🇲🇦MoroccoNorth Africa
Agadir hosts second Epik Summer Academy focusing on leadership and innovation
via Le Matin5 min read
Agadir is hosting the second Epik Summer Academy from June 25 to 29 at Lunja Village, bringing together 200 participants from over 20 African countries. The event, organized by the pan-African association EPIK Leaders, aims to develop leadership and human capital. It targets students, young entrepreneurs, and community leaders, focusing on fostering a new generation of leaders to address economic, social, and technological challenges in Africa. The academy's theme, "Next-Gen Africa: The Artificial Intelligence Playbook for Leadership," emphasizes artificial intelligence through high-level panels such as "The Code of Tomorrow: Can African Youth Build the Next AI Revolution?" and "The Infinite Game: Performance and well-being in the age of artificial intelligence." The program features an intensive "Learning By Doing" approach, including training, simulations, and collective intelligence. Participants can pursue certifications from international academic institutions like Harvard and Oxford in modules covering project management, team management, and impact communication. Personal development is also addressed through the Innermetrix psychometric assessment "Decoding You." A 360-minute hackathon on artificial intelligence will allow participants to design and prototype innovative solutions. The academy also aims to create lasting pan-African networks through cohesion and networking activities. Dr. Nizar Chaari, founder of Epik Leaders, stated that the goal is to democratize acc
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Matin.
As Morocco approaches its 2026 legislative elections, economist Kamal Zine emphasizes the need for political parties to present clear, quantified economic programs, moving beyond general slogans. He states that the primary challenge for the 2026 elections will be voter participation, especially among young people, which can only be achieved through concrete proposals with precise objectives, realistic timelines, and identified funding. Zine highlights that Moroccans now expect detailed programs demonstrating both promises and implementation strategies. He also advises political parties to integrate alternative scenarios into their proposals, considering international uncertainties like inflation, geopolitical tensions, energy price fluctuations, and global economic slowdowns. Zine believes the fundamental goal for Morocco in the coming years is to achieve emerging economy status by 2035, as outlined in the new development model NMD. He argues that the NMD needs updating, citing the unachieved annual growth target of 6-7% despite massive public investment. He questions why investment efforts are not yielding expected growth results. Zine notes that the Moroccan economy is still heavily reliant on public investment, contrary to the NMD's vision for 2035 where two-thirds of investment should come from the private sector. He advocates for a progressive debt reduction strategy to preserve national sovereignty, clarifying that this does not mean ceasing borrowing, as Morocco mainta
Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the FRMF and Minister Delegate in charge of the Budget, discussed Morocco's development vision, particularly concerning the 2030 World Cup and rumors about his political future. Lekjaa addressed concerns that 2030 World Cup investments might exacerbate disparities between major cities and less developed regions, rejecting the idea of a "two-speed Morocco." He highlighted existing structural investments in remote areas, such as the expressway connecting Agadir, Laâyoune, and Dakhla, and projects in the Oriental region and Saïdia. While acknowledging territorial disparities, Lekjaa stated that studies for programs to reduce these gaps are complete, and work will begin in various regions, including those less developed. He views the 2030 World Cup as a catalyst for territorial upgrading, promising that by 2030, these regions will also show significant transformation. Regarding rumors positioning him as a potential "World Cup head of government," Lekjaa stated he had "no knowledge of this subject" and responded to questions about personal ambition by saying, "The invisible is known only to God, and it is in Him that we place our trust."
Morocco has called for the prompt implementation and full respect of the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran. According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans Residing Abroad, this agreement is crucial for consolidating the ceasefire and ensuring lasting freedom of maritime navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The Kingdom of Morocco also thanked the mediators for their efforts in facilitating this progress and expressed hope that the agreement will contribute to resolving other outstanding issues in accordance with international law. US President Donald Trump had previously announced that an agreement with Iran was "finalized" and that the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened.