VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRB #0106/01 0351550
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 041550Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9620
INFO RUCNMGH/MAGHREB COLLECTIVE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 0638
RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA 4483
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF EDUCATION WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC

UNCLAS RABAT 000106 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR OES/STC, OES/PCI AND NEA/MAG 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TSPL EINV MO
SUBJECT: MOROCCO REQUESTS JOINT COMMITTEE TO ADVANCE 
SCIENCE AND TECH COOPERATION 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  This is an Action Request.  Please see 
Paragraph 7.  Government of Morocco (GOM) officials told 
EconOff and visiting ESTH Regional Hub Officer on January 26 
that Morocco would like to create a Joint Committee of U.S. 
and Moroccan officials to determine priority areas for 
collaboration under the newly approved U.S.-Morocco Science 
and Technology Agreement (S&T Agreement).  GOM officials also 
proposed several areas for collaboration and requested 
Department assistance in identifying and contacting U.S. 
institutions.  The Mission requests Department guidance in 
responding to GOM request to create a Joint Committee.  End 
summary. 
 
Now That It's Finally Official... 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Director for Technology Zayed El Majid, and 
Direction of Technology lead for bilateral cooperation 
Mohamed Benbouida, of the Ministry of National Education, 
Higher Education, Training, and Scientific Research (Ministry 
of Education) told us during a wide-ranging review of 
Moroccan science and technology interests that Morocco would 
like to see a Joint Committee established to bring momentum 
to the 2006 S&T Agreement.  Although taken aback when EconOff 
informed them that the GOM had just approved the agreement in 
a December 26 Council of Ministers meeting, Majid and 
Benbouida both lamented that Moroccans' high expectations of 
increased S&T cooperation in the two years since the signing 
of the agreement had not come to fruition.  They then 
presented their wish list of the type of cooperation that the 
GOM hopes might flow from the S&T Agreement. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Morocco's first suggestion would be the 
establishment of a Joint Committee to oversee cooperation 
under the S&T Agreement, Majid said.  Other requests for 
assistance include expert guidance and assistance as the 
Ministry of Education seeks to restructure Morocco's research 
and development (R&D) infrastructure and institutions, 
workshops or conferences to promote exchanges between 
researchers and the private sector (including U.S. 
multinational firms), technical assistance to Moroccan 
research laboratories including help meeting international 
safety and security standards, and regionally targeted 
programs for National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded 
projects to boost research capacity in the Middle East/North 
Africa (MENA) region. 
 
Moroccan Ideas for Cooperation 
------------------------------ 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Econoff and ESTHOff undertook to convey Majid's 
suggestion regarding a Joint Committee to the Department, and 
pointed out that such a committee could be most effective if 
it defined a few target areas for collaboration.  Majid 
observed that several of the GOM's national research 
priorities may also interest U.S. institutions, highlighting 
fields that fall under the S&T Agreement priority areas, 
including renewable energy, environmental protection and 
management, fisheries management, agricultural research, and 
commercialization of research.  In particular, Majid stated, 
Morocco boasts world-class natural resources and 
biodiversity, including argan nut trees, cork trees, cedar 
forests, and medicinal and aromatic plants.  U.S. companies 
may be interested in joint R&D for commercialization of 
products derived from Morocco's natural resources, he 
suggested.  However, Morocco has little expertise in 
partnership between researchers and the private sector, and 
would benefit from sharing of U.S. experience in financing 
mechanisms for research, attracting private capital, and 
structuring partnerships. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Abdelouahid Ezzarfi of the Direction of Technology 
told EconOff that the Ministry of Education, as part of its 
evaluation of Morocco's R&D sector, has benefited from USG 
assistance in the form of Financial Services Volunteer Corps 
(FSVC) evaluations of Morocco's climate for venture 
capital-type investment.  The Ministry of Education is 
awaiting a report from the FSVC on benchmarks to assist in 
guiding policies favorable to R&D commercialization. 
However, the Ministry is also seeking input on methodologies 
for a broader evaluation of the effectiveness of its national 
R&D sector.  Ezzarfi asked if the U.S. has any institutions 
 
or organizations with expertise in evaluating R&D strategies, 
plans, priorities, and outcomes, noting his interest in 
corresponding with any groups with such expertise. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) In a separate meeting, ESTHOff briefed the Charge 
on a proposal to establish a Year of Arab-American Science 
Partnership (AASP), using the positive but under-developed 
relationships and potential in scientific and technological 
research to strengthen bilateral ties and promote development 
and innovation.  Although the GOM recognizes the need to 
promote domestic R&D, spending remains relatively low at 0.7 
percent of GDP, and Morocco would benefit from research 
collaboration and assistance in strengthening scientific 
research, and particularly in commercialization of research. 
A focused science diplomacy program with societal and 
economic benefits would promote the U.S. image and interests 
in Morocco, aligning neatly with existing USG and GOM 
development goals. 
 
What Next? 
---------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) ACTION REQUEST:  The Mission requests Department's 
guidance in responding to the GOM suggestion that we 
establish a Joint Committee.  Post recommends that we provide 
a positive outline of recommended steps building up to 
creation of such a committee, and would welcome further input 
and visitors from relevant offices and agencies to flesh out 
these ideas.  Post also requests assistance from OES/STC 
regarding the existence of USG or non-governmental 
institutions that have expertise in evaluation of R&D 
sectors, and the possibility of facilitating contact between 
such organizations and the Moroccan Ministry of Education. 
Post also welcomes the proposal for an S&T diplomacy push 
like the AASP, and looks forward to more information as this 
idea develops further. 
 
 
***************************************** 
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat 
***************************************** 
 
Jackson