Author: Equipe de rédaction

Brussels: Belgian-Moroccan political scientist and social entrepreneur Fatima Zibouh has been named “Brussels Leader of the Year” by Lobby magazine. Each year, the Belgian magazine presents the “Lobby Awards” to “inspiring and caring leaders who show the way for the community.” The choice of Fatima Zibouh, who is co-leading Brussels’ bid to become European Capital of Culture in 2030, reflects the sociologist’s particular concern for “the voiceless, the sidelined and the invisible, as well as her mission to create connections between different cultural and social universes.” In awarding the prize to Zibouh, the Jury wished to express “its confidence and…

The French Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, issued a new circular on 23 January 2025, toughening the conditions under which illegal immigrants can be regularised in France. The new circular replaces the previous one, issued by Manuel Valls in 2012, which eased the process of regularisation for family or employment reasons. The new circular sets a seven-year time limit for regularisations in France and insists on the exceptional circumstances in which they must be carried out, the aim being to reduce the annual number of regularisations from approximately 30,000 to 20,000. The prefects are required to apply these new…

Rabat – Morocco aborted 78,685 irregular migration attempts in 2024, thanks to the resilience of its border and coastal surveillance systems, according to data from the Ministry of the Interior. In 2024, the Kingdom continued to face constant and growing migratory pressure in an unstable regional environment fraught with multiple threats, the Ministry stressed. A share of 58% of irregular foreign migrants came from West Africa, 12% from the Maghreb and 9% from East and Central Africa. A total of 332 smuggling networks have also been dismantled, according to the same source. These networks are constantly developing their stratagems and…

The Council for the Moroccan Community Abroad (CCME), in partnership the Sochepress Foundation and the Association for Feminist Solidarity, announces a series of book meetings with the Dutch writer of Moroccan descent, Rahma El Mouden, about her book “Le chemin de ma liberté”. The series of meetings include a book presentation in Casablanca at the Feminist Solidarity Association on 21 January, followed by a meeting at the Bibliothèque de Paris in El Jadida on Wednesday 22 January. Furthermore, students from the Dar El Taliba Association in Oulmes will be holding a meeting with the author on 23 January, while the…

The Swedish government coalition could amend the Constitution to question dual nationality, following a report submitted by a committee on dual nationality. On Wednesday 15 January 2025, a committee with members from all political parties released its report in which it suggests that dual nationals could lose their Swedish nationality under certain conditions. These include “committing crimes that threaten Sweden’s security”, such as espionage or inciting rebellion. Sweden’s government wants to make the requirements and conditions for obtaining Swedish nationality more restrictive. These include an increase in the residence requirement from five to eight years and a proposal to double…

The European border control agency Frontex reports that in 2024 irregular border crossings in Europe have fallen to their lowest level since 2021, a year which was impacted by the Covid pandemic. The Frontex annual report states that 239,000 people entered the EU illegally, representing a decrease of 38% compared to 2023, mainly as a result of fewer arrivals via the Central Mediterranean and the Western Balkan routes. ‘’In spite of continued migratory pressures, the increased cooperation between the EU and its partners in the fight against networks of smugglers led to a significant decrease in border crossings at Europe’s…

The Moroccan embassy in the US urges Moroccan nationals residing in areas affected by the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles, California, to follow local authorities’ evacuation orders and safety guidelines.The embassy has called on Moroccans in the area to stay informed on wildfire updates through reliable sources and avoid unnecessary travel near affected regions to ensure personal safety.The embassy has provided contact information at the disposal of the Moroccan community for any urgent inquiries: * by telephone at 202 499 1050; * by e-mail at moroccoinusa.emergency@gmail.com Moroccan Embassy’ press release

Moroccan-Canadian author Mustapha Fahmi has published his third novel, La Beauté de Cléopâtre (La peuplade, 2025). About his book, the author writes: “The novel is a meditation on ethics, politics and aesthetics” that appeals to all the senses -writes the author-. Adding, how can we turn our lives into works of art while maintaining a fair and decent place among our fellow human beings? What is meant by the idea of giving oneself a style? What do heroes risk in the age of humans? Is charisma compatible with democracy? The author continues: “Cleopatra’s Beauty raises and analyses all these questions, drawing…

Each year, the “Trophées Marocains du Monde” Foundation, organiser of the event, awards a prize in recognition of exceptional figures of Moroccan descent having made a significant contribution in their fields, including arts and culture, scientific research, politics, business, sport and civil society. The “Trophées Marocains du Monde” is becoming a major event for highlighting talents of Moroccan descent and for strengthening the ties between Moroccan communities abroad and their country of origin, Morocco, according to a press release from the organisers. The CCME supported the Foundation’s 6th edition held in Marrakech last year. With MAP

In an interview with the newspaper Le Parisien on 6 January 2025, Bruno Retailleau, France’s Minister of the Interior, expressed his desire to hold a referendum on immigration in France, deploring the current impossibility of doing so due to constitutional constraints. “There is hardly another phenomenon that has shaken society to such an extent that the French people have never had their say”, he said, adding that the Constitution could be the subject of a referendum. The Minister views immigration to be a key challenge and is calling for a comprehensive approach to control migratory flows. The Minister intends to…