Editing Economy of Morocco (section)

==Science and technology==
{{Main|Science and Technology in Morocco}}

The national system of scientific and technical research is guided by different elements, such as the pronouncements of the king, reports of special commissions, [[Economic history of Morocco|five-year plans]], and the creation of a special programme for the support of research. The Moroccan government's Five-Year Plan for 2000–2004 articulated the priority lines for research. The declared objectives of this plan were to align S&T research with socio-economic development priorities.<ref name="portal.unesco.org">{{Cite web |url=http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/files/55536/11998897825Morocco.pdf/Morocco.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=9 November 2009 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303212709/http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/files/55536/11998897825Morocco.pdf/Morocco.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> Sectors declared as priority areas were: agriculture, health fisheries, drinking water, geology, mining, energy, environment, information and telecommunications technologies, and transport.<ref name="portal.unesco.org"/>

This approach highlighted the need for effective institutional coordination, which enabled different parties to work together around common priority socioeconomic objectives. The private sector is the least active player in research activity in Morocco. The REMINEX Corporation (Research on Mines and Exploitation) is the most prominent research performer in the private sector,<ref name="portal.unesco.org"/> and is a subsidiary of [[Omnium Nord Africain]], the largest privately owned mining group in Morocco. The most recent figures available on the number of research staff in Morocco are those provided by the Ministry of National Education, Higher Education, Professional Training and Scientific Research in its 2002–2003 annual report. According to this report, Morocco had 17 390 research staff in 2002–2003.<ref name="portal.unesco.org"/> The majority (58%) were employed in the university sector.

Research institutions include the Scientific Institute, founded in 1920 in [[Rabat]], which does fundamental research in the [[natural sciences]],<ref name=autogenerated2>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Morocco-SCIENCE-AND-TECHNOLOGY.html|title=Science and technology – Morocco|access-date=11 June 2015|archive-date=11 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181211140640/https://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Morocco-SCIENCE-AND-TECHNOLOGY.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and the Scientific Institute of Maritime Fishing, founded in 1947, in Casablanca, which studies [[oceanography]], [[marine biology]], and topics related to development of the [[fishing industry]].<ref name=autogenerated2 /> Nine universities and colleges offer degrees in basic and applied sciences. In 1987–97, science and engineering students accounted for 41% of college and university enrollments.