馃嚥馃嚘MoroccoNorth Africa
Three Moroccans in Conference League semifinals, one in Europa League
via Le Matin2 min read
Three Moroccan players have reached the semifinals of the Europa Conference League, while only one remains in the Europa League. In the Conference League, Yassine Gessime and Samir El Mourabet contributed to Strasbourg's historic qualification after a 4-0 victory over Mainz, overturning a 2-0 first-leg deficit. El Mourabet played the entire match, with Gessime entering late. Chadi Riad helped Crystal Palace secure their spot despite a 2-1 second-leg loss to Fiorentina, following a 3-0 first-leg win. Ilias Akhomach also advanced with Rayo Vallecano after a strong performance. In the Europa League, Abdessamad Ezzalzouli scored and assisted for Real Betis, but his team was eliminated by Braga 4-2. Sofyan Amrabat had a difficult night for Betis, conceding a penalty. Amine El Ouazzani, who remained on the bench for Braga in that match, is the sole Moroccan representative left in the Europa League. With Achraf Hakimi in the Champions League, and El Ouazzani, El Mourabet, Gessime, Riad, and Akhomach in the Conference League, Moroccan players are well-represented in European club competition semifinals.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Matin.
The government is addressing repayment difficulties faced by some beneficiaries of the Forsa program, which has supported over 21,000 project holders since its launch. The program emphasizes accompaniment, with nearly 16,000 projects currently active due to monitoring, supervision, and coaching. For entrepreneurs experiencing constraints in meeting repayment deadlines, the government offers the option to request credit rescheduling based on individual situations, providing additional time to consolidate activities. Between June 2025 and June 2026, 4,600 rescheduling requests were filed. To date, approximately 1,400 beneficiaries have completed the necessary steps to defer loan repayments for up to twelve months, following an amendment to their loan and guarantee contracts. Other requests are still under review by financial institutions in coordination with regional stakeholders. The support system for the first edition of the program, launched in 2022, is provided by financial institutions and regional offices, while incubators support project holders from the second edition, initiated in 2023. These measures aim to sustain the entrepreneurial momentum of the Forsa program and reduce business failures, highlighting post-financing support as crucial for project longevity.
Meryem Belhoussine's research, based on testimonies from over 80 former Moroccan female parliamentarians, highlights the persistent exclusion of women from political governance. She identifies financial and sociocultural obstacles, such as limited resources for campaigns and gender stereotypes within parties, as well as "invisible resistances" like psychological violence and unfulfilled promises. Many women wait 30 to 35 years in activism before reaching parliament, revealing systemic dysfunctions. While quotas have significantly increased women's presence in parliament, they haven't transformed party operations, which remain opaque and influenced by informal networks. Quotas have often led to women being elected through reserved lists rather than competitive local constituencies, and are sometimes seen as political rent rather than merit-based promotion. Belhoussine notes that Moroccan political parties, despite constitutional reforms and legal requirements for female representation in leadership, often only partially adhere to these obligations without developing genuine strategies for promoting female leadership. She argues that the main challenge is no longer just getting women into institutions, but ensuring they have equal conditions, career prospects, and evaluation criteria as men. For the upcoming September 23, 2026 legislative elections, Belhoussine emphasizes that parties must invest in women in truly competitive constituencies. She advocates for democratizing the
Must ReadThe 15th Morocco-France High-Level Meeting concluded with the signing of several agreements across strategic sectors. These agreements demonstrate the commitment of both nations to deepen their strategic partnership through structured projects. The meeting, held in Rabat, signifies a new phase in the cooperation between Morocco and France.