🇲🇦MoroccoNorth Africa
Contactless payment fraud surges globally, Kaspersky reports
via Le Matin3 min read
Cyberattacks targeting contactless payments via NFC technology are rapidly increasing worldwide, according to Kaspersky. The cybersecurity firm reported blocking over 35,600 attacks on Android smartphones during the first four months of 2026. This figure represents a significant rise compared to the just over 12,300 attacks recorded during the same period in the previous year.
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Must ReadThe International Monetary Fund IMF has released a study on central bank independence in the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia, and the Caucasus, concluding that greater autonomy for central banks correlates with better inflation control and resilience to macroeconomic shocks. The study examines interactions between fiscal and monetary policy, using net claims of the banking system on the state as a percentage of GDP to measure "fiscal dominance." The IMF notes that countries like Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Algeria, and Pakistan show public debt to the banking system above the regional average, indicating fiscal dominance. This occurs when state financing needs influence monetary policy, potentially leading authorities to fund the government or maintain artificially low interest rates. The IMF warns that significant reliance on the banking system for public deficit financing can complicate monetary policy transmission, fuel inflationary pressures, and undermine central bank credibility. The institution also highlights that excessive public debt to the banking sector can crowd out private sector credit, hinder investment, and impact economic growth. The report cites Egypt and Pakistan as examples where high domestic debt limited central banks' ability to raise interest rates promptly, contributing to persistent inflation despite easing global supply chain tensions. To address these issues, the IMF recommends short-term measures such as strengthening central banks' legal fra
Zakaria El Ouahdi, a defender for the Atlas Lions, has resolved an administrative issue that previously prevented him from traveling with the Moroccan team to the United States. He has now obtained the necessary travel authorization and is expected to join the team's base camp. His arrival will allow national coach Mohamed Ouahbi to have the full squad available for preparation ahead of the 2026 World Cup, where Morocco holds high ambitions following their historic performance in the 2022 edition in Qatar.
The Moroccan Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports is offering free airline tickets to Moroccan candidates admitted to the oral examinations for French engineering and business schools. This initiative aims to support equal opportunities and assist deserving students in their international academic pursuits. The measure applies to students currently enrolled in or who have completed their second year at preparatory centers for Grandes Écoles CPGE in Morocco and who have been invited to oral exams for the 2026 French competitive entrance exams. This includes exams like BCE and Ecricome for business schools, and X-ENS, Centrale Supélec, Mines-Ponts, CCINP, and Arts et Métiers for engineering schools. Candidates for the common INP CCINP exam must have a minimum average of 13.5/20. Interested candidates must pre-register via the "Concours français" section of the e-CPGE portal by June 9, 2026, at 2 PM. A commission comprising ministry representatives and the CPGE Maroc collective will select beneficiaries based on school rankings and written exam results. In case of ties for business schools, a draw may be held. Selected students have 48 hours to confirm acceptance of the ticket. Travel dates must be entered on the e-CPGE portal, and the e-ticket will be sent after visa confirmation. The ministry states that these complimentary tickets are non-refundable. This program seeks to reduce financial burdens associated with travel to France, enabling more Moroccan student
Morocco has been integrated into the target markets of the Project Development Programme PDP, a German-African energy cooperation initiative, since January. This recognizes Morocco as a promising emerging market for clean energy technologies. To prepare for a structured commercial offensive by German actors, the German Agency for International Cooperation GIZ is launching a comprehensive market analysis of climate-friendly energy solutions for the commercial and industrial C&I sector. This meta-study aims to synthesize existing data into concrete commercial opportunities for German solution providers. The investigation covers four technological areas: renewable electricity production, renewable and efficient process heat, energy efficiency in industrial systems, and green hydrogen, though the latter is marginal to this study's detailed scope. The study will identify Moroccan industrial and commercial sub-sectors with the highest technical and economic potential for adopting these technologies, focusing on energy cost structures and potential savings from large-scale deployment of renewable or energy efficiency solutions. Technologies examined include rooftop and ground-mounted solar photovoltaics with storage, self-consumption wind power, biomass and biogas systems, concentrated solar thermal, high-temperature heat pumps, and transversal energy efficiency technologies like high-performance motors, compressors, HVAC systems, and heat exchangers. The study will also map German