National program to enhance scientific infrastructure in Morocco

The National Program for Support of Research, Development, and Innovation (PNARDI) is a strategic initiative aimed at strengthening the infrastructure and capabilities of scientific research. This was emphasized by Azzedine El Midaoui, the Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation, during the official launch ceremony of the PNARDI in Benguérir.

During the event, attended by prominent figures from academia and research, as well as representatives from national institutions, El Midaoui highlighted that the program aligns with the ministry's strategy and that of universities concerning scientific research, ensuring alignment with international standards.

El Midaoui noted that PNARDI is part of the implementation of the High Directions of King Mohammed VI, which aim to make scientific research and innovation key drivers of sustainable development, national competitiveness, and Morocco's international stature. The program adopts a "positive territorial discrimination" approach, prioritizing support for institutions located outside the capital and their affiliated campuses, in line with the spirit of advanced regionalization.

He also emphasized accompanying measures to maximize the program's impact, including improving governance of the national research system under university autonomy, creating regional scientific hubs and technological platforms, establishing and generalizing Thematic Research Institutes (ITRs), and enhancing scientific human capital. The goal is to foster the emergence of a community of scientific excellence, particularly through diversifying researcher statuses and recruiting Moroccan talents based abroad.

Additionally, the program involves upgrading research infrastructures, reorganizing Innovation Cities based on regional hubs, and evaluating the national scientific research strategy for 2025, alongside developing a new strategy for 2035.

In a press statement, Abdelhadi Sohaib, Secretary General of the OCP Foundation, noted that this ambitious program reflects OCP Group’s commitment to promoting innovation and enhancing research value. "PNARDI aligns perfectly with national priorities for sustainable development, particularly in water and renewable energy, as well as the extraction and valorization of phosphates and their derivatives. It relies on collaboration and involvement from all stakeholders in research and development, including research institutions and scientists, and is jointly funded by the ministry and OCP Group," added Sohaib.

Hicham El Habti, President of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), remarked that the program serves as a unifying framework to mobilize the entire national scientific community and strengthen synergies between researchers and educational institutions. This collaboration aims to foster collective dynamics around Morocco's scientific and technological challenges.

Launched on Monday in Benguérir, the PNARDI is part of a framework agreement signed by El Midaoui and Mostafa Terrab, CEO of OCP Group, to position research and innovation as essential engines of national development through project calls in priority areas.

With a budget of 1 billion dirhams (MMDH), this program aims to stimulate high-quality scientific and technological research while training a new generation of young researchers ready to tackle future challenges.