"Becoming a cloud region means that New Zealand businesses will have the choice to keep their data onshore (locally) and work with the national Google Cloud team to really drive the country's digital transformation," New Zealand Minister for the Digital Economy and Communications David Clark said Wednesday.

The decision was made as part of an independent due diligence of Google Cloud, he noted in a statement, saying it is not a government contract. The onshore cloud facilities offer stronger control of data in New Zealand because "it's kept here, where our laws and protections apply," he argued.

Amazon Web Services decided last September to establish a cloud region in New Zealand, while Microsoft Azure set up a cloud region in 2020, he recalled, adding that all these measures are likely to help the Oceanian country develop its digital economy.

The use of cloud computing allows companies and users to free themselves from the need to run software applications on their own equipment or manage physical servers themselves.

This meeting is part of the working visit made by Piqueras to Morocco leading a high-level security delegation composed of the Commissioner General of information, Eugenio Pereiro Blanco, the Commissioner General of judicial police, Rafael Perez Perez, the Commissioner General of foreigners and borders, Juan Enrique Taborda Alvaraz, the head of the division of international cooperation, Alicia Malo Sanchez and the adviser to the Director General, Jesus Ramirez Jara, said the Directorate General of National Security (DGSN) in a statement.

This visit embodies the firm commitment to consolidate and further develop the partnership and cooperation relations between the Moroccan and Spanish security services, with the aim of making it an advanced partnership based on solid foundations of trust and credibility, serving the common interests of both countries, able to ensure security and stability, while promoting the sharing of experiences and expertise in the fight against transnational organized crime, according to the same source.

The meeting was also an opportunity, added the statement, to discuss and exchange on a set of security issues of common interest, including those related to the fight against the threats of extremist terrorist groups and organized crime networks active in the Western Mediterranean, as well as ways to deal with criminal activities related to human trafficking and international trafficking in drugs and psychotropic substances, in addition to strengthening mechanisms and channels for exchange of operational data related to the security field.

The two sides also discussed ways to increase institutional partnerships in vital areas such as border crossing security and forensics, and to strengthen police training programs in various professional disciplines, including the qualification of elite police teams and their upgrading in the management of highly sensitive interventions.

This meeting between the Director General of National Security and Territory Surveillance and the Director General of the Spanish National Police crowns an advanced course of the strategic partnership uniting the Moroccan and Spanish police services, a course marked by the common will to expand the areas of bilateral cooperation, at the service of the citizens of both countries and for the security and stability in both countries, concluded the statement.

In his weekly column published Wednesday on the information site ''Machhid 24'' under the title ''The Royal appeal to the Algerian presidency: A possible hope'', he notes that HM King Mohammed VI called in the Throne Day speech the Algerian presidency to renew the bonds of brotherhood and cooperation so that the geographical borders are transformed into real bridges of exchange and responsiveness, before adding that the Sovereign also urged it to work for the strengthening of bilateral relations to bring them in line with the genuine, warm and sincere ties between the Moroccan and Algerian peoples.

The columnist also notes that the Royal appeal to the Algerian presidency "emanates from a conviction and a mature and deep historical vision and it is also concerned about the Moroccan and Maghrebian future while encouraging relations of solidarity and cooperation much better and more sustainable for Moroccans and Maghrebians".

He also emphasizes that this Royal appeal was previously launched on the occasion of many other royal speeches of great symbolic significance because it expresses a consistency and draws its foundation in a conceptual system advocated by HM King Mohammed VI for the development of Morocco.

The same conceptual system that gave birth to the autonomy proposal for a peaceful settlement of the conflict over the Moroccan Sahara, he says, before explaining that "this Moroccan proposal was dictated by the desire to find an honorable way out of this conflict for all parties, including primarily the Algerian leaders, namely a solution without winner or loser".

He also recalled that "this peaceful proposal has attracted the support of the international community as evidenced by the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, which resolutions are now considered a main reference in the treatment of the conflict over the Moroccan Sahara at the international level".

