A total of 24,907,688 people have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while the number of fully vaccinated people (1st and 2nd doses) has reached 23,404,569, the ministry pointed out in its daily COVID-19 bulletin, noting that 6,825,585 people have received the third dose of the vaccine, while 50.816 people have received the fourth dose.

According to the same source, the number of COVID-19 cases reported since the start of the outbreak of the virus rose to 1,265,050, while recoveries increased to 1,248,637, i.e. a recovery rate of 98.7%.

The new COVID-19 cases were recorded in the regions of Rabat-Salé-Kenitra (06), Casablanca-Settat (05), Souss-Massa (03), Marrakech-Safi (02), Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima (01) and Beni Mellal-Khenifra (01).

As for coronavirus-related fatalities, they remain at 16,278, with no death reported in the past 24 hours.

The number of active cases stands at 135, while one severe or critical case was recorded in the past 24 hours.

This advertising operation will be deployed for three months on the two bus lines most popular in the Swiss capital, operated by the urban transport company Bernmobil, said a statement by the Embassy of Morocco in Bern.

The programming of this campaign, whose impact in terms of exposure concerns more than two hundred thousand people per day, is part of the dynamics of revival of the Moroccan tourism sector in the post-Covid-19 period and aims to promote the Moroccan destination to the Swiss market in view of the end-of-year celebrations, said the same source.

In support of this campaign and to maximize its impact, the Moroccan embassy in Bern has launched, simultaneously, and throughout the period of this poster campaign, a digital communication operation on its social networks, through the dissemination of promotional content, highlighting the tourist assets and cultural heritage of the Kingdom.

The journalist and media consultant Abdellah Tourabi, highlighted the undeniable role that MAP has played in the period of Covid-19, by offering reliable, clear and verified information.

To this end, Tourabi mentioned the deployment of the web platform "mapanticorona.ma", fed in real time and dedicated to the publication of all verified and credible information related to the Corona virus, thus keeping public opinion informed of developments concerning this pandemic.

Similarly, in its fight against misinformation, MAP has published no less than 500 news articles to counter the spread of fake news and provide citizens with safe and credible information.

For his part, president of the National Press Authority of Côte d'Ivoire, Samba Koné, noted that "the magnitude of this pandemic and the speed of its spread have led states and organizations to adapt and live with the virus".

As a result, news agencies around the world have implemented telecommuting, which, according to Koné, "is in the DNA of news agencies”.

From this epic, we should remember the importance of the relevance of information and the need to fight against fake news, which has continued to spread, he added.

"It remains essential that the journalist shows rigor," said Koné, highlighting the technological, human, organizational, economic and financial challenges of African news agencies in times of coronavirus.

The specialist in media sociology and communication organizations, Moustapha Samb, said that "the pandemic has hit Senegal hard, like other countries in Africa and the world," highlighting the considerable decline in reporting and media coverage in times of lockdown.

David Sallinen, expert in content strategy and editorial engineering, said, for his part, that the period of pandemic Covid-19 has been particularly marked by a considerable increase in media subscriptions worldwide and an undeniable audience effect, stating that video consumption has increased by 30%.

Thus, many citizens subscribed to content that allowed them, in addition to following the information, "to have the means to understand and decipher the situations," he said.
 

"The Kingdom is deeply invested in the fight against climate change, despite its low contribution to greenhouse gas emissions," said Baraka at the opening of the 4th edition of the International Conference on Sustainable Mobility (CIMD) twinned with the annual conference of the International Road Federation (IRF).

He added that Morocco has raised its level of ambition, already high initially, to a conditional target of reducing greenhouse gases by 45.5% and an unconditional target of 18.3%, while the contribution determined at the national level includes 61 measures for a total budget of nearly 40 billion dollars.

In parallel, Morocco is making tireless efforts to implement the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN Agenda 2030 and has distinguished itself by demonstrating a real ability to monitor progress, he added, noting that the Kingdom has engaged, under the enlightened vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the turn of the energy transition, particularly through the national energy strategy promoting the development of renewable energy, energy efficiency and regional integration.

This bold and pioneering choice has enabled the Kingdom to achieve an energy mix of nearly 40% of renewable energy, a target increased to 52% by 2030, he said, indicating that Morocco intends to consolidate its position as regional leader in competitive green energy by 2035, after conducting a major national consultation, which resulted in a New Development Model, the results of which highlight a strong desire of the Kingdom to anchor itself in an inclusive green economy, bringing opportunities and growth.

"Based on the guidelines of the New Development Model as well as the Paris Agreement, Morocco has developed a Long Term Low Carbon Strategy published in October 2021, which aims at 40% of renewable energy in the total energy consumption and which sets up the electrification of uses, the digital transition, investment in the development of new low-carbon transport infrastructure, and the integration of green hydrogen for the decarbonization of transport, as strategic axes of development," he stressed.

In a presentation at the signing ceremony of this agreement, the head of the project "NASMAA", Karim Essakalli, said that "Morocco, with its African roots and its constant commitment to Africa, has always made South-South cooperation a strategic choice supported by the enlightened leadership of HM King Mohammed VI".

