Engaging the Moroccan Diaspora: Beyond Borders, Beyond Return
The movement of people is rarely just a question of geography. It is, more often, a shift in perspective, in belonging, and in intellectual and emotional coordinates. The Moroccan diaspora—now more than five million strong—is a living archive of trajectories shaped by study, work, ambition, and memory. It speaks not just to departure, but to return—sometimes literal, sometimes conceptual.
What emerges across decades—beyond the image of a community contributing to global industries, research, and governance—is one that continues to shape the national narrative from the outside in. This dual presence, being elsewhere without being apart, offers Morocco a singular advantage: the ability to think, act, and connect globally without losing the local thread. In his address marking the 49th anniversary of the Green March, His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, emphasized on the importance for the Kingdom to make better use of the expertise of its diaspora as a structural necessity. The country’s development ambitions require the skills, experiences, and strategic positions held by its nationals abroad.
This demands for a different kind of implementation, one that avoids the binary of “return” versus “distance.” Institutions must create durable interfaces that allow engagement without displacement. At University Mohammed VI Polytechnic, this has translated into specific mechanisms: scientific collaboration, co-supervision of doctoral research, shared innovation platforms, and participation in joint ventures across sectors. The UM6P Associates network is one expression of this approach. It does not ask the diaspora to choose between here and there. It assumes that the future of Morocco requires both.
As part of its broader community engagement initiative, UM6P takes this occasion to honour the plural commitments of Moroccans living abroad. We reaffirm the relevance of our institutional model: one that listens, connects, and learns from those who navigate both worlds. Morocco circulates minds across borders. And from this circulation, new forms of knowledge, solidarity, and innovation take root; not just for Morocco, but for the entire Africa.
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