Politics

Moroccan lawmakers plan to review ties with European Parliament

Published

2 years ago

January 23, 2023

Moroccan lawmakers are pushing for a review on the country ties European Parliaments as they voted unanimously on its diplomatic relations.

Morocco’s parliament met in the capital Rabat for a joint session and accused the West of meddling after a resolution that urged the kingdom to respect press freedom.

The meeting was in response to the non-binding European text adopted on Thursday.

The parliament in a statement after their session, called the European resolution “an unacceptable attack against the sovereignty, dignity and independence of judicial institutions in the kingdom.”

They said it had “seriously harmed the fundamental trust” between them.

As a result, Morocco’s Parliament “decided to reconsider its relations with the European Parliament and submit them for an overall evaluation,” said Rachid Talbi Alami, speaker of the House of Representatives. He gave no further details.

President of the National Rally of Independents, the biggest party in Morocco’s ruling coalition, Mohammed Ghiat, “Their decisions are not going to intimidate us, and we are not going to change our path and approach.”

European lawmakers in Strasbourg had urged Morocco to “respect freedom of expression and media freedom” and to “guarantee imprisoned journalists… a fair trial.”

Ahmed Touizi, of the Authenticity and Modernity Party, said “Behind the scenes of this decision hides a country which we had thought of as a friend and a solid partner, but the smell of gas has made it lose it.”

Touizi, whose party belongs to the majority coalition, was referring to warming ties between Paris and Algeria, Morocco’s neighbour and rival — and a major exporter of gas to European nations.

Another of member the Istiqlal Party, Abdelmajid Fassi Fihri, “Morocco has had enough of double standards.”

Morocco has long relationship with Europe, 64% of Morocco’s exports went to the EU, and 51% of Morocco’s imports came from the EU. Morocco is the EU’s biggest trade partner among the Southern Neighbourhood countries, with 25% of total EU trade in goods with the region.

Related Topics:European Parliament Featured Moroccan lawmakers

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Politics

Mauritius’ Prime Minister to double as Finance Minister

Published

3 hours ago

November 23, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

In an effort to maintain a tight eye on the economy, Mauritius’ Prime Minister, Navin Ramgoolam, who took office this month following a resounding election victory, said on Friday that he would retain the position of finance minister for himself.

“We are doing an audit of the economy to see to what extent the outgoing government has destroyed it,” Ramgoolam told reporters in the capital Port Louis after he presided over the swearing-in of other ministers.

Ten years after he stepped down as prime minister, the seasoned politician returned to the position when his Alliance du Changement (ADC) alliance won 60 of the 62 seats in the national legislature.

The 77-year-old Ramgoolam said earlier this week that he would be auditing governmental finances. Before this, he was prime minister from 1995 to 2000 and again from 2005 to 2014.

Ramgoolam started a campaign in 2006 to streamline taxes and reduce bureaucracy to diversify the $10 billion economy beyond exports of sugar, textiles, and tourism.

Since then, the 1.3 million-person nation, which positions itself as a bridge between Africa and Asia, has developed into a major offshore financial hub and has been rated by the World Bank as the easiest location to do business in Africa regularly.

Politics

Mali’s junta names spokesman Abdoulaye Maiga new Prime Minister

Published

23 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

A day after dismissing Choguel Maiga for criticising the government, Mali’s governing junta named its spokesperson, Abdoulaye Maiga, as Prime Minister on Thursday, according to state broadcaster, ORTM.

A source close to Choguel Maiga told Reuters that the ruling generals were incensed by Maiga’s remarks over the weekend denouncing the junta’s inability to hold elections within the 24-month timeframe given for the return to democracy.

After promising to hold elections in February, the military authorities, who took control in two separate coups in 2020 and 2021, have put off the poll indefinitely, citing technological difficulties.

Choguel Maiga’s firing coincides with indications of growing discontent and disarray among Mali politicians, even those who first supported the coup and collaborated with the junta.

As the wait for elections continues, Choguel Maiga, a civilian prime minister who was installed by the military junta in 2021, is the most recent to lose support.

He was cited on Saturday as claiming he learnt of the junta’s decision via the media and that there had been no discussion regarding the delay of the elections inside the cabinet.

“It’s all happening in total secrecy, without the prime minister’s knowledge,” Choguel Maiga told reporters.

Before then, he had frequently stood up for Mali’s junta against criticism from foreign friends and neighbours in West Africa who denounced its repeated election delays and military collaboration with Russian mercenaries.

As government spokesperson, Abdoulaye Maiga, the new prime minister, has also made strong public remarks against France, the previous colonial master. One such speech was demanding French President Emmanuel Macron to stop his “neocolonial” and “condescending” behaviour.

Abdoulaye Maiga and Assimi Goita, the leaders of the junta, announced they had kept all of the important cabinet ministers in their portfolios in the new administration in a statement that was broadcast on state television ORTM.

The announcement said that Abdoulaye Maiga will remain minister of territory administration.