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Rachid Guerraoui, a computer science professor at the “École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne” (EPFL) and affiliated with UM6P in Morocco, was recently elected to the Academia Europaea in 2025 under the Informatics section.  Professor Gerraoui’s research focuses on transactional memory, asynchronous distributed programming, and concurrent algorithms. He promotes computer science through educational initiatives and contributes significantly to research and education in Morocco at the Rabat based university UM6P. This recognition joins his other awards, including the 2025 ACM Barroso Award and 2024 Dahl-Nygaard Award. The Academia Europaea, comprising Europe’s top scholars, aims to advance academic excellence and advise on major…

French President Emmanuel Macron appointed French-Moroccan writer and academic Rachid Benzine to the National Ethics Committee for Life Sciences and Health on May 14, 2025. Rachid Benzine, one of two members chosen by the president to represent France’s main philosophical and spiritual groups, joins the independent committee established in 1983. The committee informs policymakers and the public about ethical issues arising from scientific advancements, using objective criteria to assess their benefits and risks. Benzine, a professor at various French universities, has authored works including “The New Thinkers of Islam (2004) and “Explaining the Quran to Young People” (2013).

The French Senate passed, on May 12, 2025, a bill with 227 votes in favor and 113 against, proposed by the Republicans, to remove NGOs from administrative detention centers for migrants. The bill transfers the role of providing legal advice and assistance to detained migrants, pending deportation, to the French Office for Immigration and Integration under the Ministry of the Interior. Nevertheless , the bill is likely to be fast-tracked to the National Assembly for approval. Five NGOs, including Cimade and France Terre d’Asile, currently provide legal support in these centers. The bill, which also aims to cut state expenses…

The Spanish city of Cadiz recently hosted the Spanish joint commission to plan the 2025 Operation Crossing the Strait (OPE), anticipating a rise in vehicles and passengers travelling through the Iberian Peninsula from June to September 2025. They project a 5% increase in vehicles (from 847,429 last year) and a 4% rise in passengers (reaching 3,442,770 in 2024), with 12,012 ship rotations planned, up 8.4% from the previous year. The meeting coordinated measures under Spain’s Special Civil Protection Plan to manage cross-continental travel, focusing on meeting the needs of Maghrebi citizens, ensuring smooth road traffic, and minimising port waiting times.…

In the first quarter of 2025, Spain’s population reached a record 49.1 million, increasing by 76,000 people, the highest quarterly growth recorded, according to the National Institute of Statistics. This rise is mainly driven by 95,363 new foreign residents, while the Spanish population dropped by 19,500. Among new immigrants, Moroccans (25,900) ranked second after Colombians (40,000). Madrid saw the highest population increase (+0.45%), followed by Valencia (+0.37%), while the Balearic Islands and Extremadura experienced a slight decline (0.01%). Spain’s foreign population is approximately 6.95 million.

French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau announced May 2025 circular tightens citizenship rules by enforcing stricter naturalization criteria, effective January 2026. Changes include requiring a higher level in French proficiency, a new civic test on French history and values, proof of financial independence, and an exemplary legal record (with no prison sentences over six months). Applicants will have to show strong assimilation into French society, with prefects directed to apply the new rules. The circular builds on the 2024 immigration law which emphasizes French values and integration. Critics argue it largely reinforces existing requirements.

The Moroccan Community Abroad Council (CCME) hosted on 27 April 2025, at the Rabat International Book Fair, Franco-Moroccan writer and critic Salim Jay. He presented the enriched edition of his “Anthology of Moroccan Emigrant Writers”.  Originally published in 2010, the anthology compiles works by Moroccan diaspora writers, including prominent names like Driss Chraïbi and Tahar Benjelloun, alongside lesser-known talented authors. It explores the experiences, challenges, and hopes of Moroccan emigrants, enriched with contributions from photographers and artists, reflecting the diversity of this migrant literature. Published in 2025 by “La Croisée des chemins” and the CCME, this updated edition underscores the…

The Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad (CCME) hosted on April 26, 2025,a conference on “Political Action, Diversity, and Social Issues” at the International Book and Publishing Fair (SIEL). The panel, moderated by Mohamed Tozy, featured Ahmed Aboutaleb (former mayor of Rotterdam, Netherlands), Karim Bouamrane (mayor of Saint-Ouen, France), and Ahmed Laaouej (President of the Koekelberg Municipal Council, regional deputy, and group leader in the Brussels Parliament. The discussion explored managing identity in political careers, the relationship between political trajectories and the host country’s narrative, and the unique political paths of these leaders. Ahmed Laaouej outlined Belgium’s complex political landscape,…

The Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad hosted on April 24, 2025, during the 30th International Book and Publishing Fair, a roundtable on “Morocco-Belgium: History, Migrations, and Commemoration,” marking the 60th anniversary of the 1964 labor agreement., the event featured former politician Fatiha Saidi, researcher Ahmed Medhoune, “Moussem Belgica” coordinator Mohamed Ikoubaân, publisher Michelle Desmont, and professor Hassan Bousetta. The round table was moderated by journalist Amin Boushaba Fatiha Saidi discussed her book “j’ai deux amours”, highlighting testimonies from Moroccan-Belgian writers that affirm a harmonious dual identity. Ahmed Madhoune emphasized the “duty of memory” to preserve migration history, presenting “Belgium,…

The Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad (CCME) held On April 25, 2025, held a tribute ceremony and panel discussion at the International Book and Publishing Fair in Rabat to honor Lalla Khiti Amina Benhachem Alaoui, the first Moroccan journalist at the RTBF, Belgium’s public broadcaster. The event, moderated by Merouane Touali, communication consultant, featured speakers including researcher Hassan Bousetta, Belgian journalist Sara El Massaoudi, Karim Ibourki (President of Belgium’s Superior Audiovisual Council), French journalist Claire Frachon, and Lalla Khiti’s children, Dounia and Safaa-Eddine Taghian. Lalla Khiti, a Belgian-Moroccan journalist, began her career at RTBF in 1973, producing and hosting…