Al-Amoudi under pressure in Morocco

Concerns over the solvency of Morocco’s sole oil refinery, Société Anonyme Marocaine de l’Industrie du Raffinage (Samir), and its owner Mohammed Hussein Al-Amoudi’s ability to meet financial commitments became an affair of state in August, with emergency talks focusing on refinancing and the repayment of arrears worth MD13bn ($1.3bn) to customs authorities.Moroccan sources say dealings with Al-Amoudi are complicated by his relations with Saudi royals, notably the Al-Sultan. It is unclear whether King Salman Bin Abdelaziz – who held court at his Tangier residence in August (see Royals) – is so supportive.