Morocco has increased the number of scholarships provided under the annual scholarship scheme for Maldivian students wishing to pursue their higher education in Moroccan universities and public institutions for the academic year 2020-2021.
This grant from the government of Morocco comes as a follow-up to the official visit by Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid to Morocco in November 2019. Under the annual scholarship scheme, the government of Morocco will provide 20 annual scholarships for Maldivian students in scientific, technical and economic fields in addition to academic programmes in Islamic studies, Arabic language and literature. The scholarship scheme will be publicised nationwide by the Ministry of Higher Education of the Maldives, inviting nominations from qualifying applicants.
Morocco remains a close partner of the Maldives both bilaterally and internationally in various multilateral fora. The official visit by Foreign Minister Shahid to Morocco in November 2019 was the first ever bilateral visit of a Maldivian Foreign Minister to Morocco and marks a significant milestone in the long-history of Maldives-Morocco relations. During the visit, both governments engaged in fruitful discussions on various issues of mutual concern and concluded four bilateral agreements to further consolidate its close friendship and warm relations.