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NEWS

Nigeria & Morocco take forward ambitious gas pipeline project
Morocco and Nigeria have taken a major step forward to construct an over 4,000-km gas pipeline that will carry Nigerian gas through six West African countries to Morocco, improving access to energy across the nations.The two sides concluded an agreement for the Gazoduc pipeline project and another one for cooperation in the field of fertilisers at a ceremony in Rabat last week.

Morocco eyes mutual benefit under Belt and Road Initiative
For many centuries, Morocco had played a major role in the old Maritime Silk Road, connecting the major civilizations of Asia, Europe and Africa. With the Belt and Road Initiative, Morocco is set to regain its role and contribute to the embodiment of China's promising proposal to build a Silk Road Economic Belt and a 21st Century Maritime Silk Road in cooperation with related countries.

Morocco opens first Islamic bank branch months after approval
The first Islamic bank in Morocco, Umnia Bank, has opened its doors five months after the country's central bank approved requests to open Islamic financial institutions. Islamic banks and insurers are setting up in Morocco after new legislation allowed them into the market, and the central bank has set up a central sharia board, a body of Islamic scholars, to oversee the sector.

Morocco’s OCP Group 5th Biggest Investor in Africa
Morocco dominates intra-African investment according to the new study of the African Economic Outlook 2017, with the OCP Group ranking 5th among the companies that invest the most in Africa. According to the 2017 edition of the African Economic Outlook report, which takes into account the cumulative investments between 2015 and 2016...

Morocco's Attijariwafa Plans Africa Expansions This Year
Attijariwafa Bank, Morocco’s biggest lender, is planning to complete expansions in East and West Africa this year as it focuses on consolidating its new acquisitions to spur growth. The Casablanca-based bank aims to finalize a deal to buy Rwanda’s Cie Generale de Banque, known as Cogebanque, start commercial banking operations in Chad and apply for a banking license in Ghana in 2017...

Report highlights case studies to guide Africa’s urban future
As Africa urbanizes, policymakers need to better coordinate their economic strategies with visions for city planning, according to a recent report. But how? Urbanization and Industrialization for Africa’s Transformation, published in March by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, offers some ideas. The authors draw on 11 case studies from across the continent showing how economic growth...