Morocco has earned financing for 18 different projects under the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) program.
According to the Moroccan Ministry of Education, the figure makes Morocco the fifth country by number of projects that PRIMA will finance, behind Italy, Spain, France, and Tunisia.
The ministry announced the news on Monday, January 25, after the committees of PRIMA chose 46 projects to be financed.
PRIMA is one of the largest research and innovation programs in the Mediterranean region. Launched in 2018, it has a total budget of €494.5 million ($600 million), including a €220 million ($267 million) contribution from the EU.
The program seeks to finance collaborative research and innovation projects focusing on food sustainability and water security in the Mediterranean region. It covers 19 countries in total, including 11 European and eight non-European states.
In 2020, PRIMA approved the financing of 46 projects out of 139 applications. The approved projects include 18 involving or launched by institutions from Morocco. Eight of the Moroccan projects relate to agriculture, six to water, and four to food.
The projects involve 16 research teams from Moroccan universities: Four from Cadi Ayyad University in Marrakech, two each from Mohammed I University in Oujda, Moulay Ismail University in Meknes, and Sultan Moulay Slimane University in Beni Mellal, and one each from Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University in Fez, Chouaib Doukkali University in El Jadida, Abdelmalek Essaadi University in Tetouan, Hassan I University in Settat, Hassan II University in Casablanca, and Ibn Zohr University in Agadir.
The projects also involve 10 research teams from institutions that are not affiliated to any university, and four teams from private establishments.
The 46 projects that PRIMA approved in 2020 will benefit from a total financing of €72 million ($87.3 million).
