Latest news with #NorthAfrican
Sky News AU
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Donald Trump's fear of Iran becoming ‘another Libya' stalls decision on nuke site strikes for two weeks: sources
President Trump's wariness over bombing Iran is due in part to concerns about creating 'another Libya' if Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei is toppled, administration insiders told The Post — as Trump shelves his decision for up to two weeks. The president in recent days has specifically mentioned the oil-rich North African country's decade-long plunge into anarchy in 2011 — after the US joined a NATO bombing campaign to oust dictator Muammar Gaddafi — three sources close to the administration said. Trump 'doesn't want it to turn into Libya,' said one insider familiar with the administration's deliberations on potentially joining Israel's airstrikes against Iran's nuclear program. On Thursday afternoon, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that the president was also biding his time before deciding whether to join Israel's strikes 'based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future.' Iran's Foreign Minister Araghchi is expected to meet his UK, French, German, and EU counterparts in Geneva, Switzerland on Friday for talks. Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff is not set to attend, Leavitt said, but noted that he's continued his own conversations with the Iranians. One of The Post's sources said they directly heard the president say in private he was worried about Iran becoming like Libya before Israel began its aerial assault on Iran. Other sources were briefed by those who had heard him say so following the start of the conflict last week, with one source close to the administration saying he also mentioned Afghanistan and Iraq. A fifth source lacked direct knowledge of the Libya remarks, but was briefed on Trump's considerations, said the president seems most inclined to order limited airstrikes to finish off Iran's nuclear facilities at Fordow and Natanz with 30,000-pound 'bunker buster' bombs that can't be carried on Israeli jets. 'Libya was a much more extended kind of bombing commitment, and it ended up being regime change,' the fifth source noted. 'If the regime falls [in Iran], then it's not on Trump, because that's not the goal of his very limited strike.' That source mentioned concern that 'we get somebody worse than Khamenei.' 'As far as President Trump goes, he's not going to get in the business of who runs Iran, that's very salable to his base,' the source said. If the US does successfully use bunker busters on the nuclear sites, one source close to the White House said 'there is still dealing with Iran's response' and fears of contamination or Iran retaliating through terrorism. 'He'd rather have a deal,' the source told The Post. 'There are two reasons Trump talks about Libya: the first is the chaos after what we did to Gaddafi. The second is the Libya intervention made it more difficult to negotiate deals with countries like North Korea and Iran,' said the source who heard the president directly mention the comparison. Israel's defense minister left no doubt that the Jewish state is in favor of regime change on Thursday after dubbing Iran's supreme leader 'the modern Hitler.' 'The IDF has been instructed and knows that to achieve all the objectives, without question this man should no longer continue to exist,' Defense Minister Israel Katz said. Hours later, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the choice of US involvement in the conflict was 'entirely' up to Trump, claiming for the first time that the Israeli military was capable of decimating the remaining Iranian nuclear facilities without American bunker-buster bombs. 'We will achieve all our objectives and hit all of their nuclear facilities. We have the capability to do that,' Netanyahu said when asked by a reporter about the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant hidden half a mile under a mountain. Trump's cabinet members have also expressed strong concerns regarding UN watchdog findings about Iran violating its non-proliferation obligations for uranium enrichment, far above what's considered necessary for civilian purposes and at levels 'unprecedented for a non-nuclear state,' a US official said. CIA Director John Ratcliffe has in private meetings made the analogy that suggesting Iran is not prepared to make use of its near weapons-grade nuclear program would be like saying a football team one-yard from the end zone doesn't want to score a touchdown, according to the official. After Israel launched its preemptive airstrikes on Iran last week, many military experts had doubted that the Jewish state has the capabilities of taking out Fordow, given how far underground it's located. Even Israel's 2,000-pound bombs, purchased from the US, had been believed to be too small. Multiple countries in the region have been torn apart by long-running civil wars involving the US — including Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Yemen — but Trump has repeatedly pointed to Libya. Libya's longtime dictator Gaddafi, who ruled for 42 years and voluntarily gave up a nuclear weapon program in 2003, was toppled by domestic foes aided by the Obama administration's intervention. Khamenei similarly has ruled for a generation — with 35 years in power as supreme leader after nearly eight years as Iran's president under the first supreme leader, Ayatollah Khomeini. In Libya, a hoped-for democratic transition gave way to a hellscape of ruthless warlords and religious extremists. Slave markets opened and Islamic State terrorists filmed themselves beheading groups of Christians on the beach. Oil production plunged and the lack of a central government prompted Africans from across the continent to cross the Mediterranean to Europe in unsafe boats. Leavitt told reporters at Thursday's White House briefing that 'the president is balancing a lot of viewpoints and he is listening not just to other world leaders, but to his advisors and to people here in the country and the American people too.' 'Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,' she said, sharing a full statement from Trump. On regime change, Leavitt said 'the president's top priority right now is to ensure that Iran can not attain a nuclear weapon and providing peace and stability to the Middle East.' The White House referred The Post to Leavitt's comments made during the briefing. Originally published as Donald Trump's fear of Iran becoming 'another Libya' stalls decision on nuke site strikes for two weeks: sources
New York Post
