• Morocco’s CNDP and Portugal’s CNPD signed a memorandum of understanding in Lisbon on Feb. 25 to formalize institutional cooperation.

• The agreement prioritizes artificial intelligence, deepfakes and digital violence amid rising cross-border data risks.

• Morocco’s internet penetration exceeded 92% at end-2025, while Portugal reported high generative AI adoption and advanced GDPR enforcement.

Morocco and Portugal have stepped up coordination to tackle emerging digital challenges. The national authorities responsible for personal data protection in both countries signed a memorandum of understanding in Lisbon on Wednesday, Feb. 25, to structure their institutional cooperation.

Paula Meira Lourenço, president of the Comissão Nacional de Proteção de Dados (CNPD), and Omar Seghrouchni, president of Morocco’s Commission nationale de contrôle de la protection des données à caractère personnel (CNDP), signed the agreement at the CNPD headquarters. The text established an operational framework to intensify technical expertise exchanges and information sharing.

AI and Digital Violence at the Core of Priorities

The cooperation will primarily target issues related to artificial intelligence, image manipulation technologies such as deepfakes and digital violence. These phenomena have raised growing concerns regarding privacy protection, legal certainty and regulation of digital practices. The memorandum also provides for training programs, educational projects and the exchange of best practices in oversight and enforcement of regulatory frameworks, as technology continues to evolve rapidly.

This initiative comes as both countries experience strong digital momentum. In Morocco, internet penetration exceeded 92% at the end of 2025, according to DataReportal, placing the country among the most connected markets in Africa. Meanwhile, Portugal has recorded high adoption rates of generative artificial intelligence, according to a recent study by Bain & Company. Portugal has also built advanced experience in enforcing the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Anchoring Cooperation in Regional Networks

The agreement provides for annual bilateral meetings to ensure structured follow-up. Each institution will also leverage its international networks. The CNPD will rely on the Ibero-American Data Protection Network (RIPD) and the Lusophone Data Protection Network (RLPD). Meanwhile, Morocco’s CNDP will activate the Network of African Data Protection Authorities (NADPA-RAPDP) and the Francophone Association of Data Protection Authorities (AFAPDP).

Samira Njoya