Morocco to create AI CoE network nationwide
Al Jazari Institute to bring digital transformation to Moroccan provinces
#Morocco #CoEs - Morocco's digital transition minister Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni has announced plans to expand the Al Jazari Institute nationwide, creating centres of excellence across all regions. Announced at GITEX Africa in April, the inaugural Al Jazari Institute will be located in Guelmim-Oued Noun region in the southwestern part of the country. The government initiative aims to use the network of institutes to bring digital transformation to Morocco’s twelve regions. The centres of excellence will develop AI-enhanced digital solutions, whilst serving as regional bridges between research, innovation, and local ecosystems, with applications targeting agriculture, tourism, and energy sectors. A memorandum of understanding was signed earlier this month to create a second institute in Nador (the capital of the northeast Rif region), marking the beginning of the nationwide rollout.
SO WHAT? - Unlike Morocco’s other AI centres of excellence, Al Jazari Institute’s centres of excellence will be created across the country’s less developed and less populated regions, supporting digital inclusion. The institutes will enable digital transformation at a regional level and help connect universities, businesses and public stakeholders to introduce artificial intelligence across strategic sectors such as agriculture, renewable energy, tourism and health. The Al Jazari Institute programme falls under the Digital 2030 Strategy launched last year.
Here are some key points about Al Jazari Institute:
Morocco's digital transition minister Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni this week confirmed to the House of Representatives plans to expand the Al Jazari Institute nationwide, creating centres of excellence across the country’s diverse regions.
Al Jazari Institute was launched in April 2025 during GITEX Africa in Marrakech as part of Morocco's Digital 2030 strategy, focusing on sustainable development through AI applications.
The first institute is being established in Guelmim-Oued Noun region in southern Morocco, deliberately chosen to promote regional equity and technological empowerment in the historically underserved area.
Each regional centre will serve as a bridge between regional and national research institutions and local ecosystems, promoting scientific knowledge transfer and startup incubation capabilities.
Earlier this month, a memorandum of understanding was signed for the second institute in Nador, the second largest city in the Oriental region, involving multiple government ministers and regional officials.
Al Jazari Institute will focus on certification training