Inflation Peaking amid Low Growth Global growth is projected to fall from an estimated 3.4 percent in 2022 to 2.9 percent in 2023, then rise to 3.1 percent in 2024. The forecast for 2023 is 0.2 percentage point higher than predicted in the October 2022 World Economic Outlook (WEO) but below the historical (2000–19) average of 3.8 percent. The rise incentral bank rates to fight inflation and Russia’s war in Ukraine continue to weigh on economic activity. The rapid spread of COVID-19 in China dampened growth in 2022, but the recent reopening has paved the way for a faster-than-expected recovery. Global inflation is expected to fall from 8.8 percent in 2022 to 6.6 percent in 2023 and 4.3 percent in 2024, still above pre-pandemic (2017–19) levels of about 3.5 percent. The balance of risks remains tilted to the downside, but adverse risks have moderated since the October 2022 WEO. On the upside, a stronger boost from pent-up demand in numerous economies or a faster fall in inflation are plausible. On the downside, severe health outcomes in China could hold back the recovery, Russia’s war in Ukraine could escalate, and tighter global financing conditions could worsen debt distress. Financial markets could also suddenly reprice in response to adverse inflation news, while further geopolitical fragmentation could hamper economic progress. In most economies, amid the cost-of-living crisis, the priority remains achieving sustained disinflation. With tighter monetary conditions and lower growth potentially affecting financial and debt stability, it is necessary to deploy macroprudential tools and strengthen debt restructuring frameworks. Accelerating COVID-19 vaccinations in China would safeguard the recovery, with positive cross-border spillovers. Fiscal support should be better targeted at those most affected by elevated food and energy prices, and broad-based fiscal relief measures should be withdrawn. Stronger multilateral cooperation is essential to preserve the gains from the rules-based multilateral system and to mitigate climate change by limiting emissions and raising green investment. Checkout the full report here: Inflation Peaking amid Low Growth

Introduction:Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) is a crucial aspect of the banking industry. In Morocco, the State Bank of Morocco was established in 1907 to stabilize the Moroccan currency and promote trade and development in the Sultanate. Following the independence of Morocco, it was replaced in 1959 by the newly created Bank Al-Maghrib, which is the central bank of Morocco. Bank Al-Maghrib's role includes banknotes and coins production, monetary policy tools, management of foreign exchange reserves, banks supervision, and ensuring the security of payment systems and means[3]. In this article, we will discuss the state of GRC in Moroccan banks and where Bank Al-Maghrib stands. We will also explore how RiskNucleus GRC Solution can help banks thrive in its management. The State of GRC in Moroccan Banks:Moroccan banks are subject to regulatory guidelines and industry standards set by Moroccan regulatory authorities such as the Moroccan Capital Market Authority (AMMC) and the Moroccan Financial Market Authority (CDVM) [2]. Additionally, Moroccan banks must adhere to international standards set by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, which sets global banking standards, including Basel III[1]. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) often publishes reports on the economic and financial conditions of various countries, including Morocco. These reports can offer a broader perspective on the state of Moroccan banks and their compliance with international standards[1]. Where Bank Al-Maghrib Stands:Bank Al-Maghrib plays a crucial role in ensuring GRC in Moroccan banks. As the central bank of Morocco, it is responsible for banks supervision and ensuring the security of payment systems and means[3]. Bank Al-Maghrib's role in GRC is essential in our daily lives, and it is the "bank of banks," where all commercial banks have accounts, which they are obliged to credit[3]. Bank Al-Maghrib's network is composed of two branches, Rabat and Casablanca, and 20 agencies throughout Morocco[3]. How RiskNucleus GRC Solution Can Help Banks Thrive in Its Management:RiskNucleus GRC Solution is a GRC management tool that can help Moroccan banks thrive in its management. The tool provides transparency, efficiency, and accountability, which are the three benefits of implementing a GRC management tool[4]. RiskNucleus GRC Solution can easily integrate with an existing technology stack while remaining user-friendly. The tool eliminates the worry of managing regulatory requirements and provides actionable insights to improve the GRC approach, aligning key risk initiatives such as cybersecurity processes[4]. By using RiskNucleus GRC Solution, Moroccan banks can streamline their GRC processes, reduce costs, and improve their overall compliance posture. Conclusion:In conclusion, GRC is a crucial aspect of the banking industry in Morocco. Moroccan banks must adhere to regulatory guidelines and industry standards set by Moroccan regulatory authorities and international standards set by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision. Bank Al-Maghrib