Morocco and Luxembourg have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate on digital transition projects, particularly in the areas of electronic government (e-gov), digital inclusion, and infrastructure.
Morocco’s minister of industry, trade, and investment, Moulay Hafid Elalamy, and Luxembourg’s deputy minister of digitalization, Marc Hansen signed the agreement Monday during a videoconference.
Within the framework of this partnership, Luxembourg and Morocco intend to share their experience and expertise in the field of digitalization.
Hansen expressed a joint ambition to collaborate in the fields of data interoperability, training for digital inclusion, and developing digital infrastructures. The minister specified that the agreement “marks the beginning of a mutual collaboration that will contribute to a mutually beneficial digital transition for both countries.”
This partnership also paves the way for collaboration between the GovTech Lab of the Luxembourg Ministry of Digitalization and the Moroccan Digital Development Agency in the field of innovation and modernization of digital public services.
Morocco’s Digital Development Agency implemented a new strategy to further develop the country’s e-governance as well as e-commerce. Digital Morocco 2020, “fosters the digital ambitions of the kingdom,” explained Moulay Hafid Elalamy.
This initiative aims to accelerate Morocco’s digital transition and to position the country as “the leading African digital hub.” The strategy’s objective is to put 50% of administrative procedures online while reducing the digital divide by 50%. According to Elalamy, The digitalization of administrative services will achieve better productivity and reduce the costs for administrative services.
In the industry sector, Digital Morocco 2020 seeks to connect 20% of Moroccan small to medium enterprises (SME). By digitizing the economy sector, the ministry hopes to attract foreign investment and to encourage business owners by limiting administrative obstacles.
With the newly signed memorandum, Luxembourg and Morocco appear determined to work toward furthering their evolving economic cooperation.
In 2020, Luxembourg’s government opened a Trade and Investment Office (LTIO) in Casablanca.
The office, the very first in Africa, will help identify opportunities in Morocco and more widely in Africa for Luxembourg companies from different sectors. It will also support Moroccan investors and companies to access Luxembourg as a European gateway.