The Climate Change Competence Center -4C Maroc- organized, on Tuesday, September 20 at its headquarters in Rabat, an exchange meeting between the Middle East Regional Cooperation (program of the American Cooperation Agency USAID) and representatives of Moroccan institutions involved in cooperation and scientific research, namely universities, Iresen, Mascir and other research centers and laboratories.
The MERC program promotes cooperation between Arab countries and Israel in scientific research, technological development and capacity building. MERC’s action is directed towards research and technology topics of regional importance for the sustainable development of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). During this meeting, Rajae Chafil, General Manager of 4C Morocco, returned to the support provided by 4C Morocco to scientific research and capacity building of the different types of actors concerned.
“With the support of the 4C Morocco Centre, in particular through the United Nations Development Program UNDP/4C Morocco project, three national masters have been set up in three Moroccan universities in order to enable young people, Moroccans and Africans, willing to invest in the field of climate change, to receive a complete and high level training in this field, ”she said. For her part, Anne Dare, coordinator of the MERC, reiterated the availability of the MERC to support Moroccan research projects and including Israeli stakeholders, but also from other countries concerned by the MERC (Jordan, for example).
In inviting Moroccan researchers to submit applications for funding their research projects, Ms. Dare recalled that the six main criteria for selecting projects are: Solidity and sustainability of Arab-Israeli cooperation, Relevance for regional development; Likely impact and implementation pathway; Technical merit and innovation; Capacity Building; Management structure.
