Ghana and Morocco have taken a significant step toward enhancing diplomatic and economic relations by agreeing to introduce a visa waiver for all categories of travelers.
The agreement, which is set to be presented to both nations’ parliaments for ratification, aims to facilitate seamless travel and boost cooperation in various sectors.
The decision emerged from discussions between Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and the Moroccan Ambassador to Ghana, Her Excellency Imane Ouaadil on March 23. During their meeting, Ambassador Ouaadil also addressed concerns over recent viral videos alleging violence against Africans in Morocco. She clarified that the footage in circulation was from a past border incident on June 24, 2022, which led to the deaths of 23 individuals but did not involve any Ghanaian casualties.
Additionally, Morocco has announced a significant boost in educational support for Ghana, doubling scholarships for Ghanaian students from 90 to 180 this year.
“We have both additionally pledged to deepen collaboration in Agribusiness, Tourism, and Security,” Ablakwa confirmed.
The government of Morocco has announced an increase in scholarships for Ghanaian students, raising the number from 90 to 180 starting this year.
This development follows high-level discussions between Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and the Moroccan Ambassador to Ghana, Her Excellency Imane Ouaadil.
During their engagement, Ambassador Ouaadil reassured that Ghanaians and other Africans residing in Morocco remain safe, dispelling social media claims that 700 Africans were being massacred.
She clarified that the circulated footage was from a border incident on June 24, 2022, which resulted in the deaths of 23 individuals. The incident was investigated by Moroccan and Spanish authorities, with no Ghanaian casualties recorded.
Beyond education, Morocco and Ghana have agreed to establish a visa waiver for all categories of travelers between the two nations. The agreement is expected to be presented to both parliaments for ratification soon.
“We have both additionally pledged to deepen collaboration in Agribusiness, Tourism, and Security,” Ablakwa stated.
The 4th Africa Media Convention (AMC) is set to be held in Marrakesh, Morocco from May 29-31st 2025 as part of commemorations for the World Media Day celebration.
This was announced by the President of the Ghana Journalists Association, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour during a press briefing yesterday, Thursday March 13.
According to him, “this year the 4th AMC will take place in Marakesh in Morocco from 29th May to 31st 2025”.
The 3rd Convention was held in Accra, Ghana one which Mr Dwumfour mentioned has “been taunted as the best convention since the inception of the AMC”.
He called on the Ghanaian media to participate in such international activities.
The Convention launched in 2021 by the East African Editors Forum, UNESCO Liaison Office to AU and UNECA, and UNESCO National Office in Dar es Salaam aimed at reflecting on the fundamental role of journalism, celebrating press freedom, deliberating on measures to safeguard media freedoms, promoting access to information, and to ensure the safety of journalists.
The event was themed “The African Media We Want: Enhancing Freedom, Innovation, and Environmental Sustainability in a Dynamic World.“ It focused on evaluating press freedom, access to information, and journalist safety in Africa, while also promoting public interest media, honoring journalists who lost their lives in the line of duty, and developing strategies for media sustainability.
The Africa Media Convention is a vibrant and dynamic event that brings together media stakeholders, policymakers, journalists, and academics from across the continent. It typically features keynote addresses, panel discussions, and case studies on various topics related to media sustainability, press freedom, and the impact of emerging technologies on journalism.
Participants engage in thought-provoking discussions, share innovative ideas, and collaborate on solutions to address the challenges facing African media.
The convention also serves as a platform to celebrate press freedom, pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty, and promote access to information and the safety of journalists.
Ghana’s sixth fixture in the2026 FIFA World Cupqualifiers against Madagascar has been rescheduled to take place in Morocco on Monday, March 24, 2025.
Originally set to be played in Antananarivo, the match was relocated after Madagascar’s national stadium failed to meet FIFA’s approval standards. The game will now be hosted at the Grand Stade d’Al Hoceima in Morocco.
This encounter follows Ghana’s crucial clash against Chad at the Accra Sports Stadium on March 21, marking the start of their international break.
The Black Stars are eager to turn the page on a disappointing 2024 campaign, which saw them win just two games and miss out on the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
With nine points from four matches, Ghana currently shares the top spot in Group I with Comoros. Their victories so far have come against Madagascar, Mali, and the Central African Republic, with their only setback being a loss to Comoros.
Having previously qualified for four World Cup tournaments—Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, and Qatar 2022—Ghana is determined to secure a ticket to the expanded 2026 edition, which will be co-hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
The Moroccan health ministry has confirmed a case of mpox in a man located in Marrakech.
This marks the first discovery of its kind since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the ongoing outbreak a global health emergency last month.
The declaration was made in response to the swift spread of a new variant, or clade, of the virus in central Africa. Moroccan officials have not yet disclosed which variant the infected individual has contracted.
According to the health ministry, the man is undergoing treatment and remains in stable condition. Authorities are actively tracing and monitoring all individuals who have been in contact with him. As of Thursday afternoon, none of them have shown any symptoms, per the official statement.
Mpox spreads through close contact with an infected person.
It can also be transmitted by handling virus-contaminated items, such as bedding, clothing, or towels.
In most cases, the infection clears up on its own within 14 to 21 days. However, it can be deadly, especially for vulnerable groups, such as young children.
Severe cases may involve widespread lesions, particularly affecting the mouth, eyes, and genital areas.
The WHO advises that treatment focuses on caring for the rash, managing pain, and preventing complications.
So far in 2024, over 20,000 cases and 500 deaths have been recorded across 14 African nations, with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) at the epicenter, reporting more than 5,000 cases this year.
While vaccines, seen as critical in curbing the spread, have reached the DRC, logistical challenges may delay their distribution to the hardest-hit areas in the eastern part of the country by several weeks.
When declaring the outbreak a public health emergency on 14 August, WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it was “clear that a co-ordinated international response is needed to stop these outbreaks and save lives”.
The Black Stars will depart for Berkane, Morocco, today, Friday, September 6, as they prepare for their crucial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Group F qualifier against Niger.
The team is aiming to bounce back after a disappointing 1-0 loss to Angola on Thursday, which ended their 24-year unbeaten home record at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.
Ghana’s qualification hopes now rest on securing a victory against Niger to stay in contention for one of the two available spots in Group F. Both teams head into the game seeking redemption after opening day defeats, with Ghana losing to Angola and Niger falling to Sudan.
The Black Stars will have two days of training in Berkane ahead of their encounter with Niger, scheduled for Monday, September 9, 2024, at the Berkane Municipal Stadium. Head coach Otto Addo will look to fine-tune his squad, ensuring they are ready to respond and put their qualification campaign back on track.
Ghana’s defeat to Angola came after a late goal by substitute Felício Mendes João Milson, who capitalized on a defensive error in stoppage time to seal the win for his side. Despite creating multiple chances throughout the match, the Black Stars were unable to find the back of the net, with Angola’s goalkeeper Neblu making crucial saves.
In response to the loss, Ghana will need to regroup and focus on securing a win against Niger to remain in the race for AFCON qualification. With Angola set to host Sudan in the other Group F clash, Ghana’s match against Niger will be vital for their chances of progressing.
The Black Stars’ next challenge comes with added pressure, but the team remains determined to recover from Thursday’s setback and deliver a strong performance in Morocco.
Lionel Messi shared a one-word message after Argentina’s Olympic opener against Morocco turned chaotic.
Argentina’s first game of the Paris Olympics ended in a 2-1 loss to Morocco following a tumultuous match in Saint-Etienne.
The Albiceleste equalized in the 16th minute of stoppage time, prompting fans to storm the pitch, leading to a suspension of play for over an hour.
VAR later disallowed the goal for offside, and Morocco maintained their 2-1 lead after the match resumed.
Messi posted on social media after the final whistle. The Argentina legend wrote simple “insolito” which translates to “unbelievable” coupled with a flushed emoji.
The Paris Olympic football tournament got off to a rough start, with incidents of fans throwing objects onto the pitch.
The situation was further marred by the booing of Argentina’s national anthem by the crowd, who appeared to be upset by footage of Enzo Fernandez and his teammates participating in a racist chant during their Copa America celebrations.
Argentina manager Javier Mascherano was also furious after the final whistle. “The biggest circus I’ve ever seen in my life,” he said.
Argentina will on to play Iraq on Saturday in Group B, while Morocco return to action on the same day against Ukraine.
The Minority Caucus in Parliament has criticized the government’s delays in releasing funds for the payment of stipends for Ghanaian students on scholarships abroad, describing the situation as unreasonable.
On Friday, May 24, some Ghanaian students studying in Morocco under the Morocco Scholarship Programme staged a protest at the Ghana Embassy in Rabat.
They expressed frustration over the delays in the release of their stipends.
Speaking to Citi News, the Deputy Ranking Member on the Education Committee of Parliament, Dr. Clement Apaak, urged the government to act immediately to prevent the embarrassment of Ghanaian students demonstrating in other countries to demand their allowances.
