Morocco is unrolling its AI strategy centered around the Jazari institutes across the country hoping AI will add 100 billion dirhams (over $10 bln) to its economy, Minister Delegate in charge of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni said. The AI development strategy would create 50,000 jobs and train 200,000 students, she said. Citing projections from UNCTAD’s 2025 Technology and Innovation Report, the Minister noted that the global AI market could reach $4.8 trillion by 2033. Early results are tangible: within one year, Morocco climbed 14 places in the 2025 Government AI Readiness Index, reflecting progress in public strategy, governance and institutional capacity building. Monday’s “AI Made in Morocco” event is therefore more than a technical showcase; it is a politically significant moment.

Morocco has officially emerged from a seven year drought after heavy rainfall and exceptional snowfall boosted national water reserves, Water Minister Nizar Baraka told parliament on Monday. Similar government data published last week put cumulative rainfall at 108 mm, almost 94.4% higher year on year and 21% above a typical season. “With these levels, we can say that Morocco has officially exited the drought years,” Baraka said, noting that a year is classified as dry when precipitation falls 20% below its normal average. The minister said the country’s prolonged drought cycle, which lasted seven consecutive years, had been broken thanks to abundant winter rains and widespread snowfall. The improved precipitation has helped replenish dams after years of severe water shortages that strained agriculture, reduced cattle herds and forced Morocco to accelerate desalination projects.

In September, Jeremy Hall relocated to Dubai. After 15 years working for Bloomberg in London, he is now the head of the Middle East and Africa at Datagum. The two-year-old market data consultancy and software start-up is headquartered in the UK but has expanded to Hong Kong, Australia, and most recently the United Arab Emirates. Hall is tasked with leading Datagum’s expansion into all the region’s emerging markets. The Middle East, particularly the Gulf, is one of the world’s fastest-growing

The first payment of €1bn is set to be made in the coming days by Brussels, he added. Abdelatty was speaking following talks with the EU’s High Representative on Foreign, Kaja Kallas, who described Egypt as an ‘indispensable partner’. That made it comfortably the most lucrative of the EU’s ‘cash for migrant control’ deals with countries in North Africa and the Maghreb. The Sisi government has emerged as an important regional ally of the EU on migration and energy, with the bloc keen to invest in its green hydrogen sector. Several Gulf states, as well as Israel and Syria, have agreed multi-billion dollar deals to obtain oil and gas from Egypt (AC Vol 67 No 1, Would-be Pharoah builds big at the pyramids).

It is within this context that Israel’s recognition of Somaliland on 26th December 2025 should be analysed. Somaliland is a self-governing territory that has operated in a state of de facto independence since 1991, without a single UN member’s recognition – save Israel since the end of last year. The latter claims sovereignty over Somaliland while battling the insurgency of the al-Shabaab terrorist group[iv], still estimated to control 30% of Somalia’s territory. Somaliland matters because Yemen matters. And Yemen matters because Iran remains active.

In their song “Yed Yennayer (Gathering of Yennayer)” Moroccan duo Sarah & Ismail celebrate the traditions of Yannayer dinner when the whole family comes together to eat Couscous. from Yed Yennayer (Gathering of Yennayer) - Sarah & Ismael/YouTubeIn many places across North Africa, Yennayer marks the beginning of the New Year on January 12. To Moroccan journalist Dounia Salimi, Amazigh music is amongst the most beautiful in the world. Like Salimi, he grew up hearing Amazigh music at family events and gatherings, specifically the Kabyle and Chaoui genres from his family’s region. Idir - “A vava inouva” (Algeria)The “King of Amazigh Music,” Idir, was a beloved Algerian singer and advocate for Amazigh and Kabyle culture.

You have permission to edit this article.

