Morocco allots 0.3 percent of GDP to scientific research

Morocco allots 0.3% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to scientific research, spokesman for the Moroccan government Khalid Alioua said on Thursday.

There are currently six research programs distributed over 910 research units, Alioua said at a press briefing following the weekly meeting of the government council, held in Rabat on Thursday under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Abderrahmane Youssoufi.

Some 65% of these projects deal with exact and natural sciences, 21% deal with human sciences and 14% concern engineering sciences, said Alioua, quoting a report by state secretary for scientific research, Omar El Fassi.

National research projects on Morocco and North Africa represent 0.4% of all world projects in this area, he said, adding that some 12,000 researchers and 2,901 technicians work in scientific research in Morocco.

The spokesman said the government council recommended important measures to encourage scientific research in Morocco.