The fifth Ministerial Conference of the 5+5 Dialogue on Research, Innovation, and Higher Education

The V Ministerial Conference of the "5 + 5 Dialogue on Research, Innovation and Higher Education" was held in Nouakchott, Mauritania, on October 11, 2022, chaired by Mauritania and co-chaired by Italy, and attended by the relevant ministers of Algeria, France, Morocco, Libya, Spain, Malta and Portugal. Dialogue 5 + 5 is a multilateral forum established in Rome since 1990 to strengthen cooperation between the countries of the region in areas of common interest such as science, technology, innovation and higher education.

Since 2017, the National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics - OGS, has hosted the Forum's Secretariat at its headquarters in Trieste and has represented Italy in the activities of the Group of Senior Officials (GSO) on behalf of the MUR. The Mauritanian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Mohamed El Amine Ould Abi Ould Cheikh El Hadrami, opened the meeting, stressing that Mauritania was counting on this Forum during its two-year presidency and in the coming years to strengthen cooperation in the fields of research, innovation and higher education to promote responsible and sustainable economic growth. At the end of the morning, the Ministers of Education, University and Research signed the Nouakchott Declaration for Research, Innovation and Higher Education. The signing of the document marks the end of the Mauritanian presidency, which will pass the baton to Portugal for the next two years 2022-2024.

In addition, by signing a work plan for the two-year period 2022-2024, the ministers committed to strengthen cooperation and synergies in the fields of scientific research, innovation and higher education, and to promote social cooperation, youth employment and sustainable development in the Western Mediterranean region.

For the next two years, the new work plan reaffirms Italy's commitment to promoting and strengthening skills in blue economy sectors through the Blue Skills to feed jobs in the Euro - Mediterranean Region initiative, coordinated by OGS in collaboration with international and institutional partners.