That is why "the Lalla Asmaa Foundation wanted to join the Royal vision and spread the NASMAA campaign, which consists in the installation of cochlear implants for hearing impaired children, to all African countries," said Essakalli, noting that seven countries will benefit from this operation initially: Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso, Gabon and Niger.

More than 30 hearing impaired children from these countries will be hosted in the Kingdom from October 17, to receive a cochlear implant at the level of university hospitals in the country and the military hospital in Rabat, he said.

For the success of the project, the Foundation worked with several partners, including FAAPA, the Moroccan News Agency (MAP), the Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation, the Ministry of Solidarity, Social Integration and the Family, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, the OCP, Bank of Africa, and the Lions Club, he said.

Planned for 2023, the second phase of this project will consist of developing technology transfer to African countries, added Essakalli, noting that Moroccan ENT surgeons will travel for this purpose.

The purpose of this trip is to ensure the training of medical staff in these countries in the surgical practice of this technique and the provision by Morocco of at least 100 implants per year, offered by the Lalla Asmaa Foundation, he said.

In addition, Essakalli said that "the detection of deafness and its management must be one of the major objectives of our society to avoid the spectrum of delinquency to children who suffer from this disability.

That is why the Lalla Asmaa Foundation has launched the campaign "NASMAA", with the aim of achieving the installation of cochlear implants for more than 800 children in Morocco, to enable them to regain their hearing, he concluded.

A statement by the Ministry of Transport and Logistics said that this agreement was signed on Wednesday, September 28, 2022, during the bilateral meeting between Minister of Transport and Logistics, Mohammed Abdeljalil with his Saudi counterpart, Saleh Al-Jasser as part of the participation of both parties in the 41st session of the Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), held in Montreal from September 27 to October 7.

The agreement, which will give a strong impetus to cooperation relations between the two countries, stipulates the principle of the designation of several airlines, the liberalization of capacity and number of flights, in addition to the provisions relating to safety and aviation security, as well as the right to conclude commercial cooperation agreements between airlines of both parties, the statement added.

The agreement was signed in the presence of the Ambassador of Morocco to Canada, Souriya Otmani, the statement concluded.

This first post-Covid meeting also provides an opportunity for the establishment of real partnerships between news agencies of the Continent, added Barry Sana who was speaking at the opening ceremony of this General Assembly, noting that this meeting is "a model for South-South cooperation.

She also noted that this meeting aims to give a new dynamic to this professional grouping and to deepen the reflection on the future of African news agencies, as well as on the strategic choices to be adopted in order to promote and ensure the performance aimed at their development and their influence at the African and international levels.

Barry Sana, also Central Director of the Ivorian News Agency (AIP), also said that the important and relevant theme chosen for the inaugural seminar of this GA namely "post-Covid 19: challenges and opportunities for African news agencies", will undoubtedly allow the various participants and decision makers to identify strategic avenues for the development of African news agencies, in light of the advice and approaches that will be shared by experts and media consultants who will intervene during this seminar.

She also stressed that African news agencies, which are facing major challenges in terms of strategic choices, have now become aware of the need to advocate new approaches aimed at research and development of a new business model, especially after having suffered the full force of the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has heavily impacted the press sector and has strongly challenged the mode of work and the system of traditional organization.

The place that FAAPA occupies today in the African media landscape is increasingly strengthened in a process of development and innovation, despite the difficult financial context faced by most African news agencies, she said, recalling, in this regard, that the "Casablanca Call", launched on the day of the creation of FAAPA on October 14, 2014, has allowed African news agencies to contractualize the relationships that bind them to their respective states.

Barry Sana also expressed her deep gratitude and thanks to the FAAPA president and Director General of the Moroccan News Agency (MAP), Khalil Hachimi Idrissi, for the efforts made to ensure the success of this General Assembly.

For his part, secretary general of the Alliance of Mediterranean News Agencies (AMAN), Georges Penintaex, said that the Alliance always seeks to maintain close relations with FAAPA, stressing the importance of cooperation, solidarity and unity to meet the challenges of today.

Secretary general of the Federation of Arab News Agencies (FANA), Farid Ayar, said that his participation in this GA is a good opportunity to exchange with the heads of African news agencies on ways to strengthen cooperation with Arab news agencies.

For his part, Younus Inayat, director of Strategic Relations and Development at the Union of News Agencies of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), said that the African continent occupies a prominent place in the Union, which has several African countries among its members.

The opening ceremony of this General Assembly was marked by the projection of an institutional film on the actions undertaken and activities organized by FAAPA since its creation.
 

The Bank Group's delegation of about ten Directors met with government officials and representatives of the public and private sectors and conducted a series of meetings and field visits to assess the Bank's activities in the country and better understand its development prospects.

The first government official with whom the Board of Directors met was the Minister of Economy and Finance Nadia Fettah. During this meeting, the two parties reviewed the government's priorities and examined certain aspects of cooperation, according to an AfDB statement.

"We thank the African Development Bank for the support provided to our country in the implementation of several structural reforms and infrastructure projects, which have significantly contributed to a better inclusion of the population, especially youth and women," said the Minister.

