Morocco

Archaeologists recently unveiled what they said were the world's oldest pieces of jewellery, perforated shells dating back 150.000 years; the shells, which are presumed to have formed necklaces and bracelets, were found in the Bizmoune cave near Essauira

The free trade agreement with Turkey has been discussed by the new government, which questions its benefits for the Moroccan economy; the Minister of Industry and Trade announced laws to protect small local traders from large foreign companies

Rabat has been designated cultural capital of the Islamic world for 2022 by the World Islamic Organisation for Education, Science and Culture, in recognition of the successful implementation of an urban and cultural development programme launched in 2015

Although it is not recognized in the country for religious, social and health reasons, the art of tattooing is becoming increasingly popular, with tattoo studios having opened in major cities such as Rabat, Casablanca and Marrakech

The new minister for energy transition and sustainable development has described the country as "a prime destination for renewable energy", intending to curb carbon emissions and switch 52% of the electricity to renewables within the next 9 years

The Moroccan port of Tangier Med is the best container port in Africa, according to Lloyd's List rankings, with exceptional growth recorded at 35% in the first quarter of 2021

The National Rally of Independents party won most seats in the legislative elections; the Islamist Justice and Development party, which has led the government since 2011, won only 12 seats, compared to 125 in the last election in 2016

The first edition of the Cultural Production Award for participatory digital encyclopaedias, dedicated to intellectual and creative productions linked to Morocco's cultural heritage, was launched

Dakhla is developing as a hotspot for tourists and tourism-related investment, expecting to exceed a 6.000 bed capacity by the end of 2023

The National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water presented figures for last year, in which it recorded a net profit of more than MAD 2 billion, about US$225 million

A historic gold came for the country at the Olympic Games after Soufiane El Bakkali ended Kenyan dominance in the 3,000 steeplechase after almost 40 years, running in 8 minutes, 8 seconds and 90 hundredths

The country has made its first agreement with Israel on cyber defense, in particular on operational cooperation, research and development and information and knowledge sharing