Morocco is banking on international cooperation to achieve its digital transformation ambitions. In recent months, the North African kingdom has strengthened ties with countries such as Saudi Arabia, Portugal, and Estonia.
Morocco is seeking closer cooperation with Finland on digital transformation. The topic was discussed on Tuesday, January 28, during a meeting in Finland between Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, Morocco’s Minister of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, and Lulu Ranne, Finland’s Minister of Transport and Communications. The meeting was part of a Moroccan delegation's visit.
Talks focused on research, technological innovation, digital infrastructure, and data, according to a statement from Morocco’s Ministry of Digital Transition. El Fallah Seghrouchni emphasized “the importance of leveraging Finland’s expertise in artificial intelligence and advanced technologies while stressing the need to share best practices to strengthen Moroccan expertise in these fields,” the statement said. She also met with key Finnish technology players, including Nokia.
This initiative falls under Morocco’s broader international cooperation strategy for implementing its “Digital Morocco 2030” plan, officially launched in September. In December, Rabat signed a memorandum of understanding with Saudi Arabia to enhance e-government collaboration. Morocco has also strengthened ties with Saudi Arabia, Portugal, and Estonia—widely considered a global leader in digital transformation.
Morocco currently ranks fourth in Africa and 90th worldwide in the United Nations’ 2024 E-Government Development Index, with a score of 0.6841 out of 1. This surpasses the North African average (0.5776), the broader African continental average (0.4247), and the global average (0.6382). However, challenges persist, particularly in developing human capital and improving online services. While the country has made significant strides in cybersecurity, positioning itself as a model in the region, further efforts are needed to strengthen measures and build capacity.
Finland, conversely, ranks ninth globally in e-government and is recognized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) as a benchmark in cybersecurity, having achieved a perfect score (20/20) across key pillars, encompassing legislative, technical, organizational, capacity-building, and cooperative measures.
Morocco’s push for international cooperation could accelerate its ambition to make digital technology a key driver of socio-economic development, targeting a contribution of 100 billion dirhams (around $10 billion) by 2030. However, discussions with Finland remain at an early stage, and no agreements have been signed or announced yet.
By Isaac K. Kassouwi,
Editing by Sèna D. B. de Sodji
