From potatoes to paleontology, Morocco posts gains across economy, science, and sport, while DV-2025 visa delays put pressure on applicants.

Morocco’s potato exports surged after a five-year slump, paleontologists uncovered the country’s oldest Turiasaurian teeth in the Middle Atlas, and UIR teamed with Cisco on a new AI & cybersecurity center. Authorities also approved the Amazigh name “Massinissa,” Morocco beat Zambia 3–1 at CHAN, and DV-2025 lottery winners sounded alarms over stalled interviews. FreshPlazaMorocco World News+3Morocco World News+3Morocco World News+3Hespress

The Briefing

Morocco’s news cycle on August 14, 2025 offered a snapshot of a country diversifying—export recovery in agri-food, frontier science with Jurassic-era finds, digital capacity-building through a new AI/cyber hub, and a culture-rights win on Amazigh naming—rounded off by a CHAN victory and visa-processing anxieties for DV-2025 winners. FreshPlazaMorocco World News+3Morocco World News+3Morocco World News+3Hespress

Economy — Potatoes Are Back

After five years of decline, Morocco’s ware-potato exports rebounded to 42,900 tons worth US$14.9 million between July 2024 and May 2025—a 5.7× increase versus the prior season. Analysts credit renewed West African trade links and firmer European demand. The uptick helps farmers and cold-chain logistics while testing resilience ahead of the 2025–26 campaign. FreshPlaza

Explainer takeaway: A stronger potato campaign increases rural incomes and stabilizes supply chains; monitoring fertilizer prices, shipping rates, and weather will indicate whether the rebound is durable.

Science — 160-Million-Year-Old Giants

Researchers identified three dinosaur teeth from the Middle Atlas (El Mers III Formation), marking the oldest evidence of Turiasauria on mainland Africa—a Middle Jurassic lineage previously best known from Iberia. The peer-reviewed study tightens biogeographic links between North Africa and Europe and invites fresh fieldwork in Boulemane province. Morocco World NewsYabiladiResearchGate

Explainer takeaway: Morocco’s Jurassic strata continue to fill global fossil gaps, boosting scientific tourism and training opportunities for local geoscience programs.

Technology — UIR × Cisco Unveil AI & Cybersecurity Center

The International University of Rabat (UIR) and Cisco signed an MoU to create a Cisco EDGE Incubation Center focused on AI and cybersecurity, aligning with Morocco’s Digital 2030 ambitions. The hub aims to link academia, startups, and public services while leveraging Cisco Networking Academy pathways. Morocco World NewsMap NewsMedafrica TimesLinkedIn

Explainer takeaway: Expect new pipelines for SOC talent, secure-cloud skills, and AI safety research—areas where Morocco seeks digital sovereignty and exportable know-how.

Society — A Win for Amazigh Naming Rights

Following an initial refusal, Meknes authorities approved the Amazigh name “Massinissa.” The reversal reflects ongoing normalization of Amazigh names in civil registry practice and reduces administrative friction for families seeking culturally rooted identities. Morocco World NewsHespressFacebook

Explainer takeaway: Documentation shapes access to education, healthcare, and travel; clearer acceptance of Amazigh names streamlines everyday life and affirms linguistic rights.

Sport — CHAN Boost: Morocco 3–1 Zambia

Morocco’s locally based national team defeated Zambia 3–1, strengthening its CHAN 2024 (played in 2025) campaign and securing a quarterfinal berth. Wins at CHAN raise player visibility, support domestic leagues, and can lift transfer valuations for homegrown talent. Hespress

Explainer takeaway: CHAN is a showcase for domestic football systems; Morocco’s result supports the broader talent pipeline from Botola clubs to continental competition.

Migration — DV-2025 Interview Delays

DV-2025 lottery winners in Morocco report stalled interview scheduling at the U.S. Consulate in Casablanca as the September 30, 2025 fiscal-year deadline nears, raising fears that selectees could time out despite “current” case numbers. Civil-society calls urge transparent scheduling and capacity updates. Morocco World News

Explainer takeaway: Diversity Visas are time-bound; absent appointments by the end of the fiscal year, eligibility ends—even for qualified selectees. Applicants should ensure DS-260s are complete and monitor consular notices.

What to Watch Next

• Agri-exports: Does the potato rally carry into Q4 logistics and pricing? FreshPlaza
• Science & tourism: Will new Middle Atlas digs expand fossil trails and museum programs? Morocco World News
• Talent & tech: Can the UIR–Cisco hub seed startups and feed national SOC capacity by 2026? Morocco World News
• Civil registry: Are further Amazigh naming cases resolved consistently across regions? Hespress
• CHAN: Injury management and fatigue as fixtures compress. Hespress
• DV-2025: Any scheduling updates from Casablanca before Sept. 30. Morocco World News

Strategic Project to Boost Trade and Land Connectivity Across West Africa with Chinese Financing

Ouagadougou – From Our International Correspondent
In what is being hailed as a “game-changing leap” for Morocco’s presence in Africa, authorities in Burkina Faso announced today that a consortium of two Moroccan companies has won a landmark contract to construct a highway linking the capital Ouagadougou to Bamako, the capital of Mali. The deal marks the largest road infrastructure project ever awarded on the continent.