plays a crucial role in ensuring GRC in Moroccan banks. RiskNucleus GRC Solution is a GRC management tool that can help Moroccan banks thrive in its management. By using RiskNucleus GRC Solution, Moroccan banks can streamline their GRC processes, reduce costs, and improve their overall compliance posture. Citations:[1] https://ppl-ai-file-upload.s3.amazonaws.com/web/direct-files/707422/529cfcc7-1135-4551-b574-903cf011c27b/Brochure Bundled offers M3T Consulting & FLC.pptx[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Bank_of_Morocco[3] https://www.bkam.ma/pedagogic/What-bank-al-maghrib-does/What-is-the-role-of-bank-al-maghrib[4] https://www.onetrust.com/blog/what-are-the-benefits-of-a-grc-management-tool/[5] https://www.bkam.ma[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_Al-Maghrib[7] https://www.bkam.ma/museum/Corporate-area/The-missions-of-the-central-bank[8] https://www.linkedin.com/advice/3/what-key-features-benefits-using-grc-tool-enterprise-risk-assessment[9] https://www.bkam.ma/en[10] https://www.privacyshield.gov/ps/article?id=Morocco-U-S-Banks-and-Local-Correspondent-Banks[11] https://www.bkam.ma/pedagogic/Kid-s-corner/What-is-the-role-of-bank-al-maghrib[12] https://hyperproof.io/resource/grc-platforms-5-features-you-need/[13] https://www.bkam.ma/en/content/view/full/4550[14] https://www.fitchratings.com/research/banks/moroccan-banks-resilience-in-uncertain-operating-environment-19-07-2022[15] https://www.britannica.com/topic/Bank-Al-Maghrib[16] https://uk.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/what-is-grc-software[17] https://www.bkam.ma/en/Systems-and-means-of-payment/Financial-markets-infrastructure-and-monitoring/Overview[18] https://www.fitchratings.com/research/banks/major-moroccan-banks-peer-review-19-07-2022[19] https://www.ngfs.net/sites/default/files/medias/documents/ngfs_in-conversation-with-bam-hiba-zahoui.pdf[20] https://pathlock.com/governance-risk-and-compliance-grc-a-complete-guide/[21] https://www.bkam.ma/en/Monetary-policy/Strategic-framework/Presentation[22] https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/morocco-trade-financing[23] https://www.resolver.com/blog/agile-grc-solutions/[24] https://www.thebanker.com/Morocco-s-banking-sector-holds-steady-1624542662[25] https://www.logicgate.com/blog/grc-allows-you-to-play-offense-the-benefits-of-an-effective-grc-program/

Context In the last few days, several businesses, including aviation and banking sectors, experienced significant disruptions due to issues with Microsoft services. This outage affected various cloud-based services, including Microsoft 365, Azure, and Teams. The interruptions were caused by a combination of network configuration changes and infrastructure issues within Microsoft's global network (https://www.reedsmith.com/en/perspectives/2024/02/business-interruption-claims-in-2024-a-global-perspective) (https://status.cloud.microsoft/#:~:text=URL%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fstatus,100). The outage highlighted the increasing reliance of global industries on cloud services and the significant impact such disruptions can have on business operations, from communication breakdowns to halted transactions (https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240116375142/en/Allianz-Risk-Barometer-A-Cyber-Event-Is-the-Top-Global-Business-Risk-for-2024). While Microsoft worked to resolve the issues, it underscored the importance of robust cyber risk management and contingency planning in mitigating the effects of such outages (https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en/knowledge/publications/20530078/the-cyber-risks-faced-by-the-aviation-industry---ten-things-to-know). The recent Microsoft outages, which disrupted services like Microsoft 365, Teams, and Outlook, were primarily caused by a series of technical and security issues. Initially, Microsoft identified that a "wide-area networking (WAN) routing change" led to connectivity problems. This change triggered issues with network latency and timeouts, affecting how packets were forwarded across Microsoft's global network. This impacted users' ability to access various cloud services, including Azure, SharePoint, and OneDrive (https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/microsoft-365-cloud-service-outage-disrupts-users-worldwide-a-21017) (https://www.techradar.com/news/this-is-what-caused-the-recent-huge-microsoft-365-and-teams-outage). Additionally, Microsoft faced cyber risks, particularly distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. These attacks, launched by a group known as Storm-1359, aimed to disrupt services by overwhelming Microsoft's infrastructure with malicious traffic. The DDoS attacks targeted layer 7 of the OSI model, affecting HTTP(S) traffic and causing resource exhaustion and slowdowns (https://msrc.microsoft.com/blog/2023/06/microsoft-response-to-layer-7-distributed-denial-of-service-ddos-attacks/). To mitigate these issues, Microsoft rolled back the problematic network changes and implemented additional protections to prevent similar disruptions in the future. These measures included enhancing their Web Application Firewall (WAF) and adding stricter controls on network command executions to avoid unintended consequences from network changes (https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/microsoft-experiences-second-major-cloud-outage-in-2-weeks-a-21134) (https://www.techradar.com/news/this-is-what-caused-the-recent-huge-microsoft-365-and-teams-outage). In recent days, significant disruptions in Microsoft services have caused major headaches for businesses worldwide. Industries ranging from aviation to banking found themselves grappling with unexpected downtime, impacting critical operations and highlighting a growing reliance on cloud-based services. This article explores whether Microsoft should be held legally accountable for failing to ensure business continuity for its global customers. The Outage and Its Impacts The recent Microsoft outages affected a range of cloud services, including Microsoft 365, Azure, and Teams. These disruptions were triggered by a combination of network configuration changes and infrastructure issues within Microsoft’s global network. Specifically, a "wide-area networking (WAN) routing change" led to severe connectivity problems. This change caused network latency and timeouts, disrupting the forwarding of data packets across Microsoft's global network. As a result, users experienced significant issues accessing cloud services such as Azure, SharePoint, and OneDrive. In addition to technical glitches, Microsoft also faced cyber threats, particularly distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. A group known as Storm-1359 targeted Microsoft’s infrastructure with malicious traffic, aiming to exhaust resources and slow down services. These attacks impacted layer 7 of the OSI model, affecting HTTP(S) traffic and causing further disruptions. The Importance of Business Continuity These outages underscore the critical role that cloud services play in modern business operations. From communication breakdowns to halted transactions, the ripple effects of such disruptions can be severe. The aviation and banking sectors, in particular, experienced significant operational impacts, illustrating the high stakes involved. As businesses increasingly rely on cloud services for their day-to-day operations, the importance of robust cyber risk management and contingency planning becomes more apparent. Legal and Ethical Considerations Given the scale and impact of these disruptions, the question arises: should Microsoft be sued for not ensuring business continuity? On one hand, businesses rely on service level agreements (SLAs) with cloud providers like Microsoft to guarantee a certain level of uptime and reliability. When these expectations are not met, it can lead to substantial financial losses and operational challenges. Businesses may argue that Microsoft failed to uphold its end of the agreement, warranting legal action to recover damages. On the other hand, the complexity of managing a global cloud infrastructure means that occasional outages are inevitable. Microsoft did take immediate steps to mitigate the issues, rolling back problematic network changes and enhancing protections against future disruptions. These efforts demonstrate a commitment to resolving the issues and improving service reliability. Cyber Risk Management and Contingency Planning The outages highlight the need for businesses to adopt comprehensive cyber risk management strategies and contingency plans. Relying solely on a single cloud provider can expose businesses to significant risks. Diversifying cloud services and implementing robust backup systems can help mitigate the impact of such outages. Additionally, regular testing and updating of contingency plans can ensure that businesses are better prepared to handle unexpected disruptions. Conclusion While the recent Microsoft outages have caused significant disruptions, suing the tech giant may not be the most effective solution. Instead, businesses should focus on enhancing their own cyber risk management and contingency planning efforts. By diversifying cloud services and implementing robust backup systems, businesses can better protect themselves against future outages. At the same time, cloud providers like Microsoft must continue to improve their infrastructure and security measures to minimize the risk of such disruptions and maintain customer trust. The recent events serve as a stark reminder of the interconnected nature of modern business operations and the importance of resilience in the face of unexpected challenges. References https://www.reedsmith.com/en/perspectives/2024/02/business-interruption-claims-in-2024-a-global-perspective https://status.cloud.microsoft/#:~:text=URL%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fstatus,100). (https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240116375142/en/Allianz-Risk-Barometer-A-Cyber-Event-Is-the-Top-Global-Business-Risk-for-2024 https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en/knowledge/publications/20530078/the-cyber-risks-faced-by-the-aviation-industry---ten-things-to-know https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/microsoft-365-cloud-service-outage-disrupts-users-worldwide-a-21017 https://www.techradar.com/news/this-is-what-caused-the-recent-huge-microsoft-365-and-teams-outage https://msrc.microsoft.com/blog/2023/06/microsoft-response-to-layer-7-distributed-denial-of-service-ddos-attacks/