MONROVIA – The Government of Liberia and the Kingdom of Morocco have signed three separate bilateral agreements aimed at establishing framework of cooperation in the areas of health, higher education and research, and agriculture, in accordance with the existing laws of both countries and on the basis of equality and mutual benefits.
The MOU was signed in Rabat, Morocco on November 2, 2020.
Liberia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr. signed on behalf of the Liberian government, while Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, signed on behalf of his government.
The Cooperation on Health calls for both nations to collaborate on maternal, child and newborn health, epidemiological surveillance including the establishment of an Epidemic Alert and Response System, human resource capacity building, and medical coverage.
It also focuses on prevention and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases, human crisis management, and disaster management.
According to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed, all expenditures made shall be jointly decided by the signatories on a “case-by-case basis subject to the availability of funds and shall be made in accordance with the domestic laws of both countries.
The MOU calls for the establishment of a Joint Working Group comprising of members from the Moroccan Ministry of Health and the Liberian Ministry of Health to execute the Cooperation on Health within a five-year period.
The Cooperation on Higher Education and Research signed between Liberia and Morocco seeks to strengthen and increase cooperative relations between the two countries in higher education and scientific research.
It intends to consolidate the scientific and technological potentials of both countries to broaden the links between the scientific and technical communities of the both nations, as well as to promote scientific and technical cooperation in areas of common interest.
Under the agreement signed, Liberia and Morocco will ensure the establishment of “direct educational collaboration between universities and other higher education institutions of both countries”.
The two countries will also promote mobility and exchange of academic staff and students for specific periods; encourage cooperation in areas of distance learning and e-learning, develop scientific and technological cooperation, mainly through programs and joint research networks which may be of interest to both countries.
It calls for support of the Liberian side in the development of the training segment of middle type personnel for a better employability of young people, and for the Moroccan experience and expertise in pedagogical reform and digital development to be harnessed to support the Liberian contingent.
The capacity of Liberian academic staff will also be developed through “short-term stays in Morocco” under the MOU.
Students from higher institutions’ groupings or organizations in Liberia and Morocco are also expected to participate in joint activities including, fora, seminars, workshops, exhibitions, and other events of mutual interest.
Both countries will also cooperate on the exchange of information concerning national procedures and regulations on issues of equivalence and the recognition of diplomas, scientific and university degrees issued by universities, and other schools in accordance with the legislation in force, as well as the development of public-private partnerships in the fields of higher education, scientific research and innovation.
A Joint Technical Tracking and Monitoring Committee will be established, with members designated from the Ministries in charge of Higher Education and Scientific Research from both countries to execute the Cooperation on Higher Education and Research.
The cooperation on agriculture, which runs for a five-year period, mandates both countries to promote and facilitate collaboration in farm mechanization, animal health including vet medicine, community health workers, subject matter specialists (Agronomists, Agriculture Economists, Pathologists, Entomologists, Agro-Meteorologists, Post-Harvest Technologists, Irrigation Engineers), as well as entrepreneur skills developments for Medium, Small Business Enterprises (MSMEs).
It will also focus on the sharing of experience in agriculture research between the both nations, technical assistances in soil fertility matters, especially in the development of a fertility map, in animal health and production, in crop health and production, support carrying out on the site demonstrations to farmers towards scaling up of the use of new technologies and best practices.
The Cooperation on Health will also see both countries collaborating to help strengthen Liberia’s agricultural input and output analysis, laboratory, and quality control capability, genetic improvement of animals, technical support for farm mechanization, technical support for agriculture value addition, agro-industry and other areas of common interest.
The financial matters or funding of the activities under the agriculture cooperation between Liberia and Morocco will be carried out within the scope of the MOU signed, and subjected to the joint decision of both parties.
The Liberian-Moroccan Joint Technical Committee comprising of members from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development and Waters and Forests of the Kingdom of Morocco and Ministry of Agriculture in Liberia will be established to execute the cooperation.