The Moroccan Archives and the British National Archives signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in London on Thursday to strengthen cooperation between the two institutions. The agreement, signed by Director of the Moroccan Archives Jamaâ Baida and Director General and Keeper of the British National Archives Jeff James, aims to bolster collaboration, particularly in exchanging documents and sharing expertise. Speaking at the ceremony, Baida noted that the MoU strengthens the long-standing relationship between the United Kingdom and Morocco. Dating back to the 13th century, this partnership has resulted in the creation of valuable archives that bear witness to its richness. Baida highlighted the benefit the Moroccan Archives stand to gain from the British National Archives' wealth of experience in archive organization and management. The MoU also covers the exchange of archives, particularly digitalized ones, which could be made accessible to researchers and academics to boost research into the rich Moroccan-British relations. Morocco's ambassador to the United Kingdom, Hakim Hajoui, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the partnership's reflection of the deep ties between the two kingdoms. He noted that centuries of cooperation in various fields between these two, among the oldest monarchies in the world, would be illuminated by this agreement. Hajoui concluded by stating that access to this shared history offers a valuable opportunity to understand the past and shape a brighter future. To mark the occasion, the British National Archives displayed documents related to Morocco, including a peace and trade treaty dating back over three centuries and exchanges of letters between the Sovereigns of the two countries from the 16th century.
