RABAT, Morocco

Morocco and Israel held talks on ways of bolstering bilateral cooperation in the fields of scientific research and innovation, according to Moroccan authorities on Wednesday.

Israeli Minister of Science and Technology Ofir Akunis arrived in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, on Tuesday for talks on boosting cooperation between the two countries.

“This visit represents an opportunity for the two sides to discuss ways and mechanisms for developing partnerships between universities and research institutions in both countries,” the Moroccan Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation said in a statement.

According to the statement, the two sides underlined the importance “of participation in research projects related to topics of common interests.”

Last year, Morocco and Israel signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen their cooperation in the fields of innovation, research and technology.

Ties between Rabat and Tel Aviv have improved in recent months after the two countries signed a US-sponsored agreement to normalize their relations.

Morocco was the fourth Arab country to normalize relations with Israel in 2020 after the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan, in a move decried by Palestinians as a “stab in the back.”

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi