The 2026 Belt and Road & BRICS Skills Development and Technology Innovation Competition – North Africa International Competition Successfully Concludes in Morocco

From April 20 to 24, 2026, the 2026 Belt and Road & BRICS Skills Development and Technology Innovation Competition North Africa International Competition was successfully held at Hassan First University in Morocco. The event brought together 228 contestants from China, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, and other countries, with a total of over 500 participants including experts, coaching teams, volunteers, and staff. Leveraging the competition as a platform, multiple cross-border cultural exchange activities were carried out, establishing a diverse international platform for skills exchange, technological innovation, joint talent cultivation, and cultural mutual learning between China and North African countries, thereby effectively promoting the coordinated development of China-Africa vocational education and elevating skills talent cooperation to a new level.

During the competition, key representatives of the Chinese delegation paid a special visit to the Chinese Embassy in Morocco. H.E. Ms. Yu Jinsong, Chinese Ambassador to Morocco, had a cordial exchange with the delegation, gaining in-depth insights into the competition preparations and the participation of the Chinese delegation. She encouraged everyone to use the competition as a medium to actively engage in exchanges and mutual learning with young people from North African countries, showcasing the prowess of Chinese youth skilled talent. She also assigned Cultural Counsellor Liu Chengang to represent the Embassy at the closing ceremony and awards presentation. A group photo was taken after the exchange.

The competition featured two major sections: the Technological Innovation Competition and the Future Skills Competition. The Technological Innovation Competition included ten tracks: Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Simulation, Future Technology, Advanced Manufacturing, Space & Sky and Communication Technology, Digital Healthcare, Government and Public Administration Platforms & End-to-End Solutions, Capability and Employee Development, Green Energy, and Digital Agriculture. The Future Skills Competition consisted of eleven events: Virtual Reality Space Design and Development, Cross-border E-commerce Skills and Data Analysis, Intelligent Inspection of Industrial Parts, Power System Automation and New Energy Technology, Additive Manufacturing, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Application Technology, AI Interactive 3D Digital Work Design, Intelligent Operation and Maintenance of Industrial Robots, Digital Design and Manufacturing of Mechanical Products, Construction Engineering Drawing Application, and Beidou Spatiotemporal Intelligent Application Works Development.

The Chinese delegation participated in eight Technological Innovation tracks and all eleven Future Skills events. During the competition, Chinese and international contestants competed on the principles of fair play, each demonstrating their expertise and skill levels to the fullest.

The closing ceremony was attended by Dr. Abdoulaye Salifou, Head of the Education Unit at UNESCO Liaison Office to the African Union and the UNECA; Dr. Liu Zhenying, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Belt and Road & BRICS Skills Development and Technology Innovation Competition; Professor Mohammed Barkaoui, President of the Sino-North African International Education Innovation Alliance; Professor Mohamed Knidiri, former Minister of Education of Morocco; Ms. Oulaya Zhou, Director of the Cooperation and Partnership Department at the Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation of Morocco; Professor Abdellatif Hilali, Vice President of Hassan First University; Mr. Liu Chengang, Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Morocco; Ms. Soumaya Samlali, Head of International Cooperation, African and International Affairs Department, OFPPT (Moroccan Office of Vocational Training and Employment Promotion); and Professor Abdelmajid Farchi, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology, Hassan First University, among other guests.

During the closing ceremony, the distinguished guests delivered speeches, warmly congratulating the successful conclusion of the North Africa International Competition and the smooth conduct of the supporting exchange activities. They fully affirmed the important role of the competition and related activities in building a cross-border skills competition platform, promoting exchanges among young skilled talents from China and North African countries, fostering regional technological innovation and the coordinated development of vocational education, and deepening China-Morocco cultural mutual learning. The guests unanimously agreed that the event, using skills as a bridge, culture as a medium, and cooperation as a bond, effectively narrowed the distance in education, culture, and talent cooperation between China and North African countries, providing solid support for youth skills development, industrial technology exchange, and mutual learning between civilizations in China and Africa.

Subsequently, the award presenters presented gold, silver, and bronze medals to winners of the ten Technological Innovation tracks and eleven Future Skills events, recognizing the contestants' outstanding skills and innovative spirit. The Chinese delegation achieved an excellent result of 19 gold and 14 silver medals.

To further deepen cultural integration and educational cooperation between Chinese and Moroccan youth and educators, a series of high-quality exchange activities were meticulously organized during the competition. Two Chinese-Moroccan cultural exchange events were held at Hassan First University and Hassan II University respectively, where teachers and students from both countries engaged in in-depth interactions and dialogues on topics such as traditional culture, educational philosophies, professional studies, and vocational skills development. Through cultural displays, skill sharing, and panel discussions, they enhanced mutual understanding and brought hearts closer together, fully demonstrating the unique charm of both cultures and the vibrant energy of young students, thereby building a solid bridge for youth cultural communication.

The delegation also conducted a special visit and exchange activity at the OFPPT CMC Public Training Center in Morocco, where they observed local vocational education models, skills training systems, and practical teaching facilities. The two sides held in-depth discussions on issues such as joint curriculum development in vocational education, collaborative skills talent cultivation, and school-enterprise cooperation implementation, accumulating valuable experience and laying a foundation for long-term cooperation in the field of vocational education between China and Morocco.

The North Africa International Competition, with technological innovation and future skills as its core links, closely aligned with the Belt and Road Initiative and BRICS cooperation and development concepts. It focused on youth skills talent development and international exchange and cooperation, integrating skills competition with cultural and educational exchanges. The event laid a solid foundation for deepening vocational education cooperation, facilitating skills resource connectivity, sharing innovation achievements, and promoting mutual learning between China and North African countries. The competition organizing committee stated that it will continue to promote China-Africa skills exchange and cooperation, planning to invite the participating North African teams to China for in-depth exchange and visits, further expanding cooperation dimensions, enriching exchange formats, and continuously supporting the growth of China-Africa youth skilled talents, while deepening and solidifying cross-border skills cooperation, educational collaboration, and cultural exchanges.

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