This specialist on Algeria notes, moreover, that this Royal appeal has been welcomed in the corridors of the Algerian presidency by a total silence, before considering that it is probably ''a silence with a political connotation and a positive meaning, a silence in the image of the wise man immersed in a contemplative attitude and which moreover, contrasts with the usual hostile reactions of the Algerian side''.

It is hoped that this silent contemplation observed by the Algerian presidency vis-à-vis the Royal appeal is an indicator of a change of course favoring reason and pragmatism with the desire to win the confidence and support of Morocco to back Algeria in its multiple development challenges, instead of persisting in its hostility to the Kingdom, which may further aggravate the social, political and geostrategic situation of Algeria, already hopeless,'' he underlines, before adding that "HM the King inaugurates promising prospects for Moroccan-Algerian cooperation in the face of problems and crises posed”.

For Talaâ Saoud Al Atlassi, "Moroccan-Algerian relations are now at a crucial turning point that can promote, in case of non-maintenance of the status quo, promising prospects based on a common history, stressing in an optimistic tone that ''in a heightened and changing international context, Moroccan-Algerian relations have historical assets that can protect them against upheavals on the international scene. Better yet, strengthen the role of both countries as influential actors on the international level”.
 

A total of 24,882,571 people have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while the number of fully vaccinated people (1st and 2nd doses) has reached 23,373,732, the ministry pointed out in its daily COVID-19 bulletin, noting that 6,712,909 people have received the third dose of the vaccine, while 31,648 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 1,263,035, while recoveries increased to 1,245,170, i.e. a recovery rate of 98.6%.

The new COVID-19 cases were recorded in the regions of Casablanca-Settat (38), Eastern region (26), Rabat-Salé-Kenitra (24), Fez-Meknes (22), Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima (20), Marrakech-Safi (10), Beni Mellal-Khenifra (03), Souss-Massa (02), Dakhla-Oued Eddahab (01), Draa-Tafilalet (01) and Guelmim-Oued Noun (01).

As for coronavirus-related fatalities, they increased to 16,262, with two deaths reported in the past 24 hours in the region of Souss-Massa.

The number of active cases has dropped to 1,603, while no severe or critical cases have been reported in the past 24 hours, bringing their total number to 44.

Temperatures ranging between 41°C and 45°C are expected on Friday in the provinces of Fez, Moulay Yacoub, Sefrou, Taounate, Meknes, El Hajeb, Fquih Ben Salah, Khenifra, Beni Mellal, Khouribga, Settat, El Kelaa des Sraghna, Rehamna, Marrakech, Zagora, Taroudant and Tata, said the DGM in an orange-level alert.

The same phenomenon will be observed on Saturday in Taourirt, Nador, Guercif, Oujda-Angad, Berkane, Driouch, Taounate, Sefrou, Taza, Khouribga, Beni Mellal, Fquih Ben Salah, Khenifra, Zagora and Tata, according to the same source.

Speaking at an open debate of the Security Council under the theme "Peace and security in Africa: capacity building for the sustainability of peace", Kadiri stressed that Morocco, as a member of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), makes every effort to prevent and resolve conflicts in Africa.

He also noted that as chair of the Central African Republic Configuration of the UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) and active player in this commission, the Kingdom makes the perpetuation of peace a top priority of its diplomatic action.

The diplomat stressed that the valiant peacekeepers of the Royal Armed Forces, by contributing to UN peacekeeping operations on African soil since the 1960s, have served with honor and abnegation, sometimes at the cost of their lives, to promote peace in several African countries and to strengthen stability on the continent.

African countries have come a long way and undertaken enormous achievements, to ensure peace, stability and security on our continent, he noted, noting that the accompaniment of this momentum requires the international community to continue to support the leadership of African countries to strengthen and consolidate these achievements, in accordance with the priorities of these countries and their national ownership.

Based on the reality of the nexus peace, security and development and that there can be no sustainable peace without economic development, it is necessary to adopt a holistic, coherent and multidimensional approach that unites governments, international, regional and sub-regional organizations, international financial institutions and civil society actors in a common effort to strengthen Africa's capacity to promote peace and socio-economic development, the Moroccan diplomat stressed.

Kadiri said that this collective effort is all the more important in the context of the post-Covid era, in order to effectively overcome the socio-economic, political, environmental and humanitarian repercussions of this pandemic, for a stronger emergence and guarantee of peace and stability.

He stressed, in this context, the importance of sustainable, adequate and predictable funding for development efforts, as well as the maintenance and consolidation of peace, adding that it is fundamental that the international community implements its commitments to finance development in Africa.

Kadiri further pointed to the terrorist threat that has experienced an unprecedented and extremely dangerous increase in recent years in Africa, undermining peace and security on the continent, particularly because of the proven links between terrorist groups, transnational criminal networks and separatist groups.

In this respect, he stressed the need for a coordinated and united effort of the international community to support African countries in their fight against this scourge.

He stressed that Morocco remains strongly committed to a comprehensive and coherent approach in its support to African countries to confront terrorism, combining the security dimension, including through regional and continental cooperation, the achievement of economic and human development and the preservation of cultural identity and worship.

Morocco, which hosts in Rabat the UNOCT Program Office for capacity building in the fight against terrorism in Africa, aims to pool its expertise and resources by providing, in partnership with the UN, quality training in the fight against terrorism and border security, to African countries, he recalled.

He further noted that in coordination with the said Program Office, Morocco hosted last June 23 and 24 in Marrakech, the 1st Conference of Heads of Security Agencies and Counter-Terrorism in the West African region.

He continued that Morocco, which hosted the Ministerial Meeting of the Global Coalition against ISIS on May 11, also co-chairs the "Africa Focus Group" established within the framework of the Coalition, which operates according to a forward-looking and strategic approach to cooperation against the threat posed by this terrorist organization, while ensuring coordination with existing regional and multilateral initiatives and structures.

In line with the guidelines of Morocco's African policy decided by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, advocating the emergence of a new model of South-South cooperation both active and supportive, Morocco works to strengthen the resilience of African states by making integration, continental solidarity and collective responsibility key elements to respond to the changes taking place on our continent, said Kadiri.

He noted that South-South cooperation between Morocco and African countries has reached unprecedented levels in all areas including economic, trade, political, social, humanitarian and environmental, and this in the context of mega projects structuring the present and future of Africa and its youth, strengthening, thus, the economic development and anchoring political stability throughout the continent.

Morocco remains fully committed alongside its African partners and brothers, to ensure the establishment of a lasting peace in Africa, which guarantees the well-being and prosperity of the continent's people, he concluded.

Thus, pursuant to the High Royal Directions contained in the Throne Day Speech, the Executive will work towards the generalization of these allowances according to the set timetable, said the paper, addressed by the Head of Government to ministerial departments.

In this sense, the government will ensure the acceleration of the establishment of the Single Social Register, which is the main mechanism for channelling aid and ensuring its effectiveness, the same source added.

According to the framework paper, the government has made the establishment of the foundations of the social state, a strategic choice in the context of its program which includes among its principles, the institutionalization of social justice through the generalization of social protection and strengthening the responsibility of the state and its central role in the fight against poverty and reducing social disparities.
    
 

The psychotropic tablets were seized during a control operation on board a truck transporting goods registered in Morocco, immediately after its arrival from a Spanish port, according to the statement, which said that the cargo was carefully hidden inside cavities of the trailer that was loaded with imported electronic equipment.

The search and investigation procedures have also led to the arrest of the trucker, a Moroccan aged 37 years, who was placed in custody to complete the investigation conducted under the supervision of the prosecutor's office to determine the local and international ramifications of this criminal activity, said the same source.

These accidents were mainly due to non-respect of priority, excessive speeding, non-control of vehicles and pedestrian and driver errors, the source pointed out in a statement.

A total of 46,557 traffic tickets were issued by the police during the same week.

The sum of fines paid by road traffic violators stood at 8,646,875 dirhams, the statement said.

These accidents were mainly due to non-respect of priority, excessive speeding, non-control of vehicles and pedestrian and driver errors, the source pointed out in a statement.

A total of 46,557 traffic tickets were issued by the police during the same week.

The sum of fines paid by road traffic violators stood at 8,646,875 dirhams, the statement said.