Marrakech – Moroccan physicians based in Germany have formally established their own professional body, the Marokkanischer Ärzteverein Deutschland (MÄD), in a move aimed at organizing Moroccan medical talent and representing diaspora engagement in the European country.
The association’s launch took place Saturday in Langenselbold, near Frankfurt, during the first-ever Day of Moroccan Doctors in Germany. The event was held under the theme “The Bridge Between Morocco and Germany,” drawing nearly 200 participants, including physicians and medical students of Moroccan origin.
Morocco’s Ambassador to Germany, Zohour Alaoui, attended the gathering alongside representatives from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Higher Education, the department in charge of Moroccans Residing Abroad (MRE), the Cheikh Zaid Foundation, the Consulate General in Frankfurt, and the president of Morocco’s National Council of the Order of Physicians (CNOM).
MÄD Secretary General Oussama Bouayad told Morocco’s state news agency MAP that the association’s primary goal is to build a community of doctors rooted in mutual support, experience-sharing, and professional guidance.
He added that MÄD also aims to strengthen connections between Moroccan medical expertise in Germany and the healthcare system back home through academic exchanges and skills transfer across multiple medical specialties.
The association currently counts 77 official members and regularly organizes medical training sessions that bring together between 100 and 150 participants each month, Bouayad noted.
These sessions cover a range of medical specialties and are designed to help physicians consolidate their knowledge while fostering professional exchange between Moroccan healthcare workers in both countries.
Bouayad further indicated that MÄD intends to support Moroccan students and young doctors navigating training and professional development pathways in Germany. The association also plans to deepen ties with Moroccan medical institutions and promote a sustained dynamic of cooperation and skills transfer for the benefit of Morocco’s health sector.
Diaspora medical expertise features prominently in the reform roadmap
Ambassador Alaoui described the Moroccan community in Germany as “an exceptional human resource” and “an important lever” for bringing the two countries closer together. Throughout her address, the ambassador drew particular attention to the interest King Mohammed VI continues to place in Moroccans residing abroad.
She noted that Moroccans established in Germany have managed to fully integrate into German society while preserving their attachment to their roots and identity. In addition, Alaoui paid tribute to the efforts and sacrifices of the first generations, who paved the way for those that followed.
Moroccan professionals abroad contribute to the country’s international standing through their involvement in several strategic sectors, including healthcare, scientific research, cutting-edge technologies, industry, and entrepreneurship, the diplomat observed.
The Moroccan envoy also commended the patriotic spirit and mobilization of the Moroccan community during difficult periods, particularly the COVID-19 crisis and the aftermath of the Al Haouz earthquake.
Turning to Morocco’s domestic health reforms, Alaoui pointed to the strong momentum in the sector under the leadership of the monarch. She specified that healthcare was made a priority under the 2026 Finance Law, which allocated MAD 42.4 billion ($4.24 billion) to the Ministry of Health – a 30% increase compared to 2025.
That record budget, she told attendees, falls within a broader overhaul of Morocco’s healthcare system centered on modernizing hospital facilities, creating 8,000 new positions, and rolling out territorial health groupings (GST) nationwide.
Alaoui characterized the creation of MÄD as a response to a real need for unity, representation, and recognition of Moroccan medical talent. She also noted the event’s particular significance, coming in the context of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Morocco and the Federal Republic of Germany – a partnership she described as “solid and multidimensional.”
