Morocco - AL-Monitor: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

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Rabat

Morocco

December 21, 2025

Rabat 4:08 pm

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CASABLANCA, MOROCCO - AUGUST 20: In this handout image from Populous, digital renderings of the proposed Stade Hassan II stadium in Morocco, projected to be the largest football stadium in the world with 115,000 capacity are depicted on August 20, 2024 in Casablanca, Morocco. The stadium design is by Populous and Oulalou + Choi (Photo by Populous via Handout/Getty Images)

Morocco’s markets rise as World Cup spending fuels largest IPO in decades

Shares in SGTM jumped by 10% on Dec. 16 after the construction firm raised roughly $550 million from its IPO, underscoring demand in a market that has featured few new listings in recent years.

A fan waves a Pride flag before the soccer match between the Seattle Sounders and the Portland Timbers at Lumen Field, on June 3, 2023, in Seattle, Washington.

Culture

World Cup: Iran fumes over LGBTQ+ themes as Jordan qualifies for first time

Morocco is hoping to build on its historic run in 2022, with Saudi Arabia, Egypt and others in the region similarly vying to build on recent successes.

The Civil Guard, in a joint operation with the Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie, has dismantled a criminal organization dedicated to smuggling hashish into Spain using drones, on Nov. 11, 2025.

Spain, Morocco dismantle drone network flying hashish across border

Spanish authorities seized more than 150 kilograms of hashish and more than 320,000 euros ($371,820) in cash in searches across southern Spain.

Latest News

Analysis

Morocco's UN-backed Western Sahara plan offers investors some reassurance

ABDEL MAJID BZIOUAT/AFP via Getty Images

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Culture

From Hollywood set to heritage hub: Morocco’s $75M bet on Ouarzazate

A man stands atop the kasbah of Ait-Ben-Haddou.

UN Security Council backs Moroccan plan for disputed Western Sahara

Brahim Ghali, President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SARD) and Secretary-General of the Polisario front, salutes the flag of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SARD) ahead of a Polisario congress at the refugee camp of Dakhla, which lies some 170km to the southeast of the Algerian city of Tindouf, on January 13, 2023.

Feature

Trump eyes Algeria-Morocco rift over Western Sahara in latest peace bid

Camels roam next to wind turbines that will supply power to a desalination plant under construction in Dakhla in the disputed Western Sahara, mostly controlled by Morocco, on May 26, 2025.

Elizabeth Hagedorn

By Elizabeth Hagedorn

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Naima Morelli

In Rome, reporting on Middle East culture

Francisco Serrano

In Lisbon, reporting on North Africa business

Supporters hold a poster depicting Malis interim leader and head of Junta, Colonel Assimi Goïta (L) and Guinea Interim leader and head of Junta, Mamady Doumbouya (R), in Bamako, Mali, on September 22, 2022 during Mali's Independence Day military parade. (Photo by OUSMANE MAKAVELI / AFP) (Photo by OUSMANE MAKAVELI/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

As Mali’s junta pokes at Algeria, what’s at stake for North Africa and Sahel?

Three years after severing its ties with Morocco, Algeria faces challenges in its relations with Mali and other Sahel countries.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

French President Emmanuel Macron (L) escorts King Mohammed VI of Morocco (C) and Crown Prince of Morocco, Moulay Hassan as they leave the Elysee palace on December 12, 2017 in Paris, following a lunch hosted by the French President as part of the One Planet Summit. The French President hosts 50 world leaders for the "One Planet Summit", hoping to jump-start the transition to a greener economy two years after the historic Paris agreement to limit climate change. (Photo by ALAIN JOCARD / AFP) (Photo by ALAIN

Analysis

Can France restore Morocco ties without shifting on Western Sahara?

On a visit to Rabat, French Foreign minister Stephane Sejourne acknowledged for the first time the importance of the Western Sahara issue for Moroccan diplomacy, but did not commit to any movement by Paris on the issue.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

Morocco's Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch (R) meets with his Spanish counterpart, Pedro Sanchez (L), in Rabat, on Feb. 2, 2023.