Leading Dubai-based real estate marketplace Property Finder has revealed that the number of active agents on its website and app has increased by approximately 30% since 2022. During the same timeframe, engagement per listing dropped by 36%, accordin...We use cookies and non-personalized tracking information to help improve this site and your experience. You can click Privacy Policy to learn more. Accept Privacy policy

We are a global leader in geopolitical forecasting. We deliver cutting edge analysis and intelligence so you can stay ahead of the news. Unbiased analysis of global eventsDaily geopolitical briefingLong-term forecasts to help you prepare for the futureNo paid advertising - 100% subscriber-supportedLooking for group or institutional subscriptions? Get in touch for custom pricing.

Several industrial facilities in Mali’s western Kayes region were attacked on Sunday, January 11, as suspected jihadists linked to al-Qaeda expanded their campaign from fuel blockades to direct strikes on economic infrastructure. According to reports published this Monday, three factories producing cement, lime and plaster — owned by Malian and Indian businessmen — were targeted in coordinated assaults. Images of burning cement bags and damaged buildings circulated widely on social media, underscoring the scale of the devastation. The incident follows similar assaults in July 2025, when jihadists struck factories in the same region and kidnapped foreign workers, including Indian nationals, who remain in captivity. The latest violence highlights the deepening security and economic crisis gripping western Mali as jihadist pressure tightens on both civilians and industry.

They were recruited on WhatsApp and trained in the UAE, paid handsomely by an Emirati private security contractor called Global Security Services Group. The recruitment of these mercenaries is part of a trend toward a new model of proxy warfare across the Middle East and North Africa. It represents a deliberate effort by the Gulf monarchies, led by the UAE and Saudi Arabia, to reshape the rules of armed conflict. No longer relying solely on national armies or traditional proxy groups to advance their interests in regional conflicts, they are increasingly employing a network of private military companies, or PMCs, which often have ties to ruling elites. The unchecked use of these companies is redefining the regional security order in ways that further erode state sovereignty over security and military affairs, thereby undermining the legitimacy of state-controlled violence.

These include type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and insulin resistance. I’m a public health researcher specialising in epidemiology, metabolic health, infectious diseases and environmental health. My colleagues and I conducted a study in the town of Lephalale and found that many young adults there have abnormal cholesterol levels. Our researchWe examined 781 young adults aged 18 to 29 years living in Lephalale as part of a long-running study. Community-based educationLocal awareness campaigns must make the link between diet, physical activity and metabolic health easy to understand.

Economic history shows that no major technology ecosystem - African ecosystems included - has emerged without substantial initial public investment. From a methodological standpoint, investments ranging from $100k to $500k were classified as pre-seed investments, reflecting typical cheque sizes at this stage in Africa. In key markets such as Kenya and Tanzania, grants represent 50% and 74% of total pre-seed funding respectively. Public capital is necessary… but must be rigorously managedIf public funding is essential, its governance must be equally disciplined. In Africa, the pre-seed stage in particular requires patient capital structures, such as evergreen funds, exemplified by Digital Africa’s Fuzé fund.

It’s unclear how the protests that have spread across Iran will develop and how they will affect the ruling regime and the oil sector. But the prospect of disruption to Iranian energy output presents a bigger threat to global supplies than Venezuela, particularly given the potential for instability to affect supply outside Iran itself. The geopolitical stakes are high too given Iran’s current status as one of the largest economies in China’s current sphere of influence. We will be discussing the economic implications of events in Iran – and much more – in an on-line Drop-in tomorrow at 3pm GMT (register here) and the commodity market implications on Wednesday, also at 3pm (here).

News ServicesNiger integrated 11,015 contract teachers into the civil service without competitive exams. The government aimed to ease social tensions and address chronic teacher shortages. In a statement published on Friday, January 9, on the Facebook page of Niger’s Ministry of National Education, the government announced the integration of 11,015 contract teachers into the civil service without competitive examinations. The measure responds to recurring social tensions in the education sector and to the fragile status of contract teachers. The International Labour Organization said job insecurity in public education represents a major factor behind demotivation and declining teaching quality in several low-income countries.