According to major media outlets, Morocco’s new ruling coalition formed a new government on Tuesday, 01/03, that gives top positions to an Islamist party but also keeps close allies of the king in powerful positions. The Islamist Justice and Development Party, known as PJD, won the most seats in the Nov. 25 parliamentary elections as part of the wave of election victories by Islamist political parties across North African following a series of uprisings across the Arab world. “This new government has a true will for reform and we will keep all the promises we made,” said Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane outside the palace after the swearing in. “We will do everything to encourage foreign and domestic investment to create a climate of prosperity.”
Politics
Associated Press (01/03) – Morocco gets new Islamist-led government
Morocco News Agency (01/03) – Democracy In Morocco – Benkirane Optimistic Over Coalition Talks
Al Arabiya News (01/03) – Moroccan king appoints new cabinet led by moderate Islamists
Albawaba (01/03) – Morocco: Islamist party takes over new government
Monster & Critics (01/02) – Morocco Still Without Cabinet, Row Over Islamist Minister
Magharebia (01/02) – Morocco Cabinet Mystery Continues
MoroccoTomorrow (01/02) – Morocco Still without Cabinet, Row over Islamist Minister
Morocco Board (12/31) – Morocco: Will The Islamist Party PJD Change Status Quo?
XE.com (12/30) – Morocco’s new cabinet held up over key jobs
The Sahara
MoroccoTomorrow (12/29) – Algeria: Motives Behind Spy Agency Shake Up
Economy/Business
IBTimes (01/03) – Buy Agriculture in 2012 AGCO, AGU, POT, CAT
Reuters (01/02) – Morocco GDP growth picks up in Q3
Society/Culture
ABC News (12/28) – Is Morocco Really Ready for a Mega Mall?
Yahoo (12/28) – Is Morocco really ready for a mega mall?
World/MENA Region
Danish Institute for International Studies(01/10) – Morocco and the Arab Spring
Global Post (01/03) – Arab Spring: One Year Later
Bernama.com (01/03) – Pakistan Starts New Year as Non-Permanent Member of UN-Security Council
Online News (01/03) – Pakistan joins UN Security Council
London Evening Standard (01/03) – Resist pessimism – keep faith with the Arab Spring
The Gulf Today (01/03) – PV Vivekanand: Islamists are no mavericks
Ahram Online (01/03) – Jordan and Tunisia join Euro bank for Development
Ahram Online (01/02) – Year of the Arabs
Oil Price (01/02) – 7 Geopolitical Predictions for 2012
Xinhuanet (01/02) – Five new members join UN Security Council
News.am (01/02) – Arab spring will flower in 2012 – Russian expert
The Middle East Media Research Institute(01/02) – Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula Mufti Ibrahim Al-Rubaish: The Arab Revolutions Have Exposed America’s Weakness
Forbes (01/01) – How The Arab Spring Challenges America’s ‘Millenial’ Generation
The Middle East Online (01/01) – The Middle East and North Africa in 2011: On the brink of Chaos?
Gulf News (01/01) – Arab Spring could deliver more good news
Politicons (01/01) – 2011: The Year Barack Obama Lost Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Yemen, Lebanon And Most Of The Middle East
The Gateway Pundit (01/01) – 2011: The Year Obama Lost Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Yemen, Lebanon and Most of the Middle East
News Bullet (01/01) – Year 2011 changed face of Arab world
Focus (01/01) – New Countries Join UN Security Council Caught in Arab Spring Battle
Morocco Board (12/31) – 2011: The Year That Was
Vancouver Sun (12/31) – Arab Spring becoming an Islamic Revolution
Indian Television (12/31) – Audiences grow for BBC’s Arabic services
The Guardian (12/30) – 2011: The Year in Review
Today’s Zaman (12/30) – Event of the Year: Arab Spring
Policymic (12/29) – The Arab Spring One Year Later: A Story of Progress
Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs (11-12.2011) – Majority and Minorities in the Arab World: The Lack of a Unifying Narrative