8 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Trump's fear of Iran becoming ‘another Libya' stalls decision on nuke site strikes for two weeks: sources
WASHINGTON — President Trump's wariness over bombing Iran is due in part to concerns about creating 'another Libya' if Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei is toppled, administration insiders told The Post — as Trump shelves his decision for up to two weeks. The president in recent days has specifically mentioned the oil-rich North African country's decade-long plunge into anarchy in 2011 — after the US joined a NATO bombing campaign to oust dictator Muammar Gaddafi — three sources close to the administration said. Trump 'doesn't want it to turn into Libya,' said one insider familiar with the administration's deliberations on potentially joining Israel's airstrikes against Iran's nuclear program. On Thursday afternoon, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that the president was also biding his time before deciding whether to join Israel's strikes 'based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future.' Iran's Foreign Minister Araghchi is expected to meet his UK, French, German, and EU counterparts in Geneva, Switzerland on Friday for talks. Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff is not set to attend, Leavitt said, but noted that he's continued his own conversations with the Iranians. 6 President Trump has delayed a decision on possibly bombing Iran's nuclear sites. AFP via Getty Images One of The Post's sources said they directly heard the president say in private he was worried about Iran becoming like Libya before Israel began its aerial assault on Iran. Other sources were briefed by those who had heard him say so following the start of the conflict last week, with one source close to the administration saying he also mentioned Afghanistan and Iraq. A fifth source lacked direct knowledge of the Libya remarks, but was briefed on Trump's considerations, said the president seems most inclined to order limited airstrikes to finish off Iran's nuclear facilities at Fordow and Natanz with 30,000-pound 'bunker buster' bombs that can't be carried on Israeli jets. 'Libya was a much more extended kind of bombing commitment, and it ended up being regime change,' the fifth source noted. 6 Trump, who this week is overseeing White House construction projcets, including the erection of large flagpoles and the paving of the Rose Garden, has expressed concern about Iran turning into Libya. AP 'If the regime falls [in Iran], then it's not on Trump, because that's not the goal of his very limited strike.' That source mentioned concern that 'we get somebody worse than Khamenei.' 'As far as President Trump goes, he's not going to get in the business of who runs Iran, that's very salable to his base,' the source said. 6 Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has ruled his country since the 1980s. If the US does successfully use bunker busters on the nuclear sites, one source close to the White House said 'there is still dealing with Iran's response' and fears of contamination or Iran retaliating through terrorism. 'He'd rather have a deal,' the source told The Post. 'There are two reasons Trump talks about Libya: the first is the chaos after what we did to Gaddafi. The second is the Libya intervention made it more difficult to negotiate deals with countries like North Korea and Iran,' said the source who heard the president directly mention the comparison. Israel's defense minister left no doubt that the Jewish state is in favor of regime change on Thursday after dubbing Iran's supreme leader 'the modern Hitler.' 'The IDF has been instructed and knows that to achieve all the objectives, without question this man should no longer continue to exist,' defense minister Israel Katz said. Hours later, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the choice of US involvement in the conflict was 'entirely' up to Trump, claiming for the first time that the Israeli military was capable of decimating the remaining Iranian nuclear facilities without American bunker-buster bombs. 'We will achieve all our objectives and hit all of their nuclear facilities. We have the capability to do that,' Netanyahu said when asked by a reporter about the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant hidden half a mile under a mountain. 6 AFP via Getty Images After Israel launched its preemptive airstrikes on Iran last week, many military experts had doubted that the Jewish state has the capabilities of taking out Fordow given how far underground it's located. Even Israel's 2,000-pound bombs, purchased from the US, had been believed to be too small. Multiple countries in the region have been torn apart by long-running civil wars involving the US — including Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Yemen — but Trump has pointed repeatedly at Libya. Libya's longtime dictator Gaddafi, who ruled 42 years and voluntarily gave up a nuclear weapon program in 2003, was toppled by domestic foes aided by the Obama administration's intervention. Khamenei similarly has ruled for a generation — with 35 years in power as supreme leader after nearly 8 years as Iran's president under the first supreme leader, Ayatollah Khomeini. 6 Trump is considering airstrikes due to the uncertanity over whether Israel's bombs are powerful enough to collapse underground facilities. MAXAR TECHNOLOGIES HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock In Libya, a hoped-for democratic transition gave way to a hellscape of ruthless warlords and religious extremists. Slave markets opened and Islamic State terrorists filmed themselves beheading groups of Christians on the beach. Oil production plunged and the lack of a central government prompted Africans from across the continent to cross the Mediterranean to Europe in unsafe boats. Leavitt told reporters at Thursday's White House briefing that 'the president is balancing a lot of viewpoints and he is listening not just to other world leaders, but to his advisors and to people here in the country and the American people too.' 6 Iran's nuclear sites at Fordow and Natanz could be hit in limited Trump strikes, a source told The Post. AFP via Getty Images 'Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,' she said, sharing a full statement from Trump. On regime change, Leavitt said 'the president's top priority right now is to ensuing that Iran can not attain a nuclear weapon and providing peace and stability to the Middle East.' The White House referred The Post to Leavitt's comments made during the briefing.
