Morocco and Mauritania have formalized a new agreement establishing a framework for bilateral collaboration in the critical areas of public archives.
This partnership will focus on the collection, preservation, processing, and promotion of documentary heritage, particularly emphasizing records related to their shared history and extensive administrative and cultural exchanges.
The archival cooperation agreement was officially signed on Friday at the headquarters of the Moroccan Archives Foundation in Rabat. Mohamed Mokhtar Sayed Mohamed El Hadi, representing Mauritania’s National Office of Documents, and Latifa Mouftakar, Director of the Moroccan Archives Foundation, signed on behalf of their respective nations.
The agreement sets out a comprehensive framework for joint initiatives, including professional training, digitization efforts, management of conservation centers, historical research, and enhancing public access to archives. It also facilitates regular technical exchanges between Mauritanian and Moroccan experts, supports joint scientific publications, and promotes cultural events that highlight the crucial role of archives in shaping national narratives.
Through this collaborative effort, both countries aim to deepen their cooperation in a field vital for knowledge transmission and the construction of a shared documentary memory.
The signing ceremony was attended by Nani Ould El Houssein, Cultural Advisor at the Mauritanian Embassy in Rabat, and Mohamed Fathi, Head of International Cooperation at the Moroccan Archives Foundation.
This new agreement arrives amid improving diplomatic relations between Rabat and Nouakchott, following a positive turning point marked by the December meeting between King Mohammed VI and Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani.
The Moroccan Archives Foundation, established under Law No. 69.99 on archives, plays a vital role in preserving Morocco’s documentary heritage. Created as part of national reconciliation efforts in the early 21st century, it collects, preserves, and makes accessible the country’s historical archives and has been designated a strategic national institution since 2012.
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