Morocco

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — With air and sea borders closed for months and eight cities barring people from entering or leaving, Morocco has been pulling out the stops to stanch the spread of coronavirus.

Still, the kingdom on the Atlantic coast, a magnet for tourists in better times, has registered more than 110,000 positive cases since March and has a death toll of 2,041 — the highest among its North African neighbors.

RABAT, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Military leaders from Morocco on Thursday discussed with visiting French Chief of Defense Staff General Francois Lecointre about military cooperation.

The talks focused on strengthening military cooperation between the Armed Forces of the two countries, said a statement by the General Staff of Moroccan Armed Forces (FAR).

Francois Lecointre was received by Inspector General of FAR Abdelfattah Louarak, Minister-Delegate for National Defense Abdellatif Loudiyi, and the Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita.

10 Sep 2020; MEMO: Talks between Libya’s two rival administrations being held in the Moroccan capital Rabat, were suspended and due to restart today, official sources reported yesterday.

“The Libyan Dialogue, which has been proceeding in a positive and constructive manner, has achieved important understandings,” Maghreb Arabe Presse quoted the Libyan representative of the High Council of State, Mohamed Khalifa Najm, as saying.

09 Sep 2020; MEMO: The Moroccan government closed Casablanca yesterday as part of its measures to contain the spread of Covid-19, the official Moroccan News Agency has reported.

“All labour ports of Casablanca will be closed and movement to and from the city will be subject to an exceptional travel permit issued by the local authorities,” said the government on Sunday evening.

07 Sep 2020; MEMO: Morocco is reportedly hosting delegations representing the Libyan political rivals to discuss the country’s political deadlock and prepare for potential meetings in Geneva, Arabi21 reported yesterday.

Quoting an AFP report, Arabi21 said diplomatic sources revealed that a consultation meeting between representatives of the internationally-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) and the parliament in Tobruk met yesterday.

24 Aug 2020; MEMO: Moroccan Prime Minister Saad Dine El Otmani on Sunday rejected any normalisation of relations with Israel, Reuters reports.

“We refuse any normalisation with the Zionist entity because this emboldens it to go further in breaching the rights of the Palestinian people,” El Otmani told his Islamist PJD party.

12 Aug 2020; MEMO: The Arab League requires “profound reforms”, the Speaker of the Moroccan Parliament, Habib Al-Malki, said yesterday.

“The Arab world’s current conditions are not well,” Al-Malki told Palestine Today, stressing that the Arab League needed “deep reforms in order to meet the requirements of the current situation.”

RABAT, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Moroccan Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita on Saturday held a telephone conversation with his Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio on Libyan crisis and bilateral relations.

Di Maio expressed his country's "appreciation" for the contribution and role played by Morocco for the resolution of the Libyan crisis, a statement by the Moroccan Foreign Affairs ministry said.

RABAT, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud discussed on Wednesday bilateral ties between the two countries and the political settlement of the Libyan crisis.

The two sides share the same views concerning the resolution of the Libyan crisis, mainly the refusal of foreign interventions and military solutions, Bourita said during a press conference following the talks.

27 July 2020; MEMO: By extending the powers of the National Commission for Integrity, Prevention and Fight against Corruption, the Moroccan government is striving to combat corruption in the country.

According to government estimates, corruption causes losses amounting to between five and seven per cent of GDP and relies on the commission to prevent losses or at least to minimise them.