A delegation of British and Moroccan politicians, plus corporate and academic leaders met in Rabat to commemorate the launch of the ‘Cyber Security Centre of Excellence for Africa’, to be built in Marrakech.
The delegation, which included the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Cyber Security, Simon Fell, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Mohammed V University and Maritemex, an organization supporting the center's establishment.
About Maritemex
Maritemex is an international cyber security firm that provides a comprehensive range of cyber services and solutions to governments and enterprises.
It is a new UK-Moroccan joint project founded in collaboration with Templar Executives, a multinational cyber security, and information assurance firm. It has the full backing of both the British and Moroccan governments, and it strives to foster post-Brexit friendship and understanding between the UK and Morocco.
The Maritemex Cyber Academy, which is a part of the Maritemex firm, promotes and develops cyber skills and learning to assist individuals, organizations, and governments in an increasingly digital and interconnected world.
About the center
The ‘Cyber Security Centre of Excellence for Africa’ will serve as a regional hub, playing a strategic role in the fight against cybercrime with the support of law enforcement bodies, effective criminal justice systems, and active international collaboration.
It will offer various cyber security courses and training, to help local and global companies develop resilience and achieve growth in spite of the threat of cybercrime.
Templar Executives’ Cyber Academy will provide the courses and training sessions, in collaboration with chosen partners. While the new center in Marrakech is being developed, Mohammed V University will host the courses at its campus.
In addition to the National Cyber Security Centre’s (NCSC) certified courses, and in partnership with Lancaster University and Templar Executives, a cyber security MBA developed in the UK will be offered, a prestigious program created by experts from Lancaster University’s School of Computing and Communications, Lancaster University Management School, and Templar Executives.
The new Center, which is expected to open in September 2024 in Marrakech, will be able to accommodate up to 1000 students.
What is Templar Executives?
Templar Executives is a global cyber security and information assurance firm, a British Crown commercial service supplier, and a consultant to governments, multinational corporations, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
It offers a world-class portfolio of specialist, industry-specific cyber security solutions and services designed to demystify the cyberthreat landscape and give a business-enabling capacity for building and enhancing organizational cyber resilience.
Cybersecurity in Morocco
Morocco is becoming increasingly reliant on digital infrastructure, therefore technology becomes a potential weakness in security. The confidentiality and integrity of ICT infrastructure are under attack from fast-expanding cyber threats such as cyber fraud, theft of intellectual property and personally identifiable information, service interruption, property damage or destruction, and espionage.
One of Morocco’s current priorities is to promote the use of digital technology while continuing to protect human rights by combating cybercrime.
In 2020, Morocco ranked 50th out of 182 nations in the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) cybersecurity report, and seventh in the Arab world, behind Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Egypt, Qatar, and Tunisia, in first to sixth places respectively.
In order to increase confidence and stimulate the digital economy, Morocco has developed legal regulations for cybercrime protection.
On June 28, 2021, King Mohammed VI approved a draft cybersecurity law. This new law aims to create a legal framework that allows for the strengthening of information system security in state administrations and territorial authorities. The law also provides contractual structures for public institutions and individual persons or organizations, in particular telecommunications companies. It also establishes robust security safeguards for critical infrastructure.
UK-Morocco Collaboration
Since 2018, Morocco and the United Kingdom have committed to work constructively together to build a new international agreement on cybercrime that is comprehensive, results-oriented, and allows for the protection of human rights.
Morocco is the first country with which the UK and its partners, including the International Telecommunication Union and Oxford University, have created such a connection.
As a result of this collaboration between British and Moroccan enterprises and institutions, the two countries announced the establishment of a ‘Cyber Security Centre of Excellence for Africa’ in Morocco.
The center’s plans underscore Morocco’s position as an African pioneer in cybersecurity, bolstering the country’s strong presence in the digital world and reputation as the most connected country in Africa, with a rapidly rising internet penetration rate of over 74%.
“Morocco’s position as an African leader in addressing climate change makes what happens here absolutely vital to the way the green energy transition proceeds across the entire African continent,” said Simon Martin, the British Ambassador for Morocco. “That’s why I’m so keen and so pleased to see the way in which we have this interaction between British and Moroccan businesses, as well as our academics from universities in both countries working together in this way,” he said as he introduced the highly topical workshop.