Morocco
Bourita lines up successors to France and EU ambassadors Benmoussa and Rahhou

The New Guard
Tunisia, Somalia, Morocco

Every Wednesday, Africa Intelligence spotlights a new generation of movers and shakers in business and politics.

TunisiaRania Toukebri, Tunis researcher who's aiming for the moon

SomaliaMohamed Abdirahaman Hassan, Hargeisa's chief strategist

MoroccoAzzedine Lahlou, young think-tank creator looking south

Morocco
Where has the new development model gone?

Members of the opposition are asking what the Moroccan government has done with the new development model, with the national pact still not signed.

Morocco
Ambassador Amrani finally heading to Brussels

The Moroccan ambassador to the European Union, Youssef Amrani, will finally be able to take up his post in the Belgian capital. According to our information, his accreditation has been cleared by the European authorities.

Morocco
Paris and Rabat standoff opens window of opportunity for lobbyists

Tensions between Paris and Rabat are giving lobbyists and middlemen something to work with. However the impact of this work is minimal, while the kingdom's main intermediaries in Paris remain somewhat removed from the Elysée.

Central African Republic
CAR communications minister on whirlwind charm offensive in Paris

Le ministre centrafricain de la communication Serge Djorie termine ce vendredi une visite de cinq jours sur les bords de la Seine, pendant laquelle il a rencontré Jean-Marie Bockel.

Madagascar
Private sector hopes for OHADA membership for sunnier business climate

As a World Bank report published on 1 June expresses concerns about the business climate in Madagascar, the country's private sector is still hopeful Madagascar will join OHADA, an organisation of 17 Africa states bound by a system of business laws.

Israel, Morocco
Israel's IAI looking beyond military contracts towards civil aeronautics

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is planning to set up a base for the conversion of passenger aircraft into cargo planes, an activity whose growth has been boosted by Covid-19. The company may also expand to offer maintenance services, on Europe's doorstep.

Morocco, Senegal
Mohammed VI's new Dakar envoy Hassan Naciri hopes to get major projects back on track

The Moroccan ambassador in Dakar is expected to resurrect several outstanding projects, which have been put on hold despite the warm relations between the two countries. He will also have to strengthen the historical link between the kingdom and the powerful Tidjane brotherhood.

Morocco
Cambre calls time on its lobbying in Rabat despite backing of Akhannouch, Benhima and Abikzer

The Brussels lobbying firm Cambre Associates is about to bring to a close a Moroccan adventure that began with the setting up of Cambre Advocacy Maroc in Rabat in late 2019.

Cameroon
Army receives C-Astral Slovenian drones as war escalates in Anglophone regions

Amid escalating tensions in the Anglophone regions, the Cameroonian army has quietly received its first batch of Bramor observation drones from Slovenian manufacturer C-Astral to boost its ISR capacities.

Morocco
Mohammed VI hesitates over Madrid, Berlin, Brussels and Paris embassies

The King of Morocco may leave several of his embassies without ambassadors, as a sign that diplomatic tensions still abound.

North Africa
Despite EU's billions, North Africa cooperation declines

North Africa continues to drift away from the European Union, with cooperation on both sides of the Mediterranean made difficult by political resets and other hurdles to free trade and key issues.

Morocco
Rabat talks tough on Berlin while quietly mending diplomatic fences behind the scenes

Publicly, Morocco is maintaining an aggressive diplomatic stance towards Germany by refusing to accredit its new representative in Rabat. But privately, it is busy resurrecting cooperation programmes and striving to avoid a European backlash.

Morocco
Agrovision rides Morocco's 'green gold' avocado boom

US agricultural group Agrovision Corp is extending its activities from Peru to Morocco. This producer of fruit and vegetables - particularly avocados - created a subsidiary, AGV Morocco, on 7 June to distribute, sell and export its products.

Morocco
Royal pilot Fouad Boutayeb eases off RAM throttle

Royal Air Maroc operations director Fouad Boutayeb has resigned from the presidency of two of the airline's subsidiaries: RAM Handling and Casa Aero.

Morocco
Boulgoute attempts double bluff for 'diplomatic city', cites Marriott deal, Bourita approval

For his next luxury real estate project on the outskirts of Rabat, entrepreneur Rahal Boulgoute has been talking up a partnership with the hotel chain Marriott and a deal with the ministry of foreign affairs, though neither of these have confirmed their end of the bargain.

Morocco
Eiffage embarks for Dakhla alongside French political delegation

The French construction giant and bidder for a contract to build the Dakhla Atlantique port will join a delegation of elected French officials planning to visit the Western Sahara city in June.

France, Morocco
Rabat stage-manages Western Sahara trip for French MPs

With the assistance of lobbyist Omar Alaoui, Rabat is planning a jamboree for French MPs supportive of Morocco's claim to sovereignty over Western Sahara. It is likely to involve a flight on the inaugural Royal Air Maroc flight between Paris and Dakhla in June.

Morocco
Rabat's W. Sahara lobbying efforts focus on Caribbean, Latin America

As Joe Biden stalls on opening a US consulate in Dakhla, Morocco is going all-out to drum up support, targeting Costa Rica and Jamaica.

Morocco
Rabat struggles to be heard in Brussels as pro-Sahrawi lobby ups it game

Morocco's ambassador in Brussels Ahmed Rahhou has become inaudible and Rabat now has fewer allies in the European Parliament than before, even as the new chair of the Western Sahara intergroup seeks to be more proactive.

US electronic warfare specialists test the waters of post-Covid European market

The war in Ukraine is boosting demand for electronic warfare solutions in Europe, a need that US providers once blocked by the fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic are now jostling to fulfil.

High-flying lobbyist Zuberi's downfall leaves Gulf businessman Esam Janahi exposed

Esam Janahi, who was deeply involved in the Zuberi affair, the outcome of which shook Washington's K Street lobbying community in February, is now trying to get his money back.