“I remember not long ago, we had to contend with Ghanaian students in the UK. Before that, we had to contend with Ghanaian students across the whole of Europe, from Hungary to Holland to Norway to Sweden. When is this going to stop?
“When are we going to have a situation where our students abroad will not have to be reduced to puppets and beggars? When they do not have to come out and cry? Is this too difficult to do as a nation? A new NDC government, led by John Dramani Mahama, would address this issue of unreasonable, outrageous delays in remitting our students abroad.”
Meanwhile, Ghanaian students in Morroco say they have been subjected to hardship amid academic challenges and risk being evacuated from their abode.
Ghanaian students studying in Morocco under a government scholarship program have urgently appealed to President Akufo-Addo for the prompt release of their overdue stipends.
The students voiced their concerns during a peaceful demonstration. Currently enrolled in various universities across Morocco, they have been facing significant challenges due to the delay in their stipend payments.
The students reported that they are on the brink of eviction from their apartments due to unpaid rent. They also mentioned struggling to afford basic necessities, forcing them to rely on the generosity of friends.
A male student expressed his distress, stating, “…it is not our fault. We were sent to this place by the government on a scholarship. Brilliant but needy students…It has been more than 10 months, we are going to the 11th month without our stipends. We live in a country where rent is 120 per month. That’s the cheapest you can get at a place without security.”
He further warned of dire consequences if their pleas were not addressed promptly, saying, “…Our lives are in danger. We are begging you wherever you are, Mr President, If you don’t come in there will be blood on your hands. We are begging you. If we don’t get paid in less than one week. There will be blood on your hands.”
A female student also echoed these sentiments, pleading, “We are pleading with the government of Ghana to come to our aid. As ladies here in this country, we are not even able to afford the basic needs, sanitary pads and the worst of it all is your parents will send you money and its gets here, it’s nothing.”
On Friday, May 24, Ghanaian students in Morocco, who are part of the Morocco scholarship programme, staged a protest over alleged delays in the disbursement of their stipends.
The demonstration occurred at the Ghana Embassy in Morocco.
The students stated that the prolonged delay in receiving their stipends has caused significant hardship, emotional distress, safety concerns, and academic difficulties for those pursuing undergraduate, master’s, and PhD programs.
They are calling on the government, the Ministry of Finance, and the Scholarship Secretariat to expedite the release of their funds to prevent further delays.
“The question is how do we survive? Our landlords are chasing us out of our apartments, some of us are sleeping with our friends, some of us are sleeping outside.
“Imagine sending your daughter to another country to come and study for 10 months without sending her money to pay her rent, how do you want her to survive? There are people here in debt, and some are depressed. The last time, we had someone almost commit suicide.
“This is not noise. This is not a story or a narrative, this is what we are going through. Our lives are in danger. We are begging you Mr. President, if you don’t intervene, there will be blood on your hands,” one of the students lamented.
The demonstrators, comprising undergraduate, masters, and PhD students, expressed grievances over the prolonged wait, which they claim has led to emotional distress, academic challenges, and increased risks.
The students are calling on the government, the Ministry of Finance, and the Scholarship Secretariat to accelerate the process and ensure timely disbursement of their stipends, thus averting any further delays.
“The question is how do we survive? Our landlords are chasing us out of our apartments, some of us are sleeping with our friends, some of us are sleeping outside.
“Imagine sending your daughter to another country to come and study for 10 months without sending her money to pay her rent, how do you want her to survive?
There are people here in debt, and some are depressed. The last time, we had someone almost commit suicide.
“This is not noise. This is not a story or a narrative, this is what we are going through.
Our lives are in danger. We are begging you Mr. President, if you don’t intervene, there will be blood on your hands,” one of the students lamented.
According to Spain’s maritime rescue services, a sailing yacht named Alboran Cognac sank in Moroccan waters in the Strait of Gibraltar after colliding with an unknown number of orcas.
The incident occurred at 0900 local time (0800 BST) on Sunday. Fortunately, two individuals aboard the vessel were rescued by a passing oil tanker.
This event is part of a series of orca rammings of vessels in the area over the past four years. Scientists are uncertain about the exact reasons behind this behavior but speculate that the highly intelligent mammals may be exhibiting “copycat” or “playful” actions.
The passengers on the yacht reported feeling sudden impacts to the hull and rudder, resulting in water entering the vessel. They promptly alerted emergency services and were rescued by the oil tanker, which transported them to Gibraltar. Unfortunately, the yacht was left adrift and eventually sank.
These orca rammings have become increasingly common in the Strait of Gibraltar, one of the world’s busiest waterways, with around 300 ships crossing daily. Similar incidents have also been reported off the Atlantic coast of Portugal and north-western Spain.
A subpopulation of approximately 15 orcas, known as “Gladis,” is believed to be behind the attacks, according to experts.
Since the attacks were initially reported in May 2020, the research group GTOA, which monitors the Iberian orca sub-species population, has documented nearly 700 interactions involving the species.
The attacks are thought to have begun after one or two orcas, also known as killer whales, began engaging with and damaging small sailing vessels during that month.
A prevailing theory circulated on social media suggests that the orcas are seeking revenge for White Gladis, a killer whale purportedly struck by a boat. This speculation gained traction when Alfredo López Fernández, from the research group GTOA, mentioned a “traumatized orca” instigating the attacks. However, animal behavior experts caution that this narrative may not be accurate.
“The idea of revenge is a great story, but there’s no evidence for it,” neuroscientist Lori Marino, president of the Whale Sanctuary Project previously told the BBC.
“There’s never been a case of an orca harming a human being in the wild.
“If they really wanted to do damage and harm the people on the boat they could easily do that.”
Instead, Lori told the BBC, it’s more likely the apparent attacks “started out as play behaviour”, and it’s a case of copycat killer whales rather than aggression.
“We’re talking about very intelligent beings, and we know that they are social learners,” she says.
Scientists think the endangered mammals instead appear to be “playing” with the boats out of curiosity and copycat behaviour, rather than aggression.
A five-member para-athletics team has left Ghana for Morocco’s 2024 Marrakech World Para Athletics (WPA) Grand Prix competition.
The tournament, set for April 22–28, is a qualification event for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
The competition would also allow the classification of the first Ghanaian Para Athletes in shot put and standing javelin, among others.
Other team members who have already been classified include 21-year-old Amos Ahiagah, a right-arm amputee who will compete in the 100-meter, 200-meter, 400-meter, and men’s long jump events.
19-year-old Diana Kuubetegr, also an arm amputee, will compete in the women’s 800-meter and 1,500-meter events.
Zinabu Issah, an experienced para-athlete, will also compete in the women’s sitting shot put, discus throw, and javelin events.
Speaking to the Chairman of the Ghana Para Athletics Association, Mr Foster Kwarteng, he called on corporate bodies to support the Samson Deen-led Ghana Paralympic Committee to enable many more heroes yet to gain classification to attend other Paris 2024 Paralympic Games qualification events coming up in Japan, Switzerland, and France respectively.
With the support of NPC Ghana, Ghana’s Dr Abena Tannor, a WPA international classifier, is currently in Morocco as one of the elected officials worldwide.
The African Paralympic Committee: AfPC Paris 2024 Qualification Grant sponsored the team and ten other selected athletes in Africa, a program to sponsor para-athletes across the African Region.
The president of the Ghana Paralympic Committee and African Paralympic Committee, Mr Samson Deen, has received support from the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the National Sports Authority to promote para-sports in Ghana through its 2020-2027 strategic plan.
Air Côte d’Ivoire announced plans to start direct flights to Morocco, marking a key milestone in the airline’s incredible history, which includes an astounding turnover of 992 billion CFA francs during the previous 11 years.
During a media briefing on Thursday, January 25, in Abidjan, Laurent Loukou, the Managing Director of Air Côte d’Ivoire, shared the airline’s achievements over the past decade and outlined its future prospects.
Established in May 2012, the airline, envisioned by President Alassane Ouattara, has not only played a pivotal role in the nation’s economic recovery but has also secured a dominant market share, surpassing 50%.
“Having transported 6.7 million passengers, the airline has created 586 direct jobs and 3,000 indirect jobs from 2013 to 2023,” Loukou proudly stated.
He also highlighted the airline’s punctuality rate, noting, “In 2023, Air Côte d’Ivoire achieved a 67% punctuality rate, compared to the world average of 77%, with the long-term objective set at 85%.”
Joined by Chairman of the Board of Directors, General Abdoulaye Coulibaly, and Airbus Vice-President Hadi Akoum, Loukou emphasised Air Côte d’Ivoire’s profitability and growth trajectory.
Following the successful launch of the Johannesburg route in July 2022 and with Cape Verde on the horizon, the airline anticipates commencing direct flights to Casablanca, Morocco, from April 15, 2024, operating four flights per week.
General Abdoulaye Coulibaly, the President of the board of directors, encouraged the staff to maintain excellent customer service standards that prioritise passenger safety.