Morocco World
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Morocco World
Morocco Ranks 10th in EU Asylum Requests with Over 25,000 Applications
Marrakech – Morocco recorded 25,347 asylum applications in European Union member states and associated countries in 2024, positioning it among the top ten countries of origin for asylum seekers. This represents an 18% decrease compared to the previous year, according to the annual report from the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA). The North African country placed tenth on the list, behind Syria, Venezuela, Afghanistan, Colombia, Turkiye, Bangladesh, Peru, Ukraine, and Egypt. Despite the overall decline, Moroccan applicants maintain an important presence across several EU member states. In Slovenia, Moroccan nationals accounted for 63% of all asylum seekers registered in 2024. Bulgaria reported that 7.1% of its asylum applications came from Moroccans, making it the third most represented nationality. Slovakia and Ireland also noted considerable numbers of requests from Moroccan citizens. The EUAA report states that countries like Italy rejected a particularly high number of applications from Moroccan nationals. Ireland has officially added Morocco to its national list of 'safe countries of origin,' subjecting applications to expedited review processes. The report documented an increase in first-instance decisions rendered for Moroccan asylum applications, with 16,000 decisions issued during 2024. This puts Morocco among several countries experiencing growth in asylum case processing, alongside Turkey, Venezuela, Georgia, Russia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, and Ukraine. Switzerland has implemented a nationwide 24-hour administrative procedure specifically targeting applicants from Maghreb countries, including Morocco. This approach aims to quickly process cases deemed manifestly unfounded by Swiss authorities. Additionally, information-gathering missions on country of origin (COI) were conducted in Morocco by Belgium's Documentation Centre on Countries of Origin (CEDOCA). These missions seek to provide European asylum services with precise, contextualized documentation for evaluating applications. The report also mentions Morocco's inclusion in geographical action plans developed by the European Commission, particularly those focused on Mediterranean and Atlantic migration routes. These orientations include strengthened technical cooperation with Maghreb countries on flow management, combating human trafficking networks, and cross-border coordination. In April, the European Commission officially included Morocco on its first-ever list of 'safe countries of origin,' alongside Kosovo, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, and Tunisia. This proposal, which requires approval from the European Parliament and EU member states, would create the first harmonized EU-wide list of safe countries. Several EU nations already maintain their own national safe country lists. France includes approximately ten countries, while Italy's more extensive list encompasses 19 nations. European officials suggest these disparate national approaches currently encourage asylum seekers to target countries with more flexible criteria. For Morocco, inclusion on this list represents recognition of its migration governance efforts. Since 2013, the country has implemented a National Strategy for Immigration and Asylum (SNIA), which included regularizing tens of thousands of sub-Saharan migrants and opening social and educational services to these populations. The EUAA annual report identifies Morocco's structural position as an essential partner in the European Union's migration and asylum policies. In an international context marked by increased vigilance at EU external borders, cooperation with third countries like Morocco has become a pillar of European strategies. Tags: asylum seekers from moroccoAsylum Seekers in EU
Morocco World
10 hours ago
- Business
- Morocco World
BAM, EBRD and IFC Partner to Boost Women Entrepreneurship in Morocco
Marrakech – Bank Al-Maghrib (BAM), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) signed a Declaration of Intent on Thursday to launch the WE Finance Code initiative. This aims to improve access to financing for very small, small, and medium enterprises (VSMEs) led by women in Morocco. The initiative, which aligns with BAM's ambition to promote financial inclusion and women's economic empowerment, builds on the long-standing collaboration between the three institutions. It capitalizes on the significant progress made by BAM in collecting and analyzing gender-specific data in the financial sector. The WE Finance Code seeks to strengthen the capacity of financial service providers to meet the needs of this important segment of the Moroccan economy by providing targeted technical support. The convention aims to improve access to financing for women-led VSMEs while providing this technical assistance. The signing ceremony took place in the presence of Mark Bowman, EBRD Vice-President, Mark Davis, EBRD Director General for the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean (SEMED) region, and several senior officials from EBRD and BAM. Abderrahim Bouazza, BAM Director General, said that 'the launch of the WE Finance Code reflects our firm commitment to women's financial inclusion in Morocco.' He also expressed his willingness to strengthen productive cooperation with EBRD, IFC, international institutions, and other stakeholders to maximize the positive impact of this initiative and achieve its objectives. Mark Bowman praised 'Bank Al-Maghrib's strong commitment to promoting financial inclusion, particularly by facilitating access to financing for women-led VSMEs.' He reaffirmed 'the EBRD's commitment to supporting Bank Al-Maghrib's initiatives through the implementation of the WE Finance Code. Bank Al-Maghrib is thus positioning itself as a key multilateral player in reducing the gender gap in access to finance in Morocco.' The initiative will provide technical support to strengthen the North African country's efforts in women's economic empowerment. BAM intends to leverage the technical assistance provided by EBRD and IFC under this initiative to build the capacity of Moroccan financial service providers and relevant entities, in coordination with the Ministry of Economy and Finance and other concerned public bodies. This technical assistance aims to promote women's financial inclusion and develop financial and non-financial products and services tailored to their needs. The Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) is a global multi-stakeholder partnership comprising 14 governments, 8 multilateral development banks, and other public and private stakeholders. It is hosted by the World Bank Group. The EBRD is implementing the Code in Egypt and Morocco and will mobilize financing to support women's entrepreneurship, with a view to promoting gender equality, removing gender-related barriers, and reducing gaps in access to finance for women entrepreneurs. The partnership comes as Morocco, alongside Spain and Portugal, prepares to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup with high standards of governance, sustainability, and inclusion. EBRD, which has invested over €5 billion in Morocco to date, sees the event as a catalyst to accelerate climate transition and strengthen social cohesion in the country. EBRD had previously supported Agadir in issuing Morocco's first municipal green bond under the Green Cities program. The bank also assists Morocco in implementing the State Ownership Policy adopted in December 2024 to clarify mandates, enhance transparency, and attract private investment in major infrastructure projects. The EBRD has been active in Morocco since 2012 and has supported a wide range of financial, digital, and green initiatives across the country. In February, BAM and EBRD signed an agreement with a consortium of Korean institutions to bolster Morocco's fintech ecosystem through the 'Boosting Morocco's Regulatory Fintech Ecosystem' technical assistance program. This coincided with the establishment of the Morocco Fintech Center association to support startups and companies in the sector. Tags: Bank Al-MaghribEBRDIFCmoroccan women entrepreneurs
Egypt Today
12 hours ago
- Business
- Egypt Today
Investment outlook for 2025 weak amid policy uncertainty, but Egypt among key bright spots: UNCTAD
Director of the Investment Research Branch at UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Richard Bolwijn CAIRO - 19 June 2025: Director of the Investment Research Branch at UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Richard Bolwijn, warned that global foreign direct investment (FDI) flows are under growing pressure amid rising trade tensions, weak investor confidence, and ongoing policy uncertainty. He said that preliminary data for early 2025 suggests the investment climate remains fragile, with record-low project announcements in the first four months of the year. Speaking virtually at the Cairo launch of the World Investment Report 2025, Bolwijn noted that global FDI declined by 11% in 2024, marking the second consecutive year of contraction, with the drop driven largely by Europe, China (which recorded a 29% decline), and South America. However, he highlighted Africa as a bright spot, with FDI inflows rising by 75%, including a 40% increase in inflows even when excluding Egypt's megaprojects. 'Egypt stood out with several large-scale projects, making it a key driver of the continent's growth,' Bolwijn said. He explained that project finance, which is a key source of investment for infrastructure and development, has seen a multiyear decline globally, but Egypt was an exception. 'While international project finance has been on a downward trend, Egypt managed to attract significant volumes, particularly in energy and infrastructure,' he added. Bolwijn also pointed to manufacturing investment as another area of modest global recovery, noting a small uptick in industrial projects in response to supply chain shifts. However, he emphasized that most of this investment still goes to a few countries, primarily those that have proximity to major markets, stable policy environments, and access to trade agreements, areas where North African economies like Egypt have potential advantages. On the digital economy, Bolwijn said it remained the fastest-growing sector globally, driven by strong flows into data centers and fintech, although investment remains concentrated in a limited number of countries. Looking ahead to 2025, Bolwijn warned of persistent risks. 'Trade policy uncertainty, tariff escalations, and investor caution are delaying project implementation,' he said. He added that multinational corporations are 'in a wait-and-see mode,' affecting short-term investment prospects. He concluded by highlighting key areas for policy focus: strengthening regional trade and integration, attracting investment in sectors less exposed to trade disruptions, such as local manufacturing, scaling up infrastructure project finance, and enhancing investment promotion mechanisms, including digital platforms. 'Countries like Egypt that continue to push for reform, improve investment facilitation, and focus on key sectors are better positioned to navigate the current downturn,' Bolwijn said.
