Gitex Africa: How to speed up Tech made in Morocco
The biggest continental event for the digital economy and new technologies (Gitex Africa Morocco) is experiencing unprecedented success this year.
The 2nd edition of Gitex opened its doors to over 1,400 exhibitors (major technology groups, inventors, experts, institutions, a hundred or so government delegations…), 350 investors, 700 start-ups, fintechs, agritechs, educ techs, health techs, telecoms operators, payment solutions developers… 130 countries are taking part in this 2nd edition, held in Marrakech from May 29 to 31. Artificial intelligence is of key importance this year, along with the cloud, the Internet of Things, cybersecurity, big data, and blockchain. The opening ceremony was packed to the rafters in the presence of the Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, who announced the main thrusts of the new 2030 digital strategy. «In a few weeks’ time, we will unveil the Maroc Numéric 2030 strategy. It is a long-term project that has been developed in consultation between members of the Government, the public administration, and the private sector. The challenge is to promote the development of Moroccan digital solutions», announced Aziz Akhannouch in front of more than a thousand participants. According to the Head of Government, «the success of the new strategy remains dependent on the challenge of human resources, training and skills development among young talent, both quantitatively and qualitatively». To this end, the Chief Executive continued, a strategic agreement has been signed with a major international reference group (editor’s note: the American giant Oracle, a technology company specializing in databases and the Cloud). The aim is to triple the number of graduates in the digital sector within a 3-year period.
For Ghita Mezzour, Minister Delegate in charge of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, «today more than ever, Africa needs technological initiatives to unleash its full potential». Mezzour mentioned the success of Morocco’s outsourcing business, which has risen 12 places in the global rankings (to 28th position)». The Kingdom ranks 2nd for outsourcing in Africa,», said the Minister. This activity generated sales of 17.2 billion Dirhams (USD 1.71 billion), versus 14 billion Dirhams (UDSD 1.4 billion) two years ago, i.e. strong growth of around 20%. Another reason for satisfaction is fund-raising. Within one year, Morocco has moved up from 16th to 5th place in Africa, a sharp acceleration of around 250%. This performance is attributable to a number of financing mechanisms that have been put in place.
Amin RBOUB