This strategic move aligns with Air Côte d’Ivoire’s commitment to expanding its international reach and solidifying its position as a key player in Africa’s aviation landscape.
Hakim Ziyech propelled Morocco into the last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations as Group F winners with a 1-0 triumph over Zambia.
The Chelsea midfielder, presently on loan at Turkish club Galatasaray, secured victory at Stade Laurent Pokou in San Pedro with a decisive goal seven minutes before halftime.
Ziyech’s well-executed finish proved to be the decisive moment, earning Morocco the three points they needed to top the group. DR Congo secured the runners-up position after a goalless draw with Tanzania, signaling the end of Zambia’s involvement in the tournament.
Despite a competitive start to the match, with attempts from Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Zambia’s Patson Daka narrowly missing the mark, clear opportunities were scarce in the first half. Sofiane Boufal and Azzedine Ounahi also failed to find the target as both teams sought to assert themselves in an evenly contested game.
In the 30th minute, Kennedy Musonda tested Morocco’s goalkeeper Yassine Bounou with a long-range strike, but defender Frankie Musonda crucially intervened seconds later to deny Ismael Saibari from reaching skipper Ziyech’s cross in front of the goal.
Zambia had a close call 10 minutes before halftime when defender Nayef Aguerd headed wide from Ziyech’s cross. However, Morocco’s 30-year-old skipper found the back of the net within three minutes after Zambia’s keeper Lawrence Mulenga spilled a low cross.
Mulenga managed to parry Ayoub El Kaabi’s header, preventing Morocco from extending their lead, and the teams headed into halftime with Morocco holding a narrow one-goal advantage.
After the break, half-time substitute Amine Adli created two goal-scoring opportunities, but Zambia’s defense held firm. Lameck Banda came close to equalizing with a chance in the 59th minute.
As Morocco tired, Zambia intensified their efforts, with Lubambo Musonda shooting just too high and Emmanuel Banda forcing a save. Substitute Fashion Sakala caused problems for Morocco, but despite their efforts, Zambia couldn’t find a way back into the game, and Morocco secured a 1-0 victory.
Moroccan referee Bouchra Karboubi achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first Arab woman to officiate a match at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament as the main referee.
Her groundbreaking role took place during the decisive match between Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau at the Stade Félix-Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan on the third and final day of Group A in the 2023 AFCON.
This achievement reflects the proactive approach of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) in promoting women’s soccer, aligning with the enlightened vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.
The notable growth in women’s soccer in Morocco, including recent accomplishments like the U-20 national team’s historic qualification for the 2024 World Cup, underscores the FRMF’s sustained efforts and tangible actions to advance the sport.
Before officiating the Nigeria-Guinea-Bissau match, Karboubi, a police inspector, had already distinguished herself by overseeing numerous soccer matches at both national and continental levels.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rLe4kEDkMU
Her notable achievements include being the firstMoroccan woman to officiate a Throne Cup final between AS FAR and Moghreb de Tétouan in Agadir in May 2022.
Additionally, she contributed to the officiating team at the 2023 Women’s World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand from July 20 to August 20.
On January 10 in Dubai, Karboubi was awarded the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Prize for Sports Creativity, in its twelfth edition, as “Best Arab Football Referee”.
Bouchra Karboubi, the Moroccan referee, received the prestigious prize in acknowledgment of her leadership and outstanding performance as a professional referee overseeing international matches in top-level competitions.
The closely contested match betweenGuinea-Bissau and Nigeria concluded with a narrow victory for the Super Eagles, securing their second-place finish and advancement to the next stage of the competition.
Morocco secured a convincing 3-0 victory over Tanzania in their Africa Cup of Nations opener, with goals from Romain Saiss, Azz-Eddine Ounahi, and Youssef En Nesyri.
Despite their total dominance, Morocco faced resistance from Tanzania until the latter was reduced to 10 men late in the second half.
The gulf in class between the two teams was evident, with Morocco boasting players like Paris Saint-Germain’s Achraf Hakimi and Manchester United’s Sofyan Amrabat, while Tanzania started with Tarryn Allarakhia of Wealdstone in attack.
Morocco took the lead in the 30th minute when Romain Saiss capitalized on a rebound following Aishi Manula’s save from Hakim Ziyech’s fierce free-kick.
Despite Morocco’s dominance, Tanzania managed to keep the score at 1-0 until halftime.
In the second half, Tanzania’s Novatus Miroshi received a second yellow card, reducing them to 10 men. Morocco took advantage of the numerical superiority, with Azz-Eddine Ounahi scoring the second goal after a slick one-two with substitute Amine Adli.
Youssef En Nesyri then sealed the victory by tucking in the third goal after Ounahi’s cross.
Osimhen is set to compete against Morocco’s PSG defender Achraf Hakimi and Egypt’s Liverpool star Mohamed Salah for the prestigious 2023 CAF Player of the Year Award.
This marks Osimhen’s first appearance on the podium, alongside Hakimi, as they vie for the award against two-time winner Salah.
The Napoli talisman aspires to become the first Nigerian to claim the honour since Nwankwo Kanu in 1999.
Scheduled for Monday, December 11, 2023, at the Palais des Congrès, Movenpick, Marrakech, Morocco, the 2023 CAF Awards anticipate the participation of a distinguished panel for voting.
This includes members such as the CAF Technical Committee, media professionals from member associations, head coaches and captains of member associations, as well as clubs engaged in the group stages of the interclub competitions.
Additionally, Ghana boasts two female footballers, Comfort Yeboah and Jennifer Owusuwaa, nominated for the Young Footballer Award and Goal of the Year, respectively.
The anticipation for the awards ceremony is heightened by the diverse representation and stiff competition among football talents across the continent.
Many African governments are explaining their choice to send a lot of people to the COP28 climate conference in Dubai, even though many people are not happy about it.
The UN’s list showed that Nigeria, Morocco, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, and Uganda sent the most people.
Nigeria sent 1,411 people, Morocco sent 823, and Kenya sent 765.
Officials from Nigeria and Kenya said that some of their delegates were not paid for by the government because they were representing the media, non-profit organizations, and private companies.
Both countries also said that some of the people on the list are joining in from a different location.
Nigeria is the largest country in Africa and has the biggest economy. Because it has a lot of natural resources, it is important for Nigeria to take action on climate change. That’s why they will have more delegates at a meeting than any other African country. This was said by an adviser to Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu.
Kenya’s State House spokesperson Hussein Mohammed said on a TV station that the number of people at the event was not as high as reported because it included those who signed up but didn’t actually go.
He said that the national government had only approved 51 important representatives and the other ones had been supported by different groups.
The Tanzanian government said that over 90% of its delegations were paid for by private companies.
Four people from Morocco died in the ocean near Cadiz, Spain. Four others were very cold and had to go to the hospital.
The bodies of four people were found on Wednesday near their boat, which had 32 other people on it. It seems like they drowned.
27 people were told by the crew to jump off the boat into the sea, and 23 of them were saved.
The police are investigating the incident.
Spain’s second top leader and Minister for Workers, Yolanda Diaz, said she was very upset by the news.
“Something important is going wrong when people who want a better life end up finding death instead. ” She said we won’t ignore this and called for Europe to do something.
Spain is a popular place for migrants coming from North Africa to go into Europe. Many thousands of people have arrived there in the last year.
Abner Yonly, a pilot from Liberia who lives in the US, is coming back to Liberia after flying a plane across the Atlantic Ocean all by himself. He is the first black person to do this in a small plane.
Mr Yonly started his trip in Maryland, in the US. Then he went across the North Atlantic to Canada, Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, the UK, France, and Spain.
He arrived in Africa in Morocco and has now landed safely in Dakar, Senegal.
MrYonly is supposed to arrive at Roberts International Airport in Liberia at 4:00 PM GMT on Wednesday, as per his flight schedule.
Mr Yonly said in a statement that he wanted to be a pilot and also wanted to inspire others.
I realized during training that I could be a leader and inspire my generation to do amazing things, not just learn how to fly,” he said.
Mr Yonly wants to inspire other Liberians, especially young people born after 1980, by becoming the first Liberian-born pilot to fly a plane.
“Our mom and dad told us about Air Liberia, which is flown by pilots from Liberia. ” We didn’t see it. This will show them that if you work hard and stay determined, you can make your dreams come true.
Many people in the town of Amizmiz in Morocco are angry at the government after an earthquake destroyed their homes. They have gathered in large numbers to show their disagreement.
Amizmiz, which is about 34 miles (55km) south of Marrakesh, was greatly affected by the earthquake that happened on 8 September.
This earthquake in Morocco was the worst in over 60 years. It caused the death of almost 3,000 people and made thousands more injured and homeless.
The people who live here are saying that the people in charge are taking too long to help them and not paying enough attention to them.
After the earthquake, officials set up temporary camps for families who had lost their homes. They also promised to give them money to help them rebuild their houses.
