Africa-focused partnership: UM6P, UNESCO and OCP Foundation launch joint development platform

Saturday 19 July 2025 - 15:30

In a move to strengthen African-led development strategies, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), UNESCO, and the OCP Foundation signed a strategic agreement in Paris on July 18, 2025. The trilateral partnership activates a $6 million platform that will fund joint projects focused on education, technology, environment, and cultural preservation across the continent.

The initiative builds on a collaboration that began in 2017, underpinned by shared values such as investing in local knowledge systems, enhancing higher education, and supporting innovation rooted in African realities.

Structured around five key areas—artificial intelligence, higher education, African history, cultural heritage, and environmental restoration—the partnership will promote sustainable and inclusive development through modular programs tailored to regional contexts.

"Together, we are launching a catalyst for innovation that serves Africa's long-term future," said Mostapha Terrab, president of OCP Group. He emphasized AI as a tool not only for modernization but also for safeguarding cultural identity and empowering communities.

UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay echoed this vision, stating that the partnership is "an investment in African talent, communities, and ecosystems," focusing on education, history, and climate resilience.

Key elements include the implementation of the Rabat African Consensus on AI, regional training programs, and the expansion of Campus Africa, a UNESCO platform promoting academic mobility and research co-production among African universities.

The partnership also supports the integration of UNESCO’s General History of Africa into university curricula through teacher training and multilingual resources, and fosters cultural governance via the Maou’root initiative, aimed at building a pan-African network of heritage professionals.

On the environmental front, pilot restoration projects will be launched in protected areas to explore synergies between biodiversity conservation, economic development, and climate adaptation.

This expanded phase reflects a shared belief: Africa’s development success depends not just on isolated projects, but on building integrated ecosystems that connect knowledge, institutions, and practical implementation.