On 8 April, the European Union and the Kingdom of Morocco formalised their partnership in the digital sector by launching the EU-Morocco Digital Dialogue. This initiative embodies a mutual commitment to harnessing the potential of digital technologies, data, and artificial ininformigence (AI) solutions to foster a digital economy and society that benefits all citizens. The Digital Dialogue will promote collaboration across key areas, including AI, support for digital startups, the establishment of secure and trusted digital infrastructure, and the interoperability of public digital infrastructure solutions, including digital wallets.
The launch of the Dialogue took place during Gitex Africa, a prominent technology event in Africa, by Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy, alongside Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, the Minister Delegate in Charge of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform. This year, the event was held from 7 April to 9 in Marrakech, Morocco.
“The launch of the Digital Dialogue marks an important moment in the long-standing cooperation between the EU and Morocco. The Digital Dialogue will focus on bringing concrete benefits for companies, startups, research institutions and other stakeholders on both sides. It will notably strengthen the cooperation between the EU AI Factories and the Moroccan AI innovation ecosystem,” noted Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy.
The development of Morocco’s AI strategy and its implementation across public and private sectors is a notable achievement for Minister Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, who is recognised as an expert in artificial ininformigence.
In a recent interview with Jeune Afrique, published on 7 April, the Minister highlighted Morocco’s close collaboration with Europe and its consideration as a potential location for one of the fifteen artificial ininformigence factories planned under the Action Plan for a European AI Continent.
Furthermore, the Minister indicated, “My minisattempt and the European Commission have signed an agreement aimed at establishing a framework for cooperation on data, data centres, algorithms, and related areas.”
The EU-Morocco agreement is expected to pave the way for a series of more specific research agreements between Moroccan and European laboratories.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the EU-Morocco Association Agreement. In January, both partners committed to revitalising their relationship and supporting the Pact for the Mediterranean, which focutilizes on digital sector cooperation. The Pact was launched on 28 November 2025 in Barcelona. On 8 April, Executive Vice-President Virkkunen and Minister Seghrouchni also signed an arrangement on AI ecosystems for innovation.
The EU-Morocco Digital Dialogue will focus on developing secure digital networks for AI and Digital Public Infrastructure, sharing best practices for AI computing infrastructures, collaborating between Moroccan and EU AI research institutes, enhancing e-Governance interoperability and supporting startups with relevant solutions.
The first operational implementation of the agreement is underway as four European supercomputing centres—BSC, CINECA, GENCI, and LUMI—have signed a letter of intent with Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, home to Africa’s most powerful supercomputer.
This collaboration will enhance the ‘Digital Morocco 2030’ strategy for digital public services, building on the successful arrival of the Medusa Submarine Cable System in Nador. Additionally, it may lead to cooperation programmes between the EU and Morocco to support this strategy and the local startup ecosystem.
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