Officials at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) hailed Morocco's significant progress in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025, reinforcing its status as a regional leader in this field.
Speaking at a press conference introducing the GII 2025, which ranks 139 economies worldwide according to their innovation performance, WIPO officials praised Morocco's performance, which climbed 9 places to 57th position worldwide in this year's edition, unveiled on Tuesday in Geneva.
Applauding this performance as one of the strongest of the year in the MENA region, WIPO officials identified priority avenues for the Kingdom to consolidate its position and assert its role as a regional innovation leader.
For Sacha Wunsch-Vincent, GII co-editor and senior WIPO official, Morocco stands out as a "ten-year climber," a country that has gradually built up its innovation system based on the GII indicators. He highlighted in particular the steps taken in the use of the intellectual property system, the rise of local start-ups, and the strategic interest given to innovation for several years.
However, the researcher highlighted a number of persistent structural challenges: "Pillars such as human capital, infrastructure, and market sophistication still need to be consolidated," he noted, calling for research and development to be stepped up.
In his opinion, the R&D/GDP ratio, the number of researchers, and the ability of start-ups to access large-scale financing remain priority projects.
For his part, WIPO Director General Daren Tang recalled that, during his visit to Morocco last year, he had observed the strength of the Moroccan innovation ecosystem, highlighting the importance attached to education and the quality of universities.
He also emphasized the distinctive aesthetic sense of Moroccans, nurtured by a rich cultural heritage and openness to global and regional influences. This creativity is reflected in the country's performance in industrial design, a field in which Morocco excels, he noted.
Recognizing Morocco's entrepreneurial dynamism and early investment in the start-up ecosystem, the international executive noted that many start-ups still have to look abroad for funding.
"The real challenge is to enable these startups to grow while remaining in Morocco. This requires a robust local venture capital ecosystem and committed domestic investors," he explained.
In terms of research, the official pointed out that the most successful countries often devote between 2 and 3% of their GDP to R&D, compared with around 0.5% for Morocco. This investment deficit has a direct impact on the volume of technologies that can be transferred to the market, he said.
Asked by MAP about the possibility of Morocco entering the GII top 50 in the near future, WIPO's Director General was confident. "We don't make predictions, but history shows that countries that invest seriously in their innovation ecosystem naturally move up the rankings," he stressed, encouraging the Kingdom to keep up the momentum.
MAP: 16 September 2025
