Southern Parliaments in Marrakech chart course for Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf economic integration
via Le Matin6 min read
The 4th Parliamentary Economic Forum for the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf region, held in Marrakech on June 19-20, 2026, concluded with the adoption of a final declaration outlining a comprehensive program for economic integration. Participants called for a common framework for these regions, drawing inspiration from successful models like the African Continental Free Trade Area AfCFTA and the European Union-Mercosur agreement. The forum, organized by the Moroccan House of Councillors and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean PAM under the patronage of King Mohammed VI, brought together officials from across the Mediterranean, the Gulf, Africa, and Latin America. The declaration proposes several key initiatives, including a regional center for artificial intelligence to harmonize legislation and strengthen cross-border data governance, and a Mediterranean Development Bank to finance structuring projects. It also advocates for a Mediterranean Pact for Food Security and Climate Change, aimed at enhancing agricultural resilience in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAO, and encourages national parliaments to legislate uniformly on food and agricultural systems. Speakers at the forum, including the president of the Andean Parliament, René Daniel Camacho Quezada, and the president of the Central American Parliament, Carla Lisbeth Pérez Herrera, emphasized the need for concrete actions and tangible results from inter-parliamentary
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Must ReadThe Directorate General of Information Systems Security DGSSI has issued an alert regarding a significant data leak, dubbed "FortiBleed," impacting Fortinet security systems, specifically firewalls and SSL VPN gateways. The Centre for Monitoring, Detection, and Response to Cyber Attacks maCERT reported that approximately 75,000 devices globally are affected, including several belonging to Moroccan entities. Cyber attackers reportedly obtained administrator credentials and valid VPN access by exploiting configuration files from internet-connected FortiGate devices. This compromised information could be used to infiltrate internal networks, seize control of IT systems, deploy ransomware, or steal confidential data. In response to this threat, the DGSSI advises affected organizations to verify if their systems are compromised, immediately reset administrator and VPN access passwords, and enable multi-factor authentication MFA. It also recommends updating systems to secure FortiOS versions, restricting internet access to management interfaces, and diligently monitoring connection logs for any suspicious activity. This alert underscores the critical need for businesses and administrations to continuously strengthen their cybersecurity measures against increasingly sophisticated threats that could jeopardize critical infrastructure and sensitive data.
Prince Moulay Rachid presided over the final of the 25th Hassan II Trophy for traditional equestrian arts "Tbourida" at the Royal Complex of Equestrian Sports and Tbourida Dar Es Salam. Upon his arrival, Prince Moulay Rachid was greeted by Moulay Abdellah Alaoui, president of the Royal Moroccan Federation of Equestrian Sports FRMSE, and reviewed a section of the Auxiliary Forces. He was also greeted by several ministers, including the Minister of National Education, Preschool and Sports, Mr. Mohamed Saâd Berrada, and the Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests, Mr. Ahmed El Bouari, as well as other officials. Prince Moulay Rachid then watched the final competition. Following the event, he awarded the gold medal in the "Juniors" category to the sorba of Moqaddem Zouraizae Badr from Médiouna Casablanca-Settat region, the silver medal to the sorba of Moqaddem El Khadi Badr Eddine from Youssoufia Marrakech-Safi region, and the bronze medal to the sorba of Moqadem El Gazoumi Houssam from Guelmim Guelmim-Oued Noun region. In the "Seniors" category, Prince Moulay Rachid presented the gold medal to the sorba of Moqaddem Telhouni Mohamed-Amine from Settat Casablanca-Settat region, the silver medal to the sorba of Moqaddem El Haloua Abdelhadi from Skhirat-Témara Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region, and the bronze medal to the sorba of Moqaddem El Mehdi Anajar from Marrakech Marrakech-Safi region. Prince Moulay Rachid also posed for souvenir photos wit
Spain secured a 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in a World Cup 2026 qualifier, bouncing back after a 0-0 draw against Cape Verde in their opening match. Lamine Yamal opened the scoring for Spain in the 10th minute, assisted by Mikel Oyarzabal. Oyarzabal then scored two quick goals in the 21st and 24th minutes. An own goal by Saudi Arabia's Hassan Al-Tambakti in the 49th minute sealed Spain's win. This result provisionally places Spain at the top of Group H with 4 points, while Saudi Arabia is in fourth place with one point. The group standings are pending the outcome of the match between Uruguay and Cape Verde.