Trump suggests Iran negotiations could conclude this weekend
via Le Matin1 min read
US President Donald Trump indicated that negotiations with Iran are progressing well and could potentially conclude as early as this weekend. However, he also acknowledged the possibility of failure, stating that "anything can happen when you're dealing with Iran." Trump expressed his desire to separate discussions concerning Lebanon from those regarding Iran, a point of contention as Tehran views them as a single issue. Regarding recent regional clashes, Trump stated that Iranian actions, though not significant, were quickly suppressed. He also reiterated Washington's stance that Iran will never be permitted to develop nuclear weapons. This comes after the US military's Central Command Centcom announced it intercepted Iranian ballistic missiles and drones, and conducted "self-defense" strikes on an Iranian island. Centcom reported that two Iranian missiles aimed at Kuwait failed to reach their target or disintegrated, and three missiles launched towards Bahrain were intercepted by US and Bahraini air defense forces. In response, Centcom carried out "self-defense strikes" against ground targets on Iran's Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz.
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.
A new survey, AUSIM猫tre 2026, reveals that while cybersecurity maturity is improving in Moroccan organizations, digital sovereignty remains a significant weakness. The annual barometer, conducted by the Association of Users of Information Systems in Morocco AUSIM in partnership with PwC, found that only 35% of organizations have a satisfactory level of maturity in digital sovereignty, the lowest score among seven evaluated pillars. The overall cyber maturity index increased to 56% from 49% the previous year, indicating better governance, investments, and risk management. However, 60% of surveyed organizations heavily rely on cloud service providers, and 70% lack a formal reversibility strategy to retrieve data or switch providers. Furthermore, 38% have no such mechanism, and 32% are still developing one. Cybersecurity is becoming more strategic, with 59% of organizations dedicating over 5% of their IT budget to it in 2026, up from 46%. General management involvement also rose from 55% to 74%. Despite these advancements, a shortage of cybersecurity skills persists, with 84% of organizations reporting a lack of specialized profiles. Artificial intelligence AI presents another challenge; 87% view AI as strategic for cybersecurity, but only 30% have governance in place for its use. Meanwhile, 40% experienced AI-amplified social engineering attacks, 25% suffered data leaks, and 23% believe AI facilitated some cyberattacks against them. The report recommends that Moroccan companies
Must ReadOCP Nutricrops and Koch Ag & Energy Solutions have signed an agreement for Koch Ag & Energy Solutions to acquire a stake in Jorf Fertilizers Company I, an OCP Nutricrops subsidiary. This transaction will create a new 50/50 joint venture between the two partners, building on their existing collaboration in phosphate fertilizer production. This development follows the 2022 creation of Kofert, formed when Koch invested in Jorf Fertilizers Company III. Jorf Fertilizers Company I operates a production unit at the Jorf Lasfar industrial platform with an annual capacity of 1.2 million tons of phosphate fertilizers. Upon completion of this transaction, the two joint ventures will have a combined annual capacity of approximately 2.5 million tons, strengthening their presence in the global phosphate fertilizer market. The partners aim to meet international demand, particularly in North America, where the need for reliable and diversified supply has increased. This initiative occurs as the US administration has temporarily suspended countervailing duties on Moroccan phosphate fertilizer imports, which the companies state opens new opportunities to supply American farmers with essential phosphate-based plant nutrition solutions. Scott McGinn, President of Koch Fertilizer, stated this investment continues the cooperation between the groups and will expand Koch's phosphate product offerings while strengthening the partnership with OCP. Faris Derrij, CEO of OCP Nutricrops, called the new jo
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development EBRD Board of Directors is scheduled to review a senior loan of up to 100 million euros for the National Airports Office ONDA on July 22. This operation, currently in negotiation, includes a committed Tranche A of 60 million euros and an uncommitted Tranche B of 40 million euros. The funding is intended to support ONDA's digital transformation program, aiming to enhance operational efficiency, security, reliability, and service quality, while improving cost efficiency in line with international standards. The project will also contribute to ONDA's institutional reform, particularly its transformation into a public limited company, and promote the deployment of advanced digital technologies to boost operational effectiveness and commercial competitiveness. The total project cost is estimated at 100 million euros, matching the proposed EBRD financing. The EBRD will also assist ONDA in strengthening its corporate governance and adopting international digital standards. Additionally, the project will benefit from two technical assistance missions: one for implementing the digitization program and another for supporting the institutional reform. Established in 1990, ONDA is responsible for developing and managing airport infrastructure and air navigation services in Morocco and its surrounding airspace, currently managing 24 airports. This project extends a long-standing partnership; in 2020, the EBRD provided ONDA with a 150 mi