From left: Israel’s Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Orit Farkash-Hacohen; CEO of Start-Up Nation Central Avi Hasson; and Amina Benkhadra, general director of Morocco’s National Office of Hydrocarbons & Mines (ONHYM) at the “Morocco-Israel Connect to Innovate” in Casablanca, May 2022. Photo: Courtesy.

JNS.org – A conference titled “Morocco-Israel Connect to Innovate” that wrapped up on Thursday brought together government officials and 250 business leaders from the two countries in Casablanca to focus on ways to collaborate in the agritech, food tech, water tech, energy, logistics and other sectors.

These areas are the focus of King Mohamed VI’s multi-year economic and social roadmap called “The New Development Model.”

“Let us join forces and connect to innovate, to give a chance for peace for the sake of our children and the safety of all,” said André Azoulay, adviser to King Mohamed VI.

Israel’s Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Orit Farkash-Hacohen headlined the closing ceremony of the conference shortly after signing a new cooperation agreement in the fields of artificial intelligence, agricultural technology, water technology, energy, health care, space and automotive advances with her Moroccan counterpart, Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation Abdellatif Miraoui.

“There is great potential for Israel’s high-tech industry in the Kingdom of Morocco in the fields of water desalination and other water technologies, renewable energy, agriculture, sustainability and more,” she stated. “The strengths of the Israeli innovation industry have complimentary business opportunities in Morocco. We will continue to support the maximization of the economic potential between Morocco and Israel. There is a lot to aspire to.”