However, the people protesting are now saying that they can’t stay in the camps any longer because the conditions are getting worse. Rain and strong winds are hitting the area, and it’s getting colder as winter gets closer.
The protesters say that local authorities are not giving help to some people who lost their homes, like tents.
The protest happened on Tuesday even though the group that planned it, called Amizmiz Earthquake Victims’ Coordination, decided not to participate.
The group decided to leave because the local authorities promised to listen to their worries and try to solve them.
They said that the government had promised to help faster, by giving new tents to people who didn’t have any before, and replacing tents that were damaged by bad weather.
They also promised to make the camps cleaner and give the displaced people water and electricity.
Morocco’s King Mohammed VI recently stated that he will provide 120 billion Moroccan dirhams ($11. 6 billion; £94 billion) over the next five years to help rebuild the areas affected by the earthquake and assist the more than 4. 2 million people who have been impacted.
The plan promises to give 140,000 dirhams to each household whose home has completely collapsed and 80,000 dirhams to each household whose home has been partially damaged.
Earlier this month, the government announced that it has begun giving 2,500 dirhams every month to each household that has been affected. This will continue for a year as part of a cash relief program.
Morocco’s government received backlash from some people after they refused help from other countries following the earthquake, even though many people urgently needed assistance.
I believe it is a mistake to keep prioritizing independence and feeling proud of one’s country. This is not the right time to say no because the help is important, even rich countries accept assistance during disasters, activist Maati Mounjib said on the BBC Newsday show.
Soufiane El Bakkali from Morocco and Kelvin Kiptum from Kenya are in the running for the Men’s World Athlete of the Year award this year.
There are only two male African athletes who have been nominated for the top award this year, out of a total of 11 nominees.
Both Kiptum and Bakkali are being considered for a very important athletics award because they performed exceptionally well.
In August, Bakkali, who is 27 years old, won the world championship for the 3000m steeplechase for the second time in a row.
Kiptum, who is 23 years old, came in first place at the London Marathon in April. He ran really fast and set the second-best time ever for that race.
On 8 October, he did something that had never been done before. He finished the Chicago Marathon in two hours and 35 seconds, which was the fastest time ever recorded. He beat Eliud Kipchoge’s previous record.
The people who won the contest will be told on December 11th. This will happen after people from all around the world, who are fans and experts of sports, vote to decide the winners.
The annual IMF-World Bank meetings are currently taking place in Morocco, but the conflict between Israel and Hamas has put a shadow over them and soured the outlook for an already weak global economy.
For the first time in 20 years, the meeting of the international lenders, which includes finance ministers and central bankers from all over the world, is taking place in an Arab nation.
“In the Middle East and North Africa, we have lowered our real GDP growth forecast to 2 per cent for 2023, a downgrade by 1,1 percentage point from our last projections in April,” said Jihad Azour, director of the IMF’s Middle East and Central Asia department.
He emphasized that persistent structural challenges would hinder medium-term growth.
“Crucially, the projected growth is not expected to be robust or comprehensive enough to generate sufficient employment opportunities for the hundred million Arab youth entering the workforce in the next decade,” Azour stated.
The slowdown is also influenced by reduced oil production, stringent policies in emerging market and middle-income economies, the Sudan conflict, and other nation-specific factors.
This projection occurred before the conflict, and Azour acknowledged that it was challenging to gauge its economic impact, describing the situation as a significant and seismic event.
Nonetheless, the IMF anticipates that economic growth in the Middle East and North Africa region will accelerate to 3.4 percent in 2024.
Sub-Saharan Africa is set to gain a “more influential representation” at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as it is being allocated a third seat on the global lender’s executive board, according to IMF Chief Kristalina Georgieva in an announcement made to AFP.
This development comes in advance of the IMF and World Bank meetings taking place in Marrakesh, Morocco, marking the first such gathering on the African continent since 1973.
The IMF’s executive board, overseen by Georgieva, oversees the institution’s daily operations and currently comprises 24 directors.
The United States, as the world’s largest economy, holds the largest share of votes, followed by economic powerhouses Japan, China, and Western Europe, which are ahead of other regions and developing nations in terms of representation.
“I have some good news for Africa. We are advancing a preparation to have a third representative of sub-Saharan Africa in our executive board,” Georgieva told AFP in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, last week Thursday.
“Ultimately, what it will mean is (a) stronger voice for Africa,” the IMF’s managing director added.
The World Bank has additionally declared its intention to establish a third seat for African nations on its board, with the official decision set to be made during the October 9-15 meetings in Marrakesh.
During the meetings in Morocco, both the IMF and World Bank will address the challenging matter of institutional reform, responding to increasing demands for more effective solutions to address debt and climate change issues in less affluent countries.
‘Brighter prospect’
Georgieva noted that economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa has slowed down this year to a rate of three percent.
“The impact of war (in Ukraine) was devastating, especially coming on top of COVID-19,” she said.
“Countries with limited fiscal capacity were particularly severely impacted.”
Inflation, which soared in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, caused “additional hardship on people”, Georgieva added.
Moscow’s invasion sent food prices soaring as both Russia and Ukraine are major exporters of agricultural goods.
Georgieva praised countries “for being very prudent in dealing with inflation”, which has gone down in many nations, and prioritising public spending in a way that allows them to lower deficits.
“We expect some brighter prospects for sub-Saharan Africa in 2024,” the Bulgarian economist and former European Commission vice-president said.
“But it is hard. We still see that food prices are particularly high, and that translates into (a) terrible fate for 144 million people having difficulty in feeding themselves and/or their families,” she said.
She warned against measures such as price caps or subsidising fuel to help people cope with inflation, as they “ultimately benefit rich people even more than poor people”.
“What we want is countries to win the fight against inflation,” Georgieva said.
“It’s not going to happen if we throw in more money without good fundamentals for the economy to run efficiently,” she added.
Instead of subsidies, she said, “What we are strongly recommending is to give direct support to the poorer part of the population”.
Despite the IMF’s ongoing provision of special assistance, including zero-interest loans, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Georgieva expressed her intention to urge both nations and the private sector to increase their contributions to aid developing countries. She emphasized the need for greater support in light of the ongoing challenges.
‘Lost decade’
The World Bank warned in a report on Wednesday that sub-Saharan Africa’s economic outlook “remains bleak”.
The institution warned that the region could face “a lost decade of growth”, pointing to “rising instability” with “increased incidences of attempts to destabilise governments by unconstitutional or violent means in recent years”.
The Sahel region in particular has been the scene for more than a decade of jihadist insurgency that has fuelled military takeovers in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.
Despite the coups, Georgieva defended the IMF’s decision to maintain aid to those countries due to “humanitarian concerns”.
“We have a responsibility to make sure there is at least minimum financial capacity,” she said.
“Because the regimes are not there sufficiently for their people, it’s not an excuse for us to forget about the men, women and children who need us.”
Morocco, Spain, and Portugal have successfully secured the hosting rights for the 2030 World Cup, a momentous occasion as it coincides with the tournament’s centenary.
FIFA has chosen to kick off the World Cup with the opening three matches taking place in South America, with Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay selected as the host nations for this historic launch.
Notably, all six nations involved in the bid—Morocco, Spain, Portugal, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina—will earn automatic qualification for the tournament, making it the first World Cup to span three continents.
Following the initial matches, the tournament will then progress to Morocco, Spain, and Portugal for the remainder of the competition, while the Opening Ceremony will still be held in one of these three host countries.
This decision grants Morocco the distinction of becoming the first North African nation to host World Cup matches. Originally, Morocco had planned a solo bid but later formed an alliance with Spain and Portugal in March.
Furthermore, this marks Portugal’s maiden opportunity to host the World Cup after previous unsuccessful bids in 2018 and 2022.
The groundbreaking aspect of this World Cup lies in its multi-nation hosting format, an unprecedented approach for the tournament.
The 2026 World Cup, hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, had already set a precedent with three host nations.
With this innovative hosting format,FIFA is paving the way for future bids, and there is hope for potential bids for the 2034 tournament from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC).
Following Algeria’s withdrawal from the bid to host theAfrica Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially designated Morocco as the host nation for the 2025 edition.
Originally, Guinea was slated to host the 2025 AFCON, but they lost their hosting rights in September 2023.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe confirmed this decision, citing Guinea’s lack of progress in preparing for the tournament.
The announcement was made by CAF President Patrice Motsepe on Wednesday, September 27, in Cairo, Egypt.
The 35th edition of Africa’s premier football competition will be held across various cities in Morocco, including Casa, Fez, Marrakech, Rabat, Tangier, and Agadir.
Initially scheduled for June–July 2025, the 2025 AFCON might now be hosted in January–February 2026.
This adjustment is due to the expanded FIFA Club World Cup set to take place in June–July 2025.
Notably, this will be the second time that Morocco hosts Africa’s premier football competition, with the first instance occurring in 1988.
Meanwhile,the 2023 AFCON is set to be held in Ivory Coast from January 13 to 11, 2024, featuring 24 nations competing for the ultimate prize.
On September 8th, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6. 8 hit and caused the death of over 2,900 people. Additionally, more than 5,000 individuals were injured.
Four firefighters from Lincolnshire and a rescue dog were part of a team in the UK that searches and rescues people in emergencies.
Neil Woodmansey, a member of the team, said that it was a reminder of the facts for everyone involved.
Mr Woodmansey, along with his dog Colin and his colleagues Karl Keuneke, Darren Burchnall, and Ben Clarke, joined a team of 60 firefighters from 14 fire services in the UK.
The firefighter, who lives in Sleaford, has been helping rescue people in other countries for over 20 years. They said it was still a very important moment when they received the call.
“One moment, it’s a Saturday morning and you have your plans – I was going to Lincoln to have some drinks – and suddenly, you’re quickly packing your bags and flying off to Morocco to try and support and aid the people there,” he explained.
When we arrived, we went up the mountains and it was very hard. ‘Everything taken away’ can be rewritten as ‘Everything has been removed’ or ‘Everything has been taken. ‘
The middle point of the shaking was in the High Atlas Mountains, around 44 miles (71km) away from Marrakesh. The places that got hit the hardest were faraway villages and towns.
Mr Burchnall said it would take around five hours to get to the villages that were affected because the roads were blocked and the mountain paths were very narrow. Additionally, their efforts to reach faraway places were hindered by aftershocks.
Mr Woodmansey said that it was both thrilling and frightening.
“He said that Colin simply lay down and fell asleep, but the rest of us were somewhat anxious,” he said. Mr Clarke, who works at Sleaford fire station, said the thing that affected him the most was how big the disaster was.
“In my job as a firefighter, we usually handle smaller emergencies like a house fire or a car accident. So going from that to dealing with a whole town, village, or even a larger area like a city or an entire country affected by an earthquake, it was one of the most impactful experiences for me personally, and I will always remember it. ”
Mr Keuneke, who usually works at Lincoln South fire station, said that many families have lost everything. This includes their houses and loved ones.
“We are accustomed to encountering individuals during their most difficult moments. However, witnessing it on such a large level was completely unique compared to anything I have previously encountered. ”
Mr Woodmansey said that the experience made him realize the truth and made him value what he already has.
A teacher in Morocco shared with the BBC that he is finding it challenging to provide support to traumatized students in the aftermath of the recent devastating earthquake, as he is grappling with his own recovery.
Abdelali Mahfodi, speaking from the town of Amizmiz, spoke to Newsday two weeks after the most powerful earthquake to strike the North African nation in over six decades.
Amizmiz has witnessed extensive destruction, with significant portions reduced to rubble. Mr. Mahfodi conveyed to the Newsday radio show that many residents in the town are currently unable to access basic necessities like showers and clean clothes.
The English teacher said his pupils need “psychological support”, but “I haven’t changed clothes in four days, how do you expect someone in this situation to strive in order to get students back on the rails?”
The 6.8-magnitude earthquake that occurred on September 8 resulted in the tragic loss of more than 2,900 lives in Morocco.
Morocco’s authorities have allocated 120 billion dirhams ($11.6 billion; £9.4 billion) for the reconstruction of affected regions and have pledged financial assistance to the victims.
However, a specific timeline for the implementation of these plans has not been provided. Morocco has been selective in accepting foreign aid and has agreed to receive assistance from only four countries: Qatar, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, and the UK.
For the complete account from Mr. Mahfodi, you can listen to the BBC’s Newsday radio show.
The money will also be used to help more than 4. 2 million people in the provinces most affected by the earthquake.
The palace announced on Wednesday that the money will be used to help people find new homes, build houses again, and fix damaged infrastructure over the next five years.
The big earthquake in Morocco, which was the strongest in over 60 years, caused the death of over 2,900 people and injured more than 5,000 others.
The earthquake also broke infrastructure and ruined over 50,000 houses in the High Atlas Mountains.
Morocco has gotten $700 million in donations to assist with its efforts to recover from the earthquake.
The country will use money given by the Moroccan government, help from other countries, and ongoing donations to the earthquake recovery fund to fix the borrowing they owe.
One Moroccan schoolteacher’s immediate concern was for her students when she experienced the 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck a week ago. Although Nesreen Abu ElFadel was in Marrakesh at the time, her school and pupils were located in Adaseel, a mountain village much closer to the epicenter.
Upon hearing the news, she rushed back to Adaseel in search of the children, but the devastating truth soon became clear: all 32 of her students, aged six to twelve, had perished in the earthquake.
She recounted her painful experience, saying, “I imagined holding my class’s attendance sheet and putting a line through one student’s name after another, until I had scratched off 32 names; they are all now dead.”
The earthquake, the strongest ever recorded in Morocco, struck on the evening of September 8 and claimed nearly 3,000 lives. Many mountain villages, including Adaseel, were completely destroyed.
Ms. ElFadel recalled the heartbreaking discovery of six-year-old Khadija’s body, along with her brother Mohamed and her two sisters, Mena and Hanan. They had all been in bed, likely asleep, during the quake. Khadija was her favorite student, known for being bright, active, and fond of singing.
Despite facing poverty and a high cost of living, the children and their families considered attending school the most important thing in the world.
Ms. ElFadel, who loved teaching Arabic and French to the Amazigh-speaking children of Adaseel, plans to continue her teaching career. She hopes that the authorities will rebuild the school, which collapsed during the earthquake.
A total of 530 educational institutions have been damaged to varying degrees, with some completely collapsed or severely structurally damaged, according to official statements. The Moroccan government has temporarily suspended classes in the hardest-hit areas.
Ms. ElFadel said, “Maybe one day when they rebuild the school and classes are back in session, we can commemorate those 32 kids and tell their story.”
Over 2,900 people have been reported dead in the earthquake that happened last Friday. It is the most deadly earthquake the country has experienced in the past 60 years.
Four firefighters and a rescue dog recently became members of the UK International Search and Rescue Team (UKISAR).
Karl Keuneke, who usually works at Lincoln South fire station, said that his team is still discovering people who are alive.
The Lincolnshire team includes Mr. Keuneke, Darren Burchnall, Ben Clarke, Neil Woodmansey, and rescue dog Colin. They are part of a group of 60 firefighters from 14 fire services in the UK. They are part of UKISAR, which helps injured people and looks for survivors stuck under buildings that have fallen down.
The center of the shaking was in the High Atlas Mountains, about 71 kilometers (44 miles) away from Marrakesh. Most of the places that were hit the hardest are far-away villages and towns.
Mr Keuneke explained that the team stayed near the bottom of the mountains and had to drive for many hours to reach places where people were stuck.
He said that search teams are finding people who are still alive, so there is still a chance for more people to be saved.
The firefighter said they saw a lot of destruction in the areas that were hit the hardest.
It feels really strange to be here. Clearly, we did a lot of practice before we went to work and we are firefighters in the UK, but it is very different from what we are familiar with.
He said, “We will stay here as long as we can help the people. ”
The defense ministry of Spain has released photographs featuring one of the Spanish search and rescue teams currently deployed in Morocco.
In addition to their primary mission of locating earthquake victims, this unit will also play a crucial role in coordinating the international aid response alongside other teams, as stated in an official statement on the social media platform X, previously known as Twitter.
As previously mentioned, Spain is among the four nations from which Morocco has accepted offers of assistance.
As soon as people heard about the earthquake in Morocco on Friday, many countries offered to help. But the country has only accepted certain things so far.
The interior ministry of Morocco said on Sunday that they have received support from friendly countries such as Spain, Qatar, the UK, and the United Arab Emirates during this phase.
Spain has sent a group of people to search for and rescue others, along with dogs trained to sniff out people. The UK has also sent a similar group. However, some people are wondering why Morocco has been taking a long time to accept help from other countries.
French aid is ready to help, but the leader of a rescue charity called Secouristes sans Frontieres said their workers have not yet been given permission by the Moroccan government, according to the AFP news agency.
Algeria had stopped being friends with its neighboring country in North Africa two years ago. Now, Algeria is saying that it might send 80 rescue workers who are really skilled at saving people’s lives to help. These rescue workers are part of Algeria’s civil protection force.
There have been offers from different countries like the US, Tunisia, Turkey, and Taiwan.
However, the decision on which aid to accept is being complicated by concerns regarding a country’s control of its own affairs and international relationships.
France and Morocco have a tense relationship because French President Emmanuel Macron is trying to form a closer bond with Algeria, which has created a divide between the two countries.
But the French government is trying to make it seem like they were not ignored.
Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said that this controversy is not correctly focused or directed.
We are prepared to assist Morocco. “It’s a choice that belongs to Morocco, and they have the power to decide,” she stated.
Morocco wants to stay in charge and doesn’t want to take the chance of having many countries and organizations getting involved, which could lead to a messy situation.
“Officials there have said that not working together in these situations would be unhelpful. ”
However, Maati Mounjib, a government critic and activist, believes that this is not the right way to respond when urgent assistance is required, particularly in distant regions.
I believe that it is a mistake to strongly emphasize the importance of a country’s independence and patriotism. This is not the time to say no because the help is important, even rich countries accept outside help in disasters, he told the BBC’s Newsday program.
Hossam Elsharkawi, who is in charge of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in the Middle East and North Africa region, did not want to say negative things about the Moroccan authorities during this tough period. However, he believes that additional assistance from other countries will be necessary.
The group is giving money to the local Red Crescent branch. The IFRC also has special teams ready to go to the country.
We have been doing this for 30 years and know exactly what to do. They will require support from other countries.
“The local team has been doing a great job so far, but they are tired by the third day and they will need more assistance,” Mr. Elsharkawi stated
Morocco’s Ministry of Education has decided to temporarily halt student learning in the areas most severely affected by the earthquake.
The ministry announced on Sunday that it is actively exploring alternative methods to ensure students can continue their education while the affected regions undergo recovery efforts.
Additionally, the ministry reported that seven teachers have tragically lost their lives, and 39 others have suffered injuries.
The earthquake has also inflicted damage on 585 schools, potentially necessitating the transfer of some students to different educational facilities.
The earthquake’s epicenter was located in the High Atlas Mountains, approximately 71 kilometers (44 miles) southwest of Marrakesh, as reported by the US Geological Survey.
The affected region is characterized by small farming villages, many of which have been severely impacted by the earthquake. The al-Haouz province is among the hardest-hit areas.
Significant damage was also observed in some parts of Marrakesh’s historic medina, a UNESCO heritage site, and its intricate network of alleyways.
This earthquake represents the most significant seismic event in the area in over a century, making it quite unusual for Morocco.
Rémy Bossu, the director of the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre, indicated that aftershocks are expected to persist for several days, possibly even weeks, as he shared with the BBC.
The disparity between the extensive damage caused by the devastating earthquake in Morocco and the amount of property that is actually insured is expected to be significant, as many residences lack insurance coverage, according to the reinsurer Scor, which declared this on Sunday.
The human toll in the country, which experienced a powerful earthquake during the night from Friday to Saturday, has already reached at least 2,500 fatalities.
This catastrophe is made even more “tragic,” as stated by Thierry Léger, the CEO of Scor, a company that provides insurance for insurers in the event of large-scale disasters. In addition to the loss of numerous lives, many homes were not constructed to withstand earthquakes, making them challenging to insure against this risk.
According to Jean-Paul Conoscente, the CEO of the group’s property damage division, the percentage of insured individuals is lower than that in Turkey, which suffered an earthquake last February, and “the gap between economic damages and insured property should be more substantial.”
According to a preliminary estimate by the World Bank, the economic losses resulting from the disaster in Turkey and Syria are estimated at $34 billion.
However, Swiss Re, the reinsurer, has estimated the costs for insurance companies at $5.3 billion.
In Morocco , “the losses for insurers will be much lower than in Turkey” , underlined Mr. Conoscente, without providing a precise figure.
Moroccan rescue teams, along with international assistance, are in a race against time to locate survivors and aid hundreds left homeless by the earthquake that struck over 48 hours ago, claiming more than 2,100 lives.
On Sunday, Morocco announced its acceptance of offers from four countries, including Spain, Great Britain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, to dispatch search and rescue teams. These teams are now coordinating efforts with Moroccan counterparts, as confirmed by the Interior Ministry.
Spain has already sent 86 rescue personnel equipped with specialized search dogs, while a Qatari humanitarian flight departed from the Al-Udeid air base near Doha on Sunday evening.
Additional offers of assistance may be considered in the future, depending on evolving needs, as stated by the ministry.
Numerous countries, including France, the United States, and Israel, had extended offers of support to Morocco in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake, which has left 2,122 people dead and 2,421 injured according to the latest report.
While awaiting the arrival of foreign rescue teams, Moroccan authorities have initiated the setup of tents in the High Atlas region, where entire villages were leveled by the quake.
Apocalyptic landscape
Rescue personnel, volunteers, and military personnel are laboring to locate survivors and recover bodies from the debris, particularly in villages in the Al-Haouz province, the epicenter of the earthquake located south of the tourist city of Marrakech in central Morocco.
In Tikht, a small village near Adassil, a minaret and a few unpainted clay houses remain amidst an eerie and devastated landscape.
The 33-year-old inhabitant Mohssin Aksum complains, “Life is over here.” “The community is extinct.
Nearby, Moroccan security personnel are preparing graves for the deceased while others are erecting yellow tents for the earthquake’s homeless survivors.
The earthquake was the biggest ever recorded in Morocco and occurred late on Friday night. It reached a magnitude of 7 according to the Moroccan Center for Scientific and Technical Research and 6.8 according to the US Seismological Service.
Given the scope of the destruction, Marrakech people have flocked to hospitals to donate blood for the victims, and solidarity efforts are being planned there.
“We’re collecting food to help the areas affected by the earthquake,” Ibrahim Nachit, a member of the Draw Smile association, told AFP. The association is also planning to send a “medical caravan” to the worst-hit areas.
“I think the food supplies collected today should be able to support at least 100 families for a week”, added Abdeltif Razouki, vice-president of the association.
“We were getting ready to go to sleep,” he said, when the glass started shaking.
Mr Smith said that he and his girlfriend, along with some other people, were standing near the hotel entrance when a second earthquake happened.
“He said we really looked hard for people who could speak English, but we could only find a few who spoke English poorly. ”
We waited to see if the building would stay strong, and then hurried to get our medicine and bedding because we thought we might have to sleep in the parking lot for the night.
The center of the earthquake was in a faraway mountain area southwest of Marrakesh. People said that entire villages in that area were completely destroyed.
Pictures and videos show lots of scared people on the sidewalks, worried that more shaking would happen after the big earthquake on Friday.
Some people used duvets as beds, while others only had one blanket to wrap themselves in.
Some people put their things in a suitcase and kept it with them all night.
Many people decided to sleep outside. Others had to because their houses were destroyed.
The earthquake, which measured 6. 8 on the scale used to measure earthquakes, has caused entire villages to collapse. The earthquake started near the town of Ighil in Al Haouz Province, about 43 miles south of Marrakech.
Over 2,012 people have passed away and 2,059 have been hurt, and unfortunately, these numbers are likely to increase more. More families are stuck under the collapsed buildings, and rescue teams are having a hard time reaching them. This is particularly true in the worst affected countryside, where the roads are entirely blocked by the debris.
Yesterday, Caroline Holt, who is in charge of operations for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), said that there is only a limited amount of time for rescues to happen.
She said the next 24 to 48 hours are very important for saving lives. She promised that they will focus on searching for people while also taking care of those who have been found and are safe.
The people who live in the area are working together to help those trapped under collapsed buildings. Some are searching through debris using only their hands.
The earthquake was the largest one to happen in Morocco in 120 years. It caused buildings and walls in old cities, which were made of stone and other materials not built to handle earthquakes, to collapse. Not a lot of earthquakes happen in North Africa. Lahcen Mhanni, who is in charge of monitoring earthquakes at the National Institute of Geophysics, said on 2M TV that the earthquake was the most powerful ever recorded in the mountain area.
In 1960, a big earthquake with a strength of 5. 8 happened near the city of Agadir in Morocco. Many people died because of it.
Professor Bill McGuire, a retired professor who specializes in studying the dangers of natural disasters like earthquakes, explained that even though people don’t usually associate Morocco with earthquakes, they do occur there.
A very strong earthquake caused many buildings to collapse in Marrakech, Morocco. This one is really big for the area – the largest in over 120 years – and, as shown by the number of deaths from climbing, very dangerous.
The issue is that in places where there are not many powerful earthquakes, buildings are not built strong enough to handle strong shaking of the ground. Because of this, many buildings collapse and a lot of people get hurt or killed.
I think that the number of people who died will go up to thousands once we have more information. After a major earthquake, there will probably be more smaller earthquakes called aftershocks. These aftershocks may cause more people to get hurt or even die, and they will also make it harder for rescuers to find and save people.
Inhabitants woken up by the tremors and the sounds of cherished ones shouting in dread fled their homes into the haziness on Friday night, where they remained until sunshine crouched in fear of post-quake tremors.
Crisis laborers are presently in a race against time to discover survivors in the midst of the rubble after the passing toll surged to at slightest 1,0372,012 with 2,059 individuals harmed – 1,404 of whom are said to be in a basic condition.
That number is anticipated to rise as rescuers battle to reach inaccessible ranges within the Chart book Mountains hit hardest. The shudder was the greatest to hit Morocco in 120 a long time, and toppled buildings and dividers in antiquated cities made from stone and masonry not planned to resist shakes.
