The Private University of Health and Sciences of Agadir (UPSSA) and Chad’s Ministry of Youth and Sports signed a partnership agreement on Wednesday, August 5, aimed at strengthening cooperation in youth training by helping young Chadians develop their skills, foster innovation and contribute to their country’s development.
According to UPSSA, the agreement establishes a framework for joint cooperation through the design and implementation of programs and initiatives that will support young people at every stage of developing their projects—from concept to implementation—while promoting entrepreneurship, innovation and creativity within each institution’s respective areas of expertise.
Hamid Ouahbi, founder and president of UPSSA, said the agreement, signed at the university’s headquarters, commits the institution to hosting young Chadian entrepreneurs as part of a three-year excellence program in entrepreneurship. Participants will receive training in project financing, marketing and innovation across a range of sectors that support Chad’s economic and social development.
Speaking to Le360, Ouahbi said UPSSA will mentor the 100 young women and men selected for the program. Many of them, he noted, are unfamiliar with Morocco, its infrastructure and its internationally recognized achievements in sports. During their stay, they will have the opportunity to discover the Kingdom’s history and cultural heritage.
He said participants are expected to return home with a stronger appreciation of Morocco, its development and its achievements.
Ouahbi added that the initiative reflects King Mohammed VI’s vision of strengthening South-South cooperation and sharing Moroccan expertise with African countries, while helping build lasting ties between Morocco and Chad.
Fully funded from October 2026
For his part, Chad’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Naïr Abakar, welcomed the signing of what he described as an important agreement between his ministry and UPSSA.
He said the partnership will provide full financial support to the selected young entrepreneurs beginning in October 2026. After completing the program in Morocco, participants will return to Chad to implement development projects in their respective regions.
Speaking to Le360, the minister added: “I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI, who has consistently supported openness and cooperation among African countries.”
The partnership aims to promote youth entrepreneurship and encourage innovative projects capable of contributing to economic and social development through the exchange of expertise and by combining UPSSA’s academic capabilities with the institutional experience of Chad’s Ministry of Youth and Sports.
Scholarship program for Chadian students
The agreement also forms part of a broader initiative launched by the Chadian authorities to award scholarships to 100 Chadian students to pursue higher education in Morocco.
The program reflects Chad’s commitment to investing in the education and professional development of its youth while drawing on Morocco’s longstanding academic expertise in training professionals across a wide range of civilian and military disciplines for countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
The initiative further strengthens the cooperative relationship between Morocco and Chad and reinforces both countries’ commitment to South-South partnership, in line with the vision of King Mohammed VI to deepen cooperation with African nations through investment in human capital, the sharing of expertise and the development of strategic partnerships that support shared development.
The agreement underscores both institutions’ determination to expand bilateral cooperation through partnerships centered on youth empowerment and sustainable development for the benefit of both countries.
