The landscape of scientific research in Africa has just reached a new milestone. This Friday, February 13, 2026, the INP-HB in Yamoussoukro became the beating heart of regional solar innovation with the inauguration of the Green Energy Park Morocco–Ivory Coast (GEP-MCI) .

A technological axis Rabat-Abidjan

This large-scale project is the result of a synergy between three major institutions:

1. IRESEN (Morocco)
2. Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P)
3. INP-HB (Ivory Coast)

Inspired by King Mohammed VI's vision of South-South cooperation, this hub is the very first international replication of the Benguerir model (created in 2017). The challenge? To adapt Moroccan know-how — initially designed for arid zones — to the realities of the Ivorian semi-tropical climate .

More than a laboratory: An economic engine

The GEP-MCI does not limit itself to theoretical research; it aims for concrete applications to transform the daily lives of populations:

Key Sectors	Intended Applications
Agriculture	Solar pumping and crop drying systems.
Water	Innovative water treatment solutions using solar energy.
Energy	Optimization of photovoltaic and solar thermal energy.

An incubator for African youth

The center positions itself as a true accelerator of sovereignty . By serving as a testing platform for local solutions, it allows for the validation of prototypes before their commercialization. The objective is to foster a new generation of startups specializing in green energy, driven by locally trained talent.

"Through science, we are building sustainable bridges between African ecosystems."

— Mohamed Bousseta , General Manager of the Green Energy Park at UM6P.

Towards a pan-African innovation network

The inauguration of this technological "blueprint" in Yamoussoukro is just one step. For Samir Rachidi , CEO of IRESEN, this infrastructure proves that Africa can design and test its own energy solutions. Ultimately, this technology park model could be extended to other countries on the continent, thus creating a network of excellence for total energy independence.