Most of the little town of Moulay Brahim, carved into a mountainside south of Marrakech, was dreadful after dividers disintegrated, windows smashed and more than a dozen homes were diminished to heaps of concrete and bowed metal shafts.
Ayoub Toudite said he had been working out with companions at the exercise center when ‘we felt a gigantic shake like it was doomsday’.
In 10 seconds, he said, everything was gone.
‘We found casualties and individuals running and kids crying,’ he told The Related Press. ‘We never saw anything like this, 20 passings within the region, 30 injuries.’
Pictures broadcast by neighborhood media appeared a expanding gap within the side of a domestic and a car underneath the remains of a building brought down by the shake.
In Marrakech, the popular Koutoubia Mosque, built within the 12th century, endured harm, but the degree was not quickly clear.
Its 226-foot minaret is known as the ‘roof of Marrakech’.
Moroccans moreover posted recordings appearing harm to parts of the celebrated ruddy dividers that encompass the ancient city, a UNESCO World Legacy location.
British writer Martin told Jay BBC Radio 4’s Nowadays program that he had fair settled into rest when it hit. ‘The to begin with indicate was my spouse screaming,’ he said.
‘We both had gestured off to rest – but not into profound rest – fair into that light sleep I assume … and she begun shouting, and I fair sort of opened my eyes and couldn’t very connect the dabs up.
‘I couldn’t very liken the circumstance, I couldn’t envision I was within the center of an seismic tremor. Everything was vibrating, everything, the bed, the floor, the four walls.’
Portion of their domestic was harmed by the seismic tremor, with a few of the brick dividers collapsing from the tremors.
Be that as it may, Mr Jay said he had built his room out of wood, which ‘probably’ spared his life.
He said specialists cautioned the open not to go back into their homes after the seismic tremor.
‘There were reports coming through on Moroccan media caution individuals not to go back into their homes,’ he said. ‘This was a across the country message that was put out by the specialists.
‘So, you have got this abnormal evening of nearly each single town in Morocco, most individuals are sitting on the ground exterior of their houses or flat pieces, since they were anxious of the moment seismic tremor which they anticipated would come two hours afterward.
‘Thank God it didn’t.’ Prof Charge McGuire, Teacher Emeritus of Geophysical & Climate Hazards at UCL, said: ‘Morocco isn’t the primary put that comes to intellect when individuals think of seismic tremors, but they do happen.
‘This one, in any case, is particularly expansive for the locale – the greatest in more than 120 a long time – and, as the climbing passing toll demonstrates, dangerous.
‘The issue is that where dangerous seismic tremors are uncommon, buildings are basically not developed heartily sufficient to manage with solid ground shaking, so numerous collapse coming about in tall casualties.
‘I would anticipate the ultimate death toll to climb into the thousands once more is known. As with any enormous tremor, consequential convulsions are likely, which is able lead to assist casualties and ruin look and rescue.’
World pioneers advertised to send in help or protect groups as condolences poured in from nations around Europe, a Gather of 20 summit in India, nations around Europe, the Mideast and past.
Turkey’s president, whose nation misplaced tens of thousands of individuals in a gigantic seismic tremor prior this year, was among those proposing help. France and Germany, with huge populaces of individuals with Moroccan beginnings, moreover advertised to assist.
And the pioneers of both Ukraine and Russia communicated back for Moroccans.
The Moroccan government has not formally inquired for offer assistance, a step required in arrange for exterior protect groups to be brought in. The US Topographical Study said the shake had a preparatory size of 6.8 when it hit at 11.11pm nearby time, with shaking that kept going a few seconds.
It detailed a size 4.9 aftershock hit 19 minutes afterward.
The epicenter of Friday’s tremor was close the town of Ighil in Al Haouz Area, generally 43 miles south of Marrakech.
The USGS said the epicenter was 11 miles underneath the Earth’s surface, whereas Morocco’s seismic office put it at seven miles down. Such shallow shakes are more unsafe.
Beginning reports propose harms and passings were extreme all throughthe Marrakech-Safi locale, which more than 4.5 million individuals call domestic, concurring to state figures.
Seismic tremors are generally uncommon in North Africa. Lahcen Mhanni, Head of the Seismic Checking and Caution Division at the National Organized of Geophysics, told 2M TV that the seismic tremor was the most grounded ever recorded within the mountain locale.
In 1960, a size 5.8 tremor struck close the Moroccan city of Agadir and caused thousands of passings.
The Agadir shudder incited changes in development rules in Morocco, but many buildings, especially provincial homes, are not built to resist such tremors.
In 2004, a 6.4 size seismic tremor close the Mediterranean coastal city of Al Hoceima cleared out more than 600 dead.
Friday’s tremor was felt as distant absent as Portugal and Algeria, concurring to the Portuguese Established for Ocean and Environment and Algeria’s Gracious Defense organization, which oversees emergency response.
Moroccan state TVsaid that around 820 people were reported dead in the earthquake, according to information from the interior ministry. In the past, Morocco experienced some really big earthquakes, including one that happened in 2004.
A strong earthquake happened in al-Hoceima in the north-east of Morocco and it caused the death of 628 people. In 1960, a very strong earthquake happened in Agadir and it caused the death of 12,000 people.
That might show us how many people could get hurt or killed in this earthquake.
The centre of the earthquake last night was in the Atlas Mountains. There are many small villages that are far away and hard to get to. It might be a long time before we find out how bad this big disaster is.
The event has cause the British Airways to switch the airplane they use for the Marrakesh route. This change will be helpful in case UK tourists are stuck and need to comeback home quickly due to an emergency.
The airline has talked to all of its customers in Morocco to make sure they are okay.
“We are keeping a close eye on the situation and if customers have plans to travel to or from Marrakesh within the next two weeks, they can change their dates for free. “
The earthquake did not change BA’s regular flight schedule. US President Joe Biden has shown his feelings of care and sorrow for the people affected by an earthquake. Heal so mentioned that the US is prepared to offer any help that might be needed.
He said he feels very sad about the earthquake in Morocco, which caused many people to die and a lot of destruction. President Xi Jinping of China has sent a message of sympathy to Morocco, according to state media.
The earthquake in Morocco happened at night when most people were already sleeping. But the earthquake, which was measured at 6. 8, quickly caused people to leave their homes in extreme fear.
More than 600 people have died, but the exact number of fatalities is still uncertain. The earthquake started in the High Atlas Mountains, but many people died in Marrakesh, which is about 44 miles from the epicentre.
Abdelhak El Amrani, a 33-year-old resident of Marrakesh, said to the AFP news agency, “We experienced a strong shaking, and I understood it was an earthquake. I saw buildings that looked like they were moving.
After that, I stepped outside and saw many people gathered there. Everyone was very surprised and scared. The kids were sobbing and the parents were extremely upset.
Michael Bizet, a person from France, who has three buildings in the old part of Marrakesh, said to AFP: “I believed my bed was going to float away. ” I walked outside with only some of my clothes on and quickly went to visit traditional Moroccan houses called riads.
“It was a complete mess, a true disaster, complete craziness. ”
He said on BBC Radio 4’s Today show: “The first sign was when my wife started screaming. We both fell asleep, but not deeply. We were just in a light sleep, I guess. She began to shout loudly, and I slowly woke up but couldn’t understand what was happening.
“I didn’t fully understand the situation, and I couldn’t believe I was experiencing an earthquake. ”
Everything was shaking, all the things in the room – the bed, the floor, and the walls were moving back and forth.
He said that people were told not to go back to their houses.
So, in Morocco, there was a strange evening where almost everyone in the towns was sitting on the ground outside their houses or apartment buildings. They were scared because they believed another earthquake would happen two hours later. Thank goodness it didn’t happen.
Fayssal Badour, who lives in Marrakesh, was driving when the earthquake happened at 11:11 PM local time.
“I stopped and realized that it was a complete disaster,” he said to the agency. “The loud yelling and weeping were extremely difficult to endure. ”
There are ongoing attempts to rescue people, and many buildings are badly damaged.
Montasir Itri, who lives in a mountain village called Asni near the center of the earthquake, said that our neighbors are trapped under the collapsed buildings and people are doing their best to save them using what resources are available in the village.
Houda Outassaf was walking in Jemaa el-Fna Square in Marrakesh when the ground suddenly started shaking.
“He told AFP that it was an incredible feeling,” he said. “We are okay and unharmed, but I am still feeling extremely surprised and unsettled. ”
I lost at least 10 people from my family who passed away. I can hardly believe it, because I was with them just two days ago.
Tourists really like visiting the old city of Marrakesh, and that’s why thousands of them go there every year.
Lorella Palmer, a woman from Britain who was on vacation there, said to BBC News: “The room suddenly started moving. ”
“She said that your brain doesn’t quickly understand what is happening until the picture frames and bed begin to shake. ”
Local reports indicate that a powerful earthquake took place in Morocco on Friday night, resulting in the tragic loss of life for a minimum of 632 individuals. Over 300 people were also injured.
