This celebration was complemented by a photo exhibition and the screening of a film showcasing the momentum experienced by Kazakhstan in various fields. The event was an opportunity to highlight the dynamism marking the relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

In a speech, Kazakh Ambassador to Morocco, Saulekul Sailaukyzy, pointed out that the Kingdom was among the first countries to recognize the independence of Kazakhstan.

This celebration is an opportunity "to give our trade and economic relations a new impetus to raise them to the level of our privileged political relations," she added.

The opening to foreign markets and the economic potential of Morocco and Kazakhstan offer new opportunities for efficient cooperation, she pointed out.

The diplomat also noted that the holding this year of the 4th session of the Morocco-Kazakhstan political consultations will give a new impetus to the relations of partnership and cooperation between the two countries by consolidating them in accordance with the political agenda.

For his part, Abdelkader El Ansari, Asia and Oceania Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad, said that this celebration "testifies to how old our bilateral relations are."

"Morocco was among the first countries to recognize and establish diplomatic relations with Kazakhstan in 1972. Since then, our relations have always been marked by mutual respect, friendship and solidarity," he noted.

Morocco sees Kazakhstan as an important partner in the Central Asian region, said, for his part, Abdeljalil Saubry, Morocco's first Ambassador to Kazakhstan, highlighting several areas are of particular importance to both countries including agriculture, renewable energy, tourism and trade, among others.

Diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of Kazakhstan were established in 1992. An embassy of Kazakhstan in Morocco was opened on December 30, 2020.

Any attentive observer of the artificial dispute over the Moroccan Sahara would agree that this dispute is costly to the development and integration process of the Maghreb and that it can only be resolved through an autonomy plan under Moroccan sovereignty.

In this spirit, several prominent figures from the Maghreb region (intellectuals, political actors, and associations ...) have recently met in Laayoune to launch a civil body to support the autonomy plan, known as the Coordination for the implementation of the autonomy plan in the Sahara.

The creation of this structure, chaired by former Tunisian FM Ahmed Ounaies, was announced on the occasion of the first Maghreb Forum in support of the autonomy plan in the Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty.

On this occasion, Ounaies described Morocco's sovereignty over its Sahara as "a cornerstone" for the establishment of a stable, balanced and effective Maghreb Union, noting that the autonomy plan is the serious and credible solution that guarantees the stability of the region and its progress.

The autonomy plan proposed by Morocco in 2007 has received great international support, and we can only engage in the same approach because it is our duty to support the sovereignty of Morocco to preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our countries, said Algerian journalist Walid Kabir, President of the Maghreb Association for Peace, Cooperation and Development, and organizer of the Forum.

The autonomy plan, he added, will be a model for decentralization and local governance in the framework of national states.

Participants in the Forum stressed that the artificial dispute over the Moroccan Sahara is one of the major obstacles to the establishment of a strong and united Maghreb Union, praising the accomplishments of the Kingdom in terms of achieving advanced regionalization.

They also noted that the current challenges on the regional and international levels require solidarity and cooperation between the countries of the region.

The coordination, whose board is made up of 15 members representing the five countries of the region (Tunisia, Libya, Algeria, Mauritania and Morocco), aims to support the autonomy plan under the full sovereignty of the Kingdom.

Besides bringing together all North Africans who believe in a true Maghreb Union of cooperation and development, the new framework will combat separatist ideas that destroy nations and encourage the building of a competitive Maghreb economy.

This event was attended by figures from the Maghreb region and Africa, as well as representatives of diplomatic missions accredited in Laâyoune and local civil society stakeholders.

Speaking at a press briefing following the weekly Cabinet meeting, Lekjaa provided data on the status of these products in light of the economic situation marked by the health crisis.

He also spoke of the measures taken to protect the purchasing power of citizens, confirming the availability of cereals, energy products and imported commodities.

Recalling that price hikes are spurred by increased transportation costs of goods, Lekjaa said that dealing with this crisis requires continuous efforts to ensure the availability of all products for all citizens.

Controlling the inflation rate and keeping it at check requires tax and monetary policies based on daily monitoring, he said. The inflation rate reached 4.1% by the end of April, while inflation rates in the countries of the region range between 6.5% and 7% against 6.1% in Europe, Lekjaa concluded.