Fully financed through a Chinese loan to the West African nations, the project will span hundreds of kilometers, serving as a strategic trade corridor that will enhance connectivity between Morocco’s Atlantic ports and the Sahel region. Officials say the highway will drastically cut travel times, reduce shipping costs, and stimulate cross-border commerce.

Transforming Africa’s Trade Map
According to Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Infrastructure, the highway will be built to international standards, complete with service stations, logistics hubs, and rest areas along the route.

“This project is not just a road—it is a bridge of development between our peoples, with profound economic and social impact,” said the country’s Infrastructure Minister in a statement to state television.

Moroccan executives welcomed the news, calling it a vote of confidence in Moroccan engineering and infrastructure capabilities.

“We are proud to be part of this historic undertaking that strengthens African integration and places Morocco at the heart of the continent’s major transformations,” said the CEO of one of the winning companies.

Chinese Financing, Moroccan Expertise
The project is part of China’s broader infrastructure investment strategy under the Belt and Road Initiative. Industry analysts say Morocco’s success in securing such a high-profile, cross-border project is a sign of its growing competitiveness against major global construction firms.

Human and Social Impact
Beyond its economic benefits, the highway is expected to improve access to healthcare and education in remote rural communities, facilitate the transport of agricultural goods to urban markets, and create thousands of direct and indirect jobs in both Burkina Faso and Mali.

A Strategic Backbone
The route is seen as a key piece of the regional connectivity vision linking Morocco with West African nations, especially as Moroccan investment expands in transport, energy, and telecommunications. It will also give Sahel countries better access to Atlantic ports, reducing their geographical isolation and enhancing their role in continental trade.

A declassified French intelligence telegram reveals covert cooperation between Algiers and Madrid in the tense months following Algerian independence—raising new questions about Cold War geopolitics in North Africa.

In the volatile aftermath of Algeria’s independence, when borders were still fragile and allegiances uncertain, a single telegram has surfaced to reignite a decades-old rivalry. Dated September 19, 1962, and issued by French intelligence, the leaked document alleges that Algerian and Spanish military operatives collaborated in a clandestine effort to counter Morocco’s regional influence—using encrypted radios and shared surveillance near the border.

The Document and Its Claims

The telegram—classified at the time and only recently leaked—describes a meeting between an Algerian military lieutenant and Spanish intelligence counterparts. According to the report, the lieutenant proposed:

• Establishing encrypted radio communications between Algerian and Spanish outposts.
• Exchanging intelligence on Moroccan troop movements and logistical patterns in border regions.
• Coordinating surveillance patrols near contested areas to monitor Moroccan activities.

While the telegram does not specify whether the proposals were fully implemented, it signals a remarkable alignment between two governments whose official ties were limited at the time.

Geopolitical Context

The events took place just months after Algeria’s independence from France in July 1962, a period marked by uncertainty, shifting alliances, and unresolved border disputes with Morocco. The Sand War, a short but intense armed conflict between Morocco and Algeria, would erupt barely a year later in 1963—making this intelligence link a possible precursor to the hostilities.

For Spain, still under Francisco Franco’s authoritarian rule, North Africa remained a strategic priority. Madrid maintained enclaves such as Ceuta and Melilla and was deeply wary of Moroccan territorial claims.

Expert Analysis

Dr. Rachid Belkacem, a historian of Maghreb geopolitics, notes that the telegram fits within a broader pattern of Cold War maneuvering in North Africa:

“Spain sought to hedge against Moroccan influence, while Algeria, still consolidating its independence, welcomed partners who could offer intelligence and logistical support. This kind of cooperation, even if informal, shows how Cold War politics played out through regional rivalries.”

Human Impact and Legacy

The alleged pact adds a historical layer to the enduring mistrust between Morocco and Algeria, whose diplomatic ties have been periodically strained for decades. For border communities, such covert activities often translated into heightened military presence, restricted movement, and economic disruptions—effects still remembered by older residents today.

Why It Matters Now

The release of this document comes amid renewed tensions between Rabat and Algiers over Western Sahara, airspace closures, and security alliances. While the Cold War is over, the patterns of intelligence cooperation, proxy maneuvering, and alliance-building persist in different forms.

Conclusion:
The September 1962 French telegram offers a rare glimpse into the undercurrents of early post-colonial North African politics. Whether the Algerian-Spanish pact was a short-lived tactical experiment or part of a longer intelligence strategy, its existence reinforces how fragile borders and geopolitical ambition can shape decades of rivalry.