Agadir – Morocco and Mauritania have signed a new executive program to deepen cooperation in the fields of Islamic affairs and religious endowments (awqaf) over the 2026-2028 period.
Signed on Tuesday in Rabat, the agreement implements a memorandum of understanding between Morocco’s Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs and Mauritania’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Original Education.
Morocco’s Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs Ahmed Toufiq said the program seeks to elevate bilateral cooperation in the management of religious affairs while promoting the exchange of expertise on issues of common interest.
He stressed the importance of adapting shared experiences to the social and academic realities of each country to maximize their impact, while praising the strong historical ties between Morocco and Mauritania.
Toufiq also pointed to the two countries’ geographic proximity, saying it creates a religious and national responsibility to strengthen cooperation and solidarity.
Mauritanian Minister of Islamic Affairs and Original Education El Fadil Ahmed Louli, who is visiting Morocco with a high-level delegation, described the agreement as an important step in advancing bilateral partnership in religious affairs.
The minister said the program would help both countries capitalize on the expertise and pioneering experiences developed by their respective institutions in service of religion, education, and society.
Louli voiced Mauritania’s interest in benefiting from Morocco’s experience in religious governance, which he said has become a recognized reference in several strategic areas.
These include Quranic education and studies, mosque management, the training of imams and religious scholars, as well as the modernization of awqaf and zakat systems and the strengthening of their developmental and social solidarity roles.
According to the ministry, the new program reflects both countries’ commitment to strengthening cooperation in the management of Islamic affairs based on shared religious foundations and previous agreements.
