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GITEX Africa 2026 concludes in Marrakech with focus on African digital ambitions
via Le Matin3 min read
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
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Must ReadFollowing an attack near Es-Smara prison, the United States Mission to the United Nations released a statement on May 6, denouncing the violence and asserting that the status quo cannot continue. France, through its UN representation, reiterated on May 7 that the autonomy initiative under Moroccan sovereignty is the only basis for a just and lasting peace, urging the Polisario to respect the ceasefire and UN resolutions. On May 8, during the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations, Japan explicitly endorsed the concept of "autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty" in a joint communiqué signed by Nasser Bourita and his Japanese counterpart, Toshimitsu Motegi. Japan also committed to diplomatic and economic action based on Security Council Resolution 2797 and called for all parties to participate in discussions without preconditions, aligning with the Moroccan plan. This follows Japan's previous stance at the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development, where it clarified that the presence of an unrecognized entity would not affect its position. This shift is part of a broader trend, including Mali's withdrawal of recognition for the SADR on April 10, with its Minister Abdoulaye Diop calling the Moroccan plan the only serious and credible basis for resolution. Bolivia had also suspended its recognition of the SADR weeks prior. Switzerland, the European Union, Canada, and Zambia have also adopted positions supporting the autonomy plan, citing the same UN resolution. Th
Morocco and Japan recently commemorated 70 years of diplomatic relations, reaffirming the strong bilateral ties between His Majesty King Mohammed VI and His Imperial Highness Emperor Naruhito. This milestone underscores a shared ambition to establish Rabat-Tokyo as a pillar of stability and growth, addressing global challenges with agility and solidarity. The two nations' ministers signed a joint communiqué, serving as an operational roadmap for the "Cooperation Memorandum for a Strengthened Partnership" signed in Tokyo in 2024. This communiqué institutionalizes strategic dialogue through regular political consultations to enhance coordination between their ministries. Both ministers expressed a firm determination to intensify high-level exchanges and promote cooperation across various sectors via the Morocco-Japan Joint Committee. This qualitative leap in relations structures bilateral priorities around robust, diversified, and multidimensional cooperation. Special attention will be given to cultural cooperation and people-to-people exchanges. In development cooperation, opportunities for triangular collaboration between Morocco, Japan, and partner African countries were explored, with a commitment to sustained high-level visits for follow-up. To celebrate this jubilee and in anticipation of the 2026 World Cup, in which both countries will participate, the ministers symbolically exchanged national football team jerseys, each bearing the number 70. Japan's minister congratula
Must ReadThe European Union's Ambassador to Morocco, Dimiter Tzantchev, stated on Friday that "it is not time to escalate, but to negotiate," referencing UN Security Council Resolution 2797. He emphasized that Morocco's autonomy plan should form the basis for achieving "a just, lasting and mutually acceptable solution" to the Western Sahara dispute. This statement follows several international condemnations of attacks targeting Smara and calls to preserve diplomatic efforts under the United Nations.
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