Morocco’s OCP, Israel’s ICL Group to cooperate on sustainability

Morocco’s OCP and Israel’s ICL signed a memorandum of understanding to support sustainability programs at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU).

Under this deal the two partners will offer scholarships to students from the two universities and promote exchange opportunities for academic and professional staff.

This cooperation covers a range of sustainability areas including Food Security, environment, smart agriculture, water, climate change, renewable energies, entrepreneurship, and tourism.

The two groups pledged financial support with an OCP contribution of $300,000 to UM6P and ICL Group offering $600,000 to BGU.

“At OCP we are convinced that the best way to support sustainability, and to move from research to impact, is to sponsor world-class research collaboration at institutions such as the Mohamed VI Polytechnic University and Ben Gurion University. Investing in this research with strategic partners such as the ICL Group is key to ensuring that the concrete, science-based solutions that emerge from this research program will go to scale, and help feed the world, sustainably,” OCP chief Mostafa Terrab said.

The positive developments in Israel’s foreign relations have opened up possibilities for us to build new relationships and create new collaborations. ICL is thrilled to be taking this historic step forward with OCP to advance sustainability research and support our local universities in their efforts to make a difference in their communities and beyond,” said Raviv Zoller, president and CEO of ICL.

Morocco and Israel resumed diplomatic relations in December 2020, building on years of close human and cultural ties.

The deal to reopen diplomatic representations covered cooperation in a series of priority sectors including new technologies, agriculture, tourism, trade and the industry.