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Rabat — University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P), UNESCO, and the OCP Foundation have launched an ambitious $6 million partnership, aiming to transform education, technology, and cultural preservation across the African continent.
Over a three-year collaboration running from 2025 to 2027, the initiative brings together Morocco’s leading polytechnic university, the UN’s cultural agency, and one of Africa’s largest foundations to address development challenges on the continent.
Mostapha Terrab, OCP Group’s Chairman, and Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO’s Director-General, signed the agreement on July 18 in Benguerir, marking a new chapter in their eight-year partnership that began in 2017.
The partnership focuses on five key areas designed to strengthen African capacity across multiple sectors, and aims to help the continent come up with solutions adapted to its context.
One component of the partnership is to operationalize the Rabat African Consensus on AI, an agreement the parties made during inaugural high-level forum on AI in Morocco that was held early last month. Specifically, the partners will create create programs aimed to help African countries use artificial intelligence in government services while maintaining their technological sovereignty.
The partners will also promote cross-border academic collaboration through UNESCO’s Campus Africa platform, offering scholarships and research exchanges.
The partnership is also designed to integrate African history into university curricula. To that end, multilingual materials and heritage conservation networks will be put in place to preserve both physical sites and traditional practices.
Additionally, the initiative will test ecosystem restoration projects in African protected areas that combine environmental conservation with economic opportunities for local communities.
This joint-agreement serves as “a catalyst” for African development, Terrab said, adding that AI will function as “a powerful lever for heritage enhancement, innovation, and empowerment.”
The comprehensive approach aims to reduce African institutions’ dependence on foreign models while building locally-driven solutions across education, technology, culture, and environmental sectors.
Meanwhile, Azoulay pointed out Africa’s central role in the organization’s mission, saying: “We are strengthening our partnership with the OCP Foundation and the University Mohammed VI Polytechnic for the coming years by investing in knowledge, communities, and territories.”
The collaboration marks a shift away from one-size-fits-all development approaches. Instead, the partners have developed a flexible system that can adapt to various regions and challenges across the African continent.
Since 2017, UM6P, UNESCO, and the OCP Foundation have worked together on various projects, guided by shared values including long-term investment in education, cultural preservation, and innovation that fits local contexts.
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