People who live in Marrakech, which is the closest big city to the center of the event, reported that certain buildings in the old city, a place recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site, had fallen down.
Moroccan TV showed pictures of a mosque tower that had fallen down. The tower caused rubble to fall onto cars and damage them.
Worried families gathered in the streets or huddled on the sidewalk, some holding their children, blankets, or other things, afraid of more aftershocks.
A very strong earthquake destroys buildings in Marrakech, Morocco. Rescue workers searched for people alive in the remains of buildings, using their bright yellow vests to light up the dark scene at night.
Baskets, buckets, and clothes were visible among scattered rocks in the remains of a building. Montasir Itri, a person who lives in the mountain village of Asni close to the center, said that most houses in the village were harmed.
He said that our neighbors are trapped under the collapsed building and people in the village are working really hard to save them using whatever they can.
To the west, close to Taroudant, a teacher named Hamid Afkar said that he had to leave his house because of the earthquake and could still feel smaller tremors afterwards.
The ground moved for about 20 seconds. “He said that as he quickly went downstairs from the second floor, doors opened and closed on their own. ”
Morocco’s geophysical center reported that a strong earthquake happened in the Ighil area of the High Atlas. The earthquake had a magnitude of 7. 2
The earthquake in the US is measured to be 6. 8 in magnitude, and it was relatively close to the surface, about 11. 5 miles deep
Ighil is a place with mountains and small villages where people farm. It is located about 40 miles in the southwest direction from Marrakech. The earthquake happened a little after 11pm nearby. The recent earthquake in Morocco is the most deadly one since another earthquake happened in 2004 near Al Hoceima in the northern Rif mountains, causing the death of over 600 people.
More pictures shared on the internet displayed people running and shouting near the famous Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakech, which was built a long time ago.
The news in Morocco said that the mosque got damaged, but we don’t know how bad it is yet. The 226-foot tall tower in Marrakech is called the ‘roof of Marrakech’.
Moroccan people shared videos of the damaged red walls around the old city in Marrakech, which is a special place recognized by UNESCO.
The leader of a town close to where the earthquake happened said that many houses in nearby towns were destroyed or severely damaged, and some areas lost power and had blocked roads.
Abderrahim Ait Daoud, who is in charge of Talat N’Yaaqoub, said that authorities are trying to make the roads in Al Haouz Province clear so that ambulances and aid can reach the affected people. However, the villages in the mountains are far apart, so it will take some time to know how much damage has occurred.
Local news sources said that the roads going to the mountain area near the center were full of cars and blocked with rocks that had fallen, which made it harder for rescuers to reach the area quickly.
Earthquakes don’t happen very often in North Africa.
Lahcen Mhanni, who is in charge of monitoring earthquakes, said on 2M TV that the earthquake in the mountain region was the biggest one ever observed.
In 1960, a big earthquake happened close to the city of Agadir in Morocco and many people died.
The earthquake in Agadir caused Morocco to make changes in the rules for construction. However, many buildings, especially rural homes, are not made strong enough to handle these kinds of earthquakes.
In 2004, a very strong earthquake happened near the city of Al Hoceima by the Mediterranean Sea. It caused over 600 people to die.
The earthquake on Friday could be felt in Portugal and Algeria, as reported by the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere and Algeria’s Civil Defense agency, which is in charge of emergency response.
The government of Algeria has stated that a bunch of tourists who accidentally entered their waters from Morocco on jet skis were given a warning before they were fired upon.
Last week, two men died after a fight with the Algerian coastguard.
In its first statement about the incident, the Algerian defense ministry said on Sunday that the tourists didn’t obey an order to stop multiple times.
However, someone who lived through the event has disagreed with this statement – stating that they were never given a warning.
“My brother Bilal was killed by gunshots right in front of me,” Mohamed Kissim told the Reuters news agency.
The group started riding jet skis from the Moroccan resort of Saidia on Tuesday when they were hit by gunfire.
In a previous interview with French TV BFM, Mr. Kissi talked about how they got lost when it became dark. They realized they had accidentally entered Algerian territory when they saw coastguard boats coming towards them.
“They came towards us,” he said – mentioning that his brother, Bilal, gave a signal for them to go back before the coastguard began shooting at them.
Mr Kissi also said that they were able to escape from danger because they ran out of fuel.
Algeria’s defense ministry said that they gave a clear warning to the group, but the suspects didn’t listen and ran away.
It said that the reason for firing the warning shots was because there was a lot of illegal activity by drug smugglers and organized crime at its borders.
Morocco and Algeria have had a lot of problems with each other for a long time because of Morocco’s belief that they should control the disputed Western Sahara region.
The line separating them was shut in 1994, and Algiers cut off connections two years ago. Morocco was accused of doing unfriendly actions, but Rabat denied this allegation.
Algerian officials have also said that they found a dead man after an incident last week. They took his body to Tlemcen, a city near their shared border, to examine it.
It is believed that Abdelali Mechouar, who is related to the Kissi brothers, is the second person who died in the incident, according to Moroccan media. His family still hasn’t received his body.
The second man who passed away, Bilal Kissi, was buried on Thursday after his body was found on Saidia beach.
The Algerian authorities arrested a man named Smail Snabe. He has now been found guilty and given a prison sentence of 18 months, as reported by Morocco’s National Human Rights Council (CNDH).
The CNDH has asked for him to be set free and given to the Moroccan authorities.
The council also criticized the Algerian coastguard’s actions. They said that not helping people who were lost at sea was very wrong and went against international rules and laws that protect human rights. This is particularly bad because the people were in a situation where it was unclear who should help them.
The Moroccan authorities have said they won’t talk about the incident, as they see it as a legal matter. However, the office that investigates crimes is looking into the accident.
The families of Bilal Kissi and Smail Snabe, who have both French nationality, want to take legal action in France, according to the AFP news agency.
The foreign ministry of France said on Friday that it knew about the death of one of its citizens and the capture of another French person in Algeria.
It said that it is talking to their families and the authorities in both countries.
Algerian coastguards fatally shot two tourists who were on holiday in neighboring Morocco on Tuesday, reportedly because their jet skis crossed the maritime border between the two countries.
The victims were identified as Bilal Kissi, a resident of France, his older brother Mohamed, their Moroccan cousin Abdelali Mechouar, and their friend Smail Snabe. They had gone jet skiing from the popular beach resort of Saidia.
Mohamed Kissi, the only survivor, explained that they were not attempting to flee but were trying to communicate with the Algerian coastguards when the shooting began. Five bullets struck his brother and their friend, while another friend’s jet ski was hit by a bullet.
Moroccan media reported that Snabe, a French-Moroccan, was arrested by the Algerian coastguard and appeared before a prosecutor on Wednesday.
As of Friday, Mechouar’s body remained in Algeria, and the prosecutor’s office had initiated an investigation into the incident.
This incident has occurred amid increased tensions between Algeria and Morocco over the disputed Western Sahara territory. The border between the two neighboring countries has been closed since 1994, and diplomatic ties were severed by Algiers in 2021.
Many people in Morocco are very angry because two tourists were shot and killed by coastguards in Algeria. The tourists had accidentally gone into Algerian waters while riding their jet skis.
The men were all from France and Morocco. There were four of them and they got lost after leaving from the Saidia resort in Morocco.
On social media, people from Morocco are asking for the coastguards to be punished.
The government in Rabat has chosen not to say anything about it yet, saying that it’s something for the courts to handle.
Algeria has not made any official statements.
The line dividing the two countries has caused a lot of problems and disagreements for many years.
Morocco achieved a remarkable feat at the 9th Jeux de la Francophonie, held from July 28 to August 6 in Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo), by securing a total of 58 medals.
This extraordinary performance allowed Morocco to top the rankings of the sporting and cultural event for the first time in its history.
On the final day of competition, Saturday, Morocco made waves by earning 23 gold, 16 silver, and 19 bronze medals.
The Kingdom’s impressive medal tally comprised 42 medals in athletics, 8 in judo, 5 in road cycling, 2 in wrestling, and 1 in ball juggling.
This achievement marks a new record for Morocco at the Jeux de la Francophonie, surpassing their previous best in Côte d’Ivoire in 2017, where they earned a total of 42 medals (13 gold, 14 silver, and 15 bronze).
A noteworthy aspect of Morocco’s participation was that a majority of the medals, 34 out of 58 (including 18 gold medals), were won by Moroccan athletes, highlighting the significant role of women in the country’s sporting landscape.
As a member of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, Morocco also holds the distinction of organising the first Jeux de la Francophonie in Casablanca in 1989, where they secured a commendable 3rd position with 21 medals.
The 9th edition of the Jeux de la Francophonie brought together around 2,500 young individuals aged 18 to 35, representing 88 countries, including Morocco, to participate in a wide range of sporting disciplines and cultural activities as part of this esteemed event.
The Jeux de la Francophonie concluded on Sunday, marking the successful culmination of the engaging and spirited gathering.
