JERUSALEM, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Leading energy scientists from Israeli and Moroccan universities on Thursday signed an agreement to step up multidisciplinary cooperation on energy issues, Israel's Bar Ilan University said in a statement.

The agreement was signed at the university in the presence of Israeli Minister of Education Yifat Shasha-Biton, head of Morocco's Liaison Office in Israel Abdel Rahim al-Bayoud, and other senior officials and scientists.

"Today we are opening a door to extensive collaborations," the statement quoted al-Bayoud as saying.

The cooperation includes the establishment of a research program in which 33 Israeli and 20 Moroccan research groups are partners, according to the statement.

The planned joint research includes the development of rechargeable batteries, recycling, solar energy, hydrogen economy and dealing with Morocco's challenge of storing and transporting energy to neighboring countries such as Spain, the statement said.

Israel and Morocco signed an agreement to normalize relations on Dec. 22, 2020.