
Moroccan tomato exports reached a record 745,000 tonnes in the 2024/2025 agricultural campaign, an 80% increase over the last decade, solidifying Morocco's position as the third-largest supplier to the European market. This growth is largely attributed to a shift towards segmented tomatoes, such as cherry, baby plum, and specialty varieties, which now constitute nearly 59% of total exports. Fatiha Charrat, Deputy General Manager of the Delassus group, noted that these segmented varieties are crucial for Moroccan competitiveness, with over 400,000 tonnes exported and a 35% increase in the past two years. While France remains the primary declared destination, Perpignan acts as a redistribution hub for markets like Germany, Scandinavia, and Austria. Moroccan exporters are increasingly pursuing direct deliveries, bypassing French platforms, with Germany's share doubling to 18% in five years. Considering re-exports through France, Morocco supplies approximately 50% of baby plum tomatoes in the German market. The export sector is concentrated, with the top ten exporters in the Souss-Massa region accounting for about 65% of total volumes, led by Azura and Duroc. Despite this success, the industry faces challenges including water scarcity, labor shortages, and rising energy costs, which increase production expenses. Future growth strategies include continued premiumization, geographical diversification, and developing new production areas like Dakhla. The 2025/2026 campaign is expect
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Must ReadThe Policy Center for the New South PCNS unveiled its tenth annual Report on the Geopolitics of Africa RAGA on Tuesday, June 10, 2026, in Rabat. This year's collective work features twenty-six contributions from authors across sixteen African countries. Abdelhak Bassou, Senior Fellow and publication director, moderated a session exploring Africa's position in global power shifts and how its states balance security, development, sovereignty, and regional integration. Bassou highlighted the report's goal to provide a platform for Africans to reclaim the narrative about their continent, a discourse previously dominated by former colonial powers. Hachem El Moummy, a diplomat and international relations researcher, advocated for a paradigm linking security and development, challenging the traditional "stabilize first, then develop" approach. He argued that peace, security, and development are mutually constitutive, a concept enshrined in the African Union's constitutive act and Agenda 2063. However, he noted that 70% of the African Union's operational budget for its missions comes from external donors, and the UN Security Council legitimizes most interventions. El Moummy concluded that the challenge now is to implement this nexus, not to convince the world of its relevance. Jean-Patrick Koa Junior, Director of Communication and Diplomatic Archives at the Cameroonian Ministry of External Relations, discussed the geo-economic implications of the used clothing trade in Cameroon. He r
Must ReadThe El Niño climate phenomenon has officially returned, with meteorologist Haley Thiem stating this episode could be historic. The NOAA estimates a 63% probability that El Niño will reach a very strong intensity between November and January, potentially making it one of the most intense episodes since measurements began in 1950. Thiem clarified that El Niño is not a storm or hurricane but a phenomenon affecting atmospheric currents globally. This natural climate event recurs every two to seven years, marked by changes in water temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific, leading to global shifts in wind and precipitation patterns. Historically, El Niño causes or intensifies droughts in parts of the Amazon, Central America, Indonesia, and Australia, disrupts monsoons in India, and brings heavy rains to East Africa. Experts note that this phenomenon is occurring amidst human-induced global warming, and the combination could amplify the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, raising concerns for populations, water resources, agriculture, and ecosystems. The previous El Niño episode was in 2023-2024. While each El Niño is unique, general trends are observed regionally. In the Americas, it is associated with increased rainfall in parts of southern South America and the southern United States, and intense rains on the coasts of Ecuador and Peru. Conversely, it tends to cause drier conditions in Central America, parts of northern South America, and the Car

Bayern Munich is reportedly pursuing Ismael Saibari, a 25-year-old Moroccan international from PSV Eindhoven, to strengthen its midfield. Saibari had an exceptional season, scoring 19 goals and providing 9 assists in 37 appearances across all competitions, and was named the best player in the Eredivisie. According to Foot Mercato, Bayern Munich has already reached an agreement with Saibari on a contract until 2030. However, negotiations with PSV are ongoing regarding the transfer fee. PSV is reportedly demanding at least 50 million euros, excluding bonuses, for the offensive midfielder. Despite the difference in valuation, optimism remains, and discussions are expected to continue. If the transfer materializes, Saibari, currently with the Atlas Lions in the United States for the 2026 World Cup, would join one of Europe's most prestigious clubs.