to block Moroccan products entering into the European market but did not explain why the pact might be at risk.

Thousands of Moroccans stage anti-government demos

Moroccan trainee teachers take part in a rally in Rabat on January 29, 2017, to protest against police violence and government-proposed decrees for the employment of trainees. AFP / FADEL SENNA Rabat: Thousands of Moroccans took to the streets of Rabat on Sunday for anti-government demonstrations calling for action against corruption and better conditions for trainee teachers.

.com | Morocco faces political impasse after talks collapse

Morocco is facing an unprecedented political deadlock after the Islamist prime minister broke off talks on forming a coalition government following three months of fruitless effort. The impasse – apparently rooted in a power struggle between the Islamist Justice and Development Party and figures close to the royal palace – threatens to provoke a political crisis and possibly even new elections.