Brussels, Friday, March 27, 2026 – The Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation, Mr. Aziz Idin Medawi, conducted a working visit to Brussels where he participated in the signing ceremony of a strategic agreement between the Kingdom of Morocco and the European Union. This agreement aims to extend Morocco’s participation in the “Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area” (PRIMA) program for the period 2025-2027.
The ceremony, held in the form of a letter exchange, was attended by Ms. Ekaterina Zaharieva, the European Commissioner for Startups and Research and Innovation. The agreement was signed on the Moroccan side by Mr. Ahmed Reda Chami, the Kingdom’s Ambassador to the EU, and on the European side by Mr. Marc Lemaître, Director-General for Research and Innovation at the European Commission.
This agreement allows Moroccan universities, higher education institutions, and research centers, as well as businesses, to fully benefit from the funding opportunities provided by the PRIMA program. Since the program’s inception in 2018, Moroccan teams have participated in 152 projects out of a total of 304 funded projects, with a total funding amounting to €28.4 million, including €13.6 million from the European Commission and €14.8 million from the Kingdom of Morocco.
The PRIMA program aims to develop innovative solutions to major challenges in the Mediterranean region, with a focus on water management, sustainable agriculture, and food security.
During the visit, Mr. Medawi held a bilateral meeting with the European Commissioner, where they discussed prospects for enhancing cooperation in research and innovation. This includes support for the implementation of Law No. 24-59 related to higher education and scientific research, facilitating visa grants for professors, researchers, and administrators, and resuming negotiations regarding Morocco’s status as a “partner country” in European research and development framework programs.
The discussions also addressed support for establishing centers of excellence for research and joint innovation cities, as well as strengthening triadic cooperation between the European Union, the African Union, and Morocco on common priorities. This aims to solidify scientific partnerships and deepen the country’s presence in international research and innovation spaces.
