The new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) marks a significant milestone in advancing Morocco’s digital transition strategy while supporting broader regional development objectives.

Morocco’s Ministry of Digital Transition and Administration Reform, along with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has signed a new cooperation agreement aimed at accelerating inclusive digital transformation across the Arab States and Africa. The event took place on the sidelines of the National Conference on Artificial Intelligence, held on July 1-2 in Rabat at the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University campus.

The conference brought together over 2,000 participants, including national and international experts, under the theme “An Efficient and Ethical AI Strategy Serving Our Society.” It also featured the signing of agreements with various public and private partners.

Commenting on the agreement, Marina Walter, Deputy Director of the Regional Bureau for Arab States at UNDP, said, “This partnership underscores our shared commitment to harnessing digital transformation as a powerful enabler of sustainable development and regional integration.”

The partnership focuses on strengthening digital public services, promoting responsible artificial intelligence (AI) use, and building institutional and regulatory frameworks to enable robust digital ecosystems that support sustainable development.

It reaffirms Morocco’s ambition to position itself as a regional hub for inclusive and rights-based digital transformation, contributing to UNDP’s global mission to shape equitable, secure, and development-driven digital cooperation.

Morocco’s rapid digital growth makes it a natural partner for the UNDP in driving inclusive digital transformation across the Arab and African regions. With major tech players like Oracle, Naver, Nokia, and Cisco investing heavily, Morocco has quickly become a leading technology hub, supported by strong infrastructure, strategic location, and a skilled workforce.

Its Digital 2030 strategy — targeting over 240,000 new digital jobs by 2030 and widespread public service digitization — aligns closely with the UNDP’s goals of sustainable, inclusive, and rights-based digital growth. The country provides a strong foundation to scale digital public services and responsible AI. This makes it an ideal anchor for the partnership, helping deliver tangible development outcomes and advance the Sustainable Development Goals.

Hikmatu Bilali