Morocco
Morocco inflation trends upward: 0.8% in November
Morocco's annual inflation rate, measured by the consumer price index, rose to 0.8% in November from 0.7% a month earlier, the country's statistics agency said on Friday.
Burkina Faso frees four French nationals after Moroccan mediation
1 min
Morocco has mediated the release of four French nationals held for a year in detention in Burkina Faso, the Moroccan foreign ministry said on Thursday.
People hold a sign as they gather to show their support to Burkina Faso's new military leader Ibrahim Traore and demand the departure of the French ambassador at the Place de la Nation in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso January 20, 2023. The sign reads : "France's army get out from our country". Reuters/Vincent Bado
Morocco has mediated the release of four French nationals held for a year in detention in Burkina Faso, the Moroccan foreign ministry said on Thursday.
The French nationals were let go following a request from King Mohammed VI to Burkina Faso's military leader Ibrahim Traore, the ministry said in a statement.
This "human act" shows the excellent ties between Morocco and Burkina Faso, it said.
The four French nationals were civil servants who came to the West African country to carry out IT maintenance for the French embassy, but were detained on Dec. 1, 2023 and transferred to Ouagadougou prison, Reuters reported last year.
Morocco maintains good ties with Burkina Faso and other military-ruled Sahel states, promising them access to global trade through the Atlantic.
France, in retreat in the Sahel, this month started a troop withdrawal from Chad after pulling its soldiers out of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger following military coups in those West African countries amid spreading anti-French sentiment.
Rabat and Paris have had stronger political and economic ties since France backed Morocco’s stance on the Western Sahara conflict in July.
By Ahmed Eljechtimi
Related
Sudan
At UN, Blinken tells states backing Sudan's warring parties: Enough
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday had a blunt message for countries providing military support to Sudan's warring parties or profiting from the conflict: "Enough."
Libya
Libyan rivals agree to work with UN to end political deadlock
Delegations from rival Libyan legislative bodies agreed at talks in Morocco on Thursday to work together with a United Nations mission to pave the way for elections to end years of political deadlock.
Subscribe to our newsletter