In a statement to MAP at the end of his visit, Ramdin stressed the importance of the infrastructure of the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab region. The purpose of this visit is to examine the possibilities of partnership in the fisheries sector, with a view to strengthening bilateral trade relations, he said.

Ramdin also highlighted the opportunities offered in seafood exports, stressing the need to capitalize on the Moroccan experience in this area.

The official added that the opening of a Consulate General of Suriname in Dakhla marks a new era in the strengthening of bilateral economic and trade relations.

Ramdin and the delegation accompanying him visited the National School of Commerce and Management (ENCG) and the Palace of Congress in the city.

Earlier in the day, the Republic of Suriname opened a consulate general in Dakhla, thus marking its strong support for Morocco's sovereignty over its Sahara and its territorial integrity. 

The number of consulates opened in Morocco's southern provinces increased to 25 (13 in Dakhla and 12 in Laayoune).

The network aims to promote the exchange of experiences and data as well as the sharing of skills among its members in all areas of common interest, especially in the field of sports journalism.

The members of this new network intend to hold seminars and thematic conferences under the umbrella of FAAPA, and in partnership with other African and international organizations and institutions.

FAAPA is organizing, from May 23 to 27 in Rabat, a training seminar under the theme "Mastery of techniques for good practice of sports journalism", for more than twenty journalists from African news agencies.

Held at the African Center for Training of Journalists (CAFJ), at MAP's headquarters, this training seminar is supervised and facilitated by professional journalists and trainers experts in sports journalism, who will accompany the participants for five days and share with them their experiences and their thoughts on the challenges that face the journalists and sports media.

The RJS-FAAPA operates with the active support and expertise of its members. It can, when necessary, enlist the help of experts or external organizations.

The network was created to facilitate knowledge, information flow and mutual assistance among FAAPA member journalists, Mamadou Salif Diallo, head of the sports department at the Senegalese News Agency (APS) told MAP.

This new network, intends to launch soon an award dedicated to African sportspeople, he stated, adding that the idea of this African sports award will be proposed to the approval of the FAAPA General Assembly.

In addition to a secretary general and a general coordinator, the network includes seven advisory members representing the Burkina News Agency (AIB), Cape Verdean News Agency (INFORPRESS), Gabonese News Agency (AGP), the Namibia News Agency (NAMPA), the Nigerian News Agency (NAN), the Sierra Leone News Agency (SLENA) and Morocco's News Agency (MAP).

"Our goal is to ensure a safe national supply of blood that covers at least seven days," Baitas told a press briefing following the weekly meeting of the Government Council, held under the presidency of the head of government, Aziz Akhannouch.

"We must collect more than 1,000 blood bags per day with the aim of reaching 5,000 bags," he said, adding that the ministry of Health and Social Protection continues, through the National Center for blood transfusion, to conduct several campaigns and initiatives to alleviate the shortage of blood.

"Africa Day (May 25) provides an opportunity to highlight Morocco's African commitment and its solidarity with the 54 countries of the continent in accordance with the far-sighted vision of HM the King, who places the African citizen at the heart of his concerns and promotes the dimensions of peace, security and development for the emergence of a strong, united and secure Africa", the Moroccan diplomat pointed out at a ceremony organized in Lima to celebrate this day.

Morocco was the guest of honor at this ceremony, organized Thursday at the National Afro-Peruvian Museum by the Congress' Foreign Relations Committee as part of the celebration of the 59th World Africa Day, according to a statement from the Moroccan embassy.

The event was attended in particular by Mrs. Maria Alva Prieto, Speaker of the Congress of the Republic, Mr. Ernesto Bustamante Donayre, President of the Congress's Foreign Relations Committee and President of the Morocco-Peru parliamentary friendship group, Peruvian MPs of African origin, members of the Afro Peruvian association and representatives of the ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Mr. Chaoudri stressed that "Morocco's African vocation is materialized, in particular, through the Kingdom's return to its African institutional family, the various official visits made by HM the King to several African countries, the signing of several agreements related to investment and cooperation and the opening of consulates, mostly from African countries, in the Moroccan Sahara".

The Kingdom, he added, has always affirmed its African identity by placing the continent at the center of its diplomatic priorities and by attaching great importance to the development of its relations with African countries at the political, socio-economic, cultural and spiritual levels.

For her part, Mrs. Maria Prieto noted that in order to strengthen the contributions of the African embassies in Lima, in this case that of Morocco, on the basis of the historical and cultural ties that bind them, Peru is called upon to give a new dimension to its diplomatic and economic relations with the countries of the African continent.

