Morocco, Mauritania Seal Partnership on Higher Education

Rabat – Morocco and Mauritania deepened their academic partnership on Thursday in Nouakchott through the signing of two agreements that place higher education and agricultural training at the center of bilateral cooperation.

The agreements support a long-term project to branch out Mauritania’s specialized higher education system while preparing a new generation of highly qualified professionals in agronomy and veterinary sciences.

The first agreement, with financial support from the Islamic Development Bank, concerns the creation of two new institutions: a school for agronomic engineers in Kaédi and a veterinary school in Néma.

Through this partnership, Moroccan expertise will support curriculum design, academic planning, and the adoption of internationally recognized training standards that also take local realities into account.

A key component of the project involves the doctoral training of 15 Mauritanian academics over four years. These future lecturers will form the foundation of the teaching staff at the two new schools.

The agreement also includes tailored training programs for administrative and technical personnel to ensure effective governance that meets global academic benchmarks.

These were signed by Mohamed Bilal, Secretary General of Mauritania’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research; Chamekh Mbareck, Director of the Higher Institute of Technological Education of Rosso; and Abdelaziz El Hraiki, Director of Morocco’s Hassan II Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine.

Mauritanian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Yacoub Ould Moine and Morocco’s Ambassador to Mauritania, Hamid Chabar were also present at the event.

South-South cooperation in practice

The second agreement broadens cooperation between the Hassan II Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine and the Higher Institute of Technological Education of Rosso.

It covers joint scientific research, the practical use of research outcomes, and the exchange of expertise in academic, administrative, and financial management.

Shared access to libraries, documentary resources, and distance education platforms also forms part of this partnership.

At the signing ceremony, El Hraiki described the agreements as a practical example of South-South cooperation.

He said that the two countries face similar challenges, particularly in food security, rural development, and climate adaptation, and stressed the need for strong academic institutions capable of producing qualified specialists.

For his part, Ambassador Chabar underlined the strategic value of cooperation in training senior professionals, especially agricultural engineers and veterinarians.

He pointed to Mauritania’s considerable potential in natural resources, including fertile land, water abundance, favorable climatic conditions, and significant livestock.

According to Chabar, well-trained professionals can help turn these assets into tangible economic gains, particularly through improved productivity.

He called for full commitment to the implementation of the two agreements, to strengthen cooperation and solidarity between Morocco and Mauritania across multiple sectors.

Relations between Morocco and Mauritania have gained new momentum, with both countries expanding collaboration across key sectors, reinforcing ties through shared initiatives and strategic partnerships.

In May of last year, the two countries hosted the first joint-parliamentary forum, as part of an original initiative formed in 2024 with 20 deputies from all Mauritanian political forces, both majority and opposition. The body works to strengthen bilateral legislative ties.