Morocco-Spain thaw continues with investment pledge, aerospace deal

Spain and Morocco have historically been at odds over Western Sahara, migration and territorial disputes.

(L-R) Bloomberg Television's journalist Francine Lacqua, Singapore's President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan, President of the European Central Bank (ECB) Christine Lagarde, Co-chairman of the private equity firm of The Carlyle Group David Rubenstein, German Finance Minister Christian Lindner and World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala attend a session on the closing day of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, on January 19,

Analysis

From Davos, all roads lead to the Middle East

At the World Economic Forum, Al-Monitor interviewed regional decision-makers on economics, energy, environment, governance and conflict across the region.

Week in Review

Andrew Parasiliti

By Week in Review , Andrew Parasiliti

Newly elected President of the Sixth UN Environment Assembly (UNEA 6), Morocco's Minister for Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali (L) adresses delegates at the 50th anniversary of the UN Environment Program (UNEP) in Nairobi on March 3, 2022 - The world has a "historic" opportunity to address plastic pollution by starting discussions in early March on a treaty to regulate this phenomenon that chokes biodiversity, according to the Executive Director of the UNEP, Inger Andersen (Photo

Davos 2024: Green ammonia expansion integral to Morocco’s new hydrogen economy, minister says

Morocco's Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development Leila Benali told Al-Monitor in an interview that the COP28 declaration marked the first time an emergence of more inclusive messaging has been seen in official climate text.

In this picture taken on April 2, 2023, a vendor arranges dates at his shop in Rabat, during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP) (Photo by FADEL SENNA/AFP via Getty Images)

Unemployment will be true test of Morocco's government policies

Francisco Serrano

Francisco Serrano

In Lisbon, reporting on North Africa business

TABA, EGYPT: Beach resorts close to the Egyptian Taba Hilton (background-R) remain empty 11 October 2004, four days after three attacks targeted this well-known hotel in the Sinai peninsula next to the Israeli border and another two minor resorts, killing at least 32 people and causing the exodus of thousands of Israeli tourists from the area called the Egyptian Riviera. Israel's resort of Eilat, close to the border with Egypt, is set for a boom as thousands of Israelis who regularly holiday in Sinai look e

Tourism tipping point: Middle East travel boom delivering economic boost as Israel-Hamas war threatens recovery

The outbreak of fighting between Israel and Hamas in October 2023 has undercut a fledgling tourism rebound in the Holy Land after years of struggle.

Octopus Energy's wind turbine in Glastonbury, June 13, 2023.

Morocco-UK Xlinks undersea power cable to generate 'real value': Octopus Energy

Octopus Energy CEO Greg Jackson said that it would help Morocco fight climate change.

Survivors fill up water from a tanker truck in their earthquake-hit village of Ineghede on September 17, 2023. Over a week since a 6.8-magnitude quake devastated parts of central Morocco, many worry that the dire living conditions and poor hygiene spell new threats for the survivors. The disaster killed nearly 3,000 people and injured thousands more when it hit in Al-Haouz province. (Photo by FETHI BELAID / AFP) (Photo by FETHI BELAID/AFP via Getty Images)

Morocco earthquake reconstruction to test government’s speed of execution

The speed and depth of Morocco's $11.7 billion reconstruction following the massive earthquake last month will have a huge impact on the economy and budget over the coming years.

Francisco Serrano

Francisco Serrano

In Lisbon, reporting on North Africa business

Morocco's national flag is displayed during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

Culture

Morocco to host 2030 World Cup as Saudi Arabia bids for 2034

The announcement follows historic performances by Morocco’s men's and women's squads at their most recent respective World Cups. Saudi Arabia had also sought to host the 2030 tournament following Qatar winning the rights to host in 2022.

Overturned cars lay among other debris caused by flash floods in Derna, eastern Libya, on Sept. 11, 2023.

Over 8,000 dead in Morocco earthquake, Libya floods

The two natural disasters in North Africa occurred within days of one another.

Morocco earthquake

Morocco earthquake damage could wipe out as much as 8% of GDP

The US Geological Survey warns of severe potential economic losses from the Morocco earthquake's "extensive damage."