For his part, Mr. Ernesto Bustamante Donayre underlined that Africa is the cradle of mankind, stressing the need to highlight the contribution of the African element for the development and progress of the Andean country.

In the evening, a reception was organized at the Moroccan residence in honor of the Speaker of the Congress, the President of the Foreign Relations Committee, as well as other members of the Congress, diplomats and friends of Morocco.

"Several factors have contributed to positive signals, especially for seaside destinations where the occupancy rate could reach nearly 80% during the summer," Baitas said at a press briefing after the weekly Cabinet meeting.

The Ministry of Tourism strove to secure 2 million overnight stays through online bookings, 360,000 tourists through traditional bookings, and 4.25 million seats on flights to Morocco, he explained.

"We expect a recovery of the tourism sector in the summer of 2022, especially with the return of the Moroccan community abroad," said the Minister Delegate to the Minister of Economy and Finance in charge of the budget, Faouzi Lakjaa.

The minister noted that the 2 billion dirhams (MAD) plan to support the tourism sector was not intended to accompany day-to-day management of hotels and tourist establishments, but rather their upgrading.

"The stability of public transport prices in all categories costs more than 540 million dirhams per month and the a bottle of gas costs 116 dirhams," said Lekjaa at a press briefing following the weekly Cabinet meeting.

The minister delegate stressed that the government has made every effort to increase direct income through taxes, and indirect revenues through innovative financing.

These efforts have helped to cope with these expenses without resorting to an amending Finance Act, he added.

Lekjaa also highlighted the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reports welcoming the efforts made by the Kingdom to cope with the impact of the economic crisis, and the stability of the country's sovereign rating despite the impact of the crisis.

The event, organized by Morocco's Embassy in Mexico City in coordination with the Fatima Mernissi Chair at the Autonomous University of Mexico, was an opportunity to highlight the Kingdom's contribution, under the leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, to the development of Africa and the reinforcement of solidarity between its countries.

Speaking on this occasion, Morocco's Ambassador to Mexico, Abdelfattah Lebbar, underlined the depth of the Kingdom's African roots and its continued dedication to the rise of a strong and bold Africa capable of defending its interests and making its voice heard on the international scene.

Morocco's return to the African Union (AU) allowed the country to consolidate its African membership through the establishment of about 1,000 cooperation agreements with other African states, the diplomat said, adding that the Kingdom's attachment to the emancipation of Africa is one of the priorities of its foreign policy.

South Africa's ambassador to Mexico, Dennis Thokozani Dlomo, highlighted Morocco's significant contribution to addressing major African issues, from tireless support for liberation movements in Africa to its efforts for economic development of the continent.

"Morocco has provided significant support to former President Nelson Mandela. It also backed the struggle of the South African people to free themselves from the yoke of apartheid," the diplomat told MAP.

In Dlomo's opinion, Africa is now facing major challenges that require a sustained and global economic momentum and the combined efforts of all its countries to move forward on the path of progress and solidarity sustainable.

In similar remarks, the Ambassador of Côte d'Ivoire in Mexico City, Robert Djérou LY, said that Africa Day is an opportunity to recall Morocco's historic contribution to the political emancipation of the continent, and to emphasize the country's commitment under the wise leadership of HM the King to Africa's stability and prosperity.

"The Kingdom's commitment to Africa is illustrated by the significant investments and cooperation agreements it has signed with many African countries to accelerate development and ensure a prosperous future," he said.

Djérou LY also recalled the solidarity of the Kingdom with other African countries during the Covid-19 pandemic.

As for Guadalupe Valencia García, coordinator of the Faculty of Humanities at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, she stressed that the celebration of Africa Day is an opportunity to emphasize the importance of stronger relations between Morocco and Mexico considering the strategic geographical position of these two countries as a gateway to Africa and Latin America.

The celebration of Africa Day was attended by many African and Arab diplomatic representatives in Mexico, as well as academics, students of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, and members of local associations of indigenous peoples and Afro-American communities.

The event was marked by the screening of "Morocco and the liberation movements in Africa," a documentary by Hassan El Bahrouti which highlights the most significant stages of Morocco's struggle against colonialism in the continent since independence. The Moroccan Embassy also organized a stand that offered an overview of the Kingdom's gastronomy.