GITEX Africa 2026 concludes in Marrakech with focus on African digital ambitions

GITEX Africa 2026, held in Marrakech, concluded with discussions among international experts, public decision-makers, and technology leaders on leveraging digital transformation for Africa's sustainable development while preserving sovereignty and cultural specificities. Organized under the Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, with support from the Digital Development Agency and KAOUN International, the event served as a platform for public policies, investments, and technological innovation. A central theme was artificial intelligence, viewed as a key driver for development, provided it is conceived "from the continent, for the continent." Discussions highlighted new linguistic models and AI systems capable of integrating African realities, including linguistic diversity and socio-economic contexts, to overcome biases of global models. Philipe Beaudoin emphasized that "AI sovereignty must be at the heart of national strategies," stressing the need for systems respectful of local cultures. A critical aspect discussed was data control, with calls for collective mobilization from states, businesses, and NGOs to build ecosystems for producing, exploiting, and valuing African data. Cybersecurity was another major focus, with experts advocating for a "security by design" approach, integrated from system conception. The role of Chief Information Security Officers CISOs is evolving, making them strategic actors in enterprise strategy. "Zero Trust" strategies wer