Latest from Ya Biladi
Ya Biladi
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
FAR drone strikes Polisario vehicle near Sand Wall
A Royal Armed Forces (FAR) drone struck a Polisario vehicle on Thursday, June 19. «The operation took place in the Karzaze region, near Mijek, east of the Sand Wall. The outcome of the strike remains unknown for now», a source familiar with the matter told Yabiladi. According to the same source, the Polisario elements had first crossed into Mauritanian territory clandestinely, intending to carry out an operation against Moroccan positions, before being targeted by the FAR drone. However, a Polisario-affiliated media outlet offered a different version of events, claiming the Moroccan drone targeted a «civilian vehicle» in the same area. It's worth noting that FAR drones had already targeted Polisario vehicles in Karzaze on May 29. This latest operation comes just 24 hours after Brahim Ghali presided over the graduation ceremony of a new cohort of the Front's armed militias on Wednesday.
Ya Biladi
3 hours ago
- Business
- Ya Biladi
Morocco partners with EBRD, IFC to launch WE Finance Code for women's access to finance
On Thursday, the Director General of Bank Al-Maghrib, Abderrahim Bouazza, signed a Declaration of Intent to launch the WE Finance Code, an initiative to support women entrepreneurs. The agreement was signed in partnership with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The signing ceremony was attended by EBRD Vice President Mark Bowman, EBRD Managing Director for the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean region Mark Davis, and several senior officials from both the EBRD and Bank Al-Maghrib. In a press release, Bank Al-Maghrib explained that this initiative aligns with the institution's broader goals of promoting financial inclusion and women's economic empowerment. It also builds on the bank's long-standing collaboration with both the EBRD and IFC. The initiative further draws on the significant progress Bank Al-Maghrib has made in collecting and analyzing gender-disaggregated data within the financial sector. The WE Finance Code aims to improve access to finance for women-led micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), while also providing technical support to financial service providers to strengthen their ability to meet the needs of this vital segment of Morocco's economy. «The launch of the WE Finance Code reflects our firm commitment to advancing women's financial inclusion in Morocco», said Bouazza, as quoted in the statement. He also expressed his desire to deepen fruitful cooperation with the EBRD, IFC, other international institutions, and key stakeholders to maximize the impact of the initiative and achieve its objectives.
Ya Biladi
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Morocco approves creation of national agency for child protection
The Government Council approved on Thursday draft law No. 29.24 establishing the National Agency for Child Protection, as well as child protection centers and social care institutions dedicated to children. The bill was presented by the Minister of Justice, Abdellatif Ouahbi. This legislative initiative aligns with the great importance placed on children's rights within Morocco's legal framework and national institutions. The aim is to ensure effective protection and the full realization of children's rights, according to a statement from the Ministry in charge of Relations with Parliament, the official government spokesperson. The bill seeks to advance significant legislative and institutional reforms in the field of child protection by addressing key legal and practical challenges facing institutional child welfare. These include legislative gaps concerning child protection centers, the complexity of overlapping responsibilities among various stakeholders, and the need to account for the specific needs of different child categories, in addition to the persistent lack of institutional coordination. At its core, the draft law proposes the creation of the National Agency for Child Protection, a public institution with legal personality and financial autonomy. The agency will be tasked with implementing and advancing state policies related to the protection and promotion of children's rights.
Ya Biladi
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Kenya National Assembly Speaker receives Polisario representative
Nearly a month after Kenya officially voiced support for Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara, the Polisario's main ally in Nairobi has resurfaced. On Thursday, June 19, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Moses Wetangula, met with the Polisario's representative in Kenya. «Today, I hosted His Excellency Mohamed-Liman Ali Ami, the Ambassador of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, who paid me a courtesy call at my office at Parliament Buildings», Wetangula posted. «Our discussions focused on strengthening the bilateral relationship between our two nations and exploring ways to deepen diplomatic engagement for the mutual benefit of our citizens. I assured the Ambassador that Kenya, as a committed member of the African Union (AU), stands in solidarity with the Sahrawi Republic and remains steadfast in supporting and safeguarding its interests as a sovereign state», he added. Wetangula is widely seen as the Polisario's key ally within the Kenyan government. According to an October 2022 report by the South African-based Institute for Security Studies, Wetangula, a former foreign minister, played a pivotal role in convincing President William Ruto to delete a tweet posted on September 14, 2022, in which he had announced Kenya's withdrawal of recognition of the «SADR». Wetangula is a powerful political figure in Kenya. He heads the FORD-Kenya party, a member of the Kenya Kwanza coalition that backed Ruto's successful 2022 presidential bid. Just weeks after Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch met with President Ruto in Dakar on January 26, 2023, Wetangula traveled to Algeria, where he met with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and reaffirmed his support for the Polisario. He reiterated this position again in November 2023, after several African political leaders signed the « Tangier Appeal » calling for the expulsion of the «SADR» from the African Union. Following a meeting with the Polisario representative in Nairobi, Wetangula stated, «I reassured him of my support, noting their membership in the AU, akin to our shared responsibility.» In contrast, during a working visit to Morocco in late May, Kenyan Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi declared that «the Republic of Kenya considers the autonomy plan as the only sustainable approach to resolving the Sahara issue and intends to collaborate with states sharing this vision to promote its implementation». Just one day after that statement, Wetangula hosted the Algerian ambassador in Nairobi.
Ya Biladi
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Morocco and Algeria allies clash in PARLACEN over Western Sahara issue
The Central American Parliament (PARLACEN) recently became the scene of a diplomatic standoff between allies of Morocco and Algeria. During a plenary session held on May 28 in Panama City, José Antonio Zepeda, vice president of PARLACEN's leftist group and representative of Nicaragua, a country with longstanding ties to the so-called «Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR)» read out a declaration of support for the «SADR». The text described the entity as the «sole and legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people», claiming it is backed by the African Union and over 80 countries worldwide. The declaration also praised «the diplomatic and political efforts of the Polisario Front, its legitimate political organization», aimed at implementing the 1991 Peace Agreement that calls for a self-determination referendum. It urged the international community to enforce the agreement and allow the Sahrawi people to freely determine their future. The statement, aligned with Algeria's position on the Sahara, drew sharp criticism from Guatemalan lawmakers. On June 12, thirteen PARLACEN members from Guatemala issued a counter-declaration in support of Morocco's territorial integrity. In their response, the MPs expressed «gratitude to the Kingdom of Morocco as a friendly state and strategic partner of PARLACEN, committed to peace, development, and cooperation among nations». They also called on PARLACEN's presidency to ensure that institutional statements reflect the legitimate consensus of all members and are not used to promote individual ideological agendas, in order to preserve the forum's credibility and neutrality. The political tug-of-war between Morocco and Algeria-aligned camps within PARLACEN appears to be escalating. This week, a delegation of Nicaraguan MPs who sit in PARLACEN arrived in Algiers for a visit. On Tuesday, they met with Mohamed Khouane, president of the Foreign Affairs, Community Affairs, and Cooperation Committee of Algeria's National People's Assembly (APN). According to the Nicaraguan delegation, the visit aimed to «initiate political and diplomatic dialogue with the Algerian National People's Assembly». The lawmakers were also received at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the Secretary of State in charge of the Algerian community abroad. Talks reportedly focused on «strengthening friendship and cooperation between Algeria and PARLACEN, with the goal of creating a new dynamic in parliamentary relations and joint initiatives with member states of this regional legislative body», according to a statement by Algerian diplomacy. For context, Algeria's lower house signed a memorandum of understanding with PARLACEN on December 4, 2024, in Panama City. PARLACEN includes six member states: El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and the Dominican Republic. Algeria also holds observer status in the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (Parlatino) since September 2024. Despite Algeria's push, Morocco enjoys significant support within PARLACEN. On May 2, during a visit to Laâyoune, the body's president, Carlos René Hernández, publicly reaffirmed the Moroccan identity of the Sahara.
