Signature of U.S.-Moroccan Agreement to Finance Study of Geographic Information System  

Mrs. Amina Benkhadra, Director General of the National Office of Petroleum Research and Development (ONAREP), and the new United States Ambassador in Morocco, Margaret Tutwiler, signed august 6 an agreement concerning a feasibility study for  a Geographic Information System (GIS) and Information Technology Project.

 The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) will provide a grant of $399,880 for the  ONAREP to select an American company to design a GIS-based “information flow system” for oil and natural gas exploration and production in Morocco. 

 The recommended system solution will be based on an open architecture. It will optimize  information management exchange for geo-technical, commercial and financial data.

 The selected contractor will also be responsible for designing a pilot project integrating the various databases that cover oil exploration in Morocco.

 During the signing ceremony attended by several high Moroccan and American officials, Mrs. Benkhadra highlighted Moroccan-American relations and underlined the importance of this project for the development of petroleum exploration in Morocco. She added that "ONAREP will give priority to an information system using new technology and responding to the objectives of Morocco in partnership with USTDA." She also noted the benefits of partnership with USTDA.

 Ambassador Tutwiler said that "I am delighted that Morocco can benefit from American technology and expertise to develop its natural resources."