The European Union and the Kingdom of Morocco have signed an agreement extending Morocco’s participation in PRIMA, the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area, for the 2025–2027 phase, with Morocco contributing €6.6 million over this period. Ekaterina Zaharieva, European Commissioner for Startups, Research, and Innovation, said: “Morocco has been a committed and active partner in PRIMA from the very beginning, with its researchers playing a key role across projects in the Mediterranean. With this agreement, we will step up our cooperation to tackle shared challenges from water and agriculture to food systems and climate resilience.”

The agreement was signed by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Morocco to the European Union Mr Ahmed Réda Chami and by Director-General Marc Lemaître on behalf of the European Commission, in the presence of Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva and H.E. Mr Azzedine El Midaoui, Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation of the Kingdom of Morocco. The signature was preceded by a bilateral meeting between the Commissioner and the Minister to discuss EU–Morocco cooperation in research and innovation.

Since the launch of PRIMA in 2018, the Kingdom of Morocco has been strongly engaged in the initiative. Moroccan partners have taken part in 137 of the 269 projects funded so far, addressing areas such as sustainable agriculture, integrated water management, and food value chain. These projects represent a total investment of €25.9 million, including €11.9 million from the European Commission and €13.9 million from the Kingdom of Morocco, directly supporting research institutions and innovators.

Over the years, Morocco has played an active role in regional scientific cooperation and has consistently strengthened its links with European research frameworks. Continued participation in PRIMA will allow Moroccan researchers and institutions to access new funding opportunities, capacity-building initiatives, and international research partnerships. The agreement will also contribute to broader EU–Morocco cooperation priorities, including support for youth, the strengthening of innovation ecosystems, and the promotion of entrepreneurship.