"The partnership between Morocco and the Bank is exemplary. We will use it to accelerate the dynamics of Morocco's emergence," said the spokesman for the delegation of the Board of Directors, Désiré Guedon, who praised "the relevance of the reforms undertaken, which make Morocco a development model to follow".

In Rabat, the directors met with the Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali, with whom they discussed the need for a more structuring cooperation, which promotes the sharing of experience in energy transition.

The general manager of Tamwilcom - national company of guarantee company financing-, Hicham Serghini Zanati exposed before the directors the action of the institution which aims at guaranteeing the access to the financing, in particular of the young people and the women entrepreneurs, the start-ups and the private sector.

In Casablanca, the vice president of Moroccan Employers' Association, Mehdi Tazi, presented the fundamentals of the Moroccan economy and the competitiveness factors of the private sector. "The African Development Bank has a strategic role to play in bringing together African private sectors and helping to achieve the African Continental Free Trade Area," said Tazi.

"The complementarity of African value chains, the development of human capital and the strengthening of competitiveness factors - including logistics - are, among others, the determinants," he stressed.

The Bank Group's Board of Directors also met with representatives of Casablanca Finance City (CFC). "We have so many achievements with the AfDB," said its deputy director general, Lamia Marzouki.

"It is, for us, a major institution. The law establishing Casablanca Finance City was initiated as part of the Bank's financial sector development support project," she said.

Board members also paid project visits to assess the impacts of Bank-financed infrastructure projects.

"The diversity of opinion that is at the heart of any democratic project should be our beautiful wealth, and not a reason for division or exclusion. Thus, the African media will be the crucible of democracy building for our respective public opinion," said the Minister who was speaking at the opening of the 6th General Assembly of the Federation of African Press Agencies (FAAPA), inviting the African media to be "advocates of free opinion and guardians of sacred information".

The African press, in all respects, "should get rid of the political blinkers inherited from another world," he said, noting that "under the leadership of our media and our leaders, Africa is now the land of opportunity that is on the front page of all business magazines, because the Continent is full of potential that just need to be exploited wisely to make this century that of Africa”.

"It is up to you, women and men of the media, not to let at any time our people give in to the sirens of narrow identity, the main ally of extremism and harbinger of a bad future, especially since Africa's main identity has been dialogue and openness," he said.

"It is this message of hope and expectation that HM King Mohammed VI delivers through His high instructions and His permanent commitment to the service of the Continent," noted Bensaid, recalling that the Kingdom, under the enlightened leadership of the Sovereign, has chosen an indelible commitment to the service of the African Continent, intra-African cooperation and an Africa that trusts Africa.

Through His action, HM the King has demonstrated that African solidarity is not a distant memory, that it responds to a reality and a need for development for the Continent, the Minister added.

He also stressed that this meeting is all the more important and relevant as it comes at the end of a global health crisis in which the media have played an important and crucial role that has highlighted the danger of the phenomenon of "fake news" and the centrality of traditional journalistic work.

This was the main finding of participants in the "International Congress of Social Psychology", held from 5 to 8 October in Buenos Aires.

At a conference scheduled as part of the congress under the theme "The problem of child soldiers: a challenge for the humanitarian law of war," the expert in international relations Adalberto Agozino, stressed that for years, various international humanitarian organizations and independent journalists denounce, with photos and videos, the presence of child soldiers in the ranks of the polisario, "in the face of total indifference of UN and European authorities".

The recruitment of children by the polisario begins at the age of ten, with a "military training". For some, they are then separated from their families and sent to Cuba or other Algerian cities for years to receive military training and political indoctrination, he added.

Some of these children stay away from their families and communities for decades, especially in Cuba, and then one day, the polisario leaders decide that they must return to the camps in Tindouf.

The shock is so strong that these young people discover that they do not belong to any country, having forgotten their mother tongue and their religion, added Agozino.

He denounced in this context "the international impunity enjoyed by the leaders of the polisario and the Algerian government" to the extent that they allowed the presence of a child soldier among the delegation that accompanied, in January 2022, the special envoy of the Secretary General of the United Nations, Steffan de Mistura during his first visit to the Tindouf camps.

For the expert "the use of child soldiers to try to resolve conflicts is the most extreme degree of exploitation of children", because these "victims not only lose their childhood (and sometimes their lives), but throughout their lives they bear physical and psychological scars".

In a statement to the Moroccan channel M24, Agozino welcomed the holding of this "International Congress of Social Psychology" at the Argentine University "John F. Kennedy" which opened the way to a debate with international experts on the problem of child soldiers, and in particular, the case of child soldiers of the polisario.

Referring to the propaganda program "Holidays in Peace" organized in Spain and its psychosocial consequences on children, the Argentine expert pinpointed the systematic policy of the polisario to separate some children from their families and send them to Cuba for military training and political indoctrination.

For him, this is "one of the most aberrant humanitarian crimes, because it affects defenseless children and helpless families, because if they refuse to participate in the propaganda activities of the polisario, they suffer reprisals of all kinds, including access to adequate food and other basic necessities, medicines, etc…”.