Morocco signs agreement with Malian HAC and commits to the Bamako Appeal
via Le Matin5 min read
Morocco, as the guest of honor at the first Pan-African Media Forum in Bamako, fulfilled its promise to promote sovereign information open to African realities. The Moroccan public channel MEDI1 TV signed an agreement with Mali's High Authority of Communication HAC, allowing it to establish, operate, and broadcast its programs in Mali. This builds on an existing media partnership, as Radio Méditerranée Internationale, MEDI1, has been broadcasting in Bamako for several years. Ambassador Driss Isbayene stated that MEDI1's commitment is to a lasting media partnership that fosters closer ties between peoples, the exchange of knowledge, and dialogue among African cultures. He also highlighted Morocco's role in training African journalism students and professionals and hosting pan-African media organizations. Isbayene emphasized the Moroccan belief that a strong Africa requires consolidating continental media ties, advocating for a solid, resilient African information ecosystem to address technological changes, disinformation, and geopolitical shifts. He quoted His Majesty King Mohammed VI, stating, "Africa must trust Africa." Malian Minister of Communication Alhamdou Ag Ilyene expressed gratitude for Morocco's participation and contributions. The forum concluded with the adoption of the Bamako Appeal, a document with eight chapters and nineteen commitments addressing narrative and digital sovereignty, training, media economics, artificial intelligence, and the media's role in comb
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The Moroccan Organization for Human Rights OMDH has issued a advocacy note urging political parties to make human rights a contractual commitment, not just an intention, in their programmatic offers for the 2026 legislative elections. The OMDH emphasizes that electoral programs are crucial for setting public policy directions and should concretely and measurably incorporate human rights. The note highlights economic and social rights, including decent work, social protection, quality education, public health, and dignified housing, stressing that these are derived from international commitments ratified by Morocco. The OMDH also calls for measurable commitments to combat all forms of exclusion, ensure equity, and integrate the principle of parity in public policies, along with operational measures against violence against women and support for women's economic and political empowerment. Specifically, it advocates for a Family Code ensuring real equality, referencing the Moudawana revision process, and the effective establishment of the Authority for Parity and the Fight against all Forms of Discrimination, an institution provided for by the 2011 Constitution but not yet created. Regarding civil and political liberties, the OMDH demands legislative measures to criminalize forced disappearances, torture, and inhumane treatment, protection for human rights defenders, and the full implementation of recommendations from the Equity and Reconciliation Commission. For youth, the orga
Discussions between Bourita and UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix focused on Morocco's significant and exemplary contributions to UN peacekeeping operations. This contribution stems from a Royal Strategic Vision, continuing a long-standing commitment to UN peacekeeping since 1960. Morocco is currently the ninth-largest troop contributor to UN peacekeeping operations. The country will chair the UN Peacebuilding Commission PBC in 2026 and serves as the coordinator for the Non-Aligned Movement NAM on peacekeeping issues, reflecting the international community's trust in the Kingdom regarding international peace and security. Lacroix's visit occurs as the UN Secretary-General initiates reforms, including the "UN 80" initiative to simplify and streamline the UN Secretariat, and a strategic review of all peacekeeping operations and the international peace and security architecture, aiming to restore the primacy of politics in conflict management.
Must ReadEconomists Hamza Saoudi and Adnane Lahzaoui from the Policy Center for the New South PCNS discussed the informal sector in the Moroccan economy, highlighting that its role extends beyond mere statistics. Saoudi emphasized that the informal sector acts as a social safety net, absorbing individuals who cannot find formal employment, especially during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. However, he noted that without state support, this stabilizing role could become destabilizing. Lahzaoui pointed out the difficulty in measuring the informal sector, with estimates ranging from 11.5% to 30% of GDP, depending on the definition and scope. He stated that the informal sector is not a marginal residue but a significant part of the daily economy, primarily concentrated in urban areas, particularly Casablanca, and focused on trade and services. A key finding from Lahzaoui is that the productivity of informal units is about half the national average, largely due to underinvestment in physical and human capital. This low productivity and incomplete structural transformation hinder the formalization process. Saoudi clarified that economic growth alone is insufficient to reduce informality, as evidenced by the modest decline in informal employment despite significant GDP per capita growth between 2000 and 2021. He also challenged the notion that informality stems from a lack of civic duty, arguing that economic agents respond to incentives, weighing costs, benefits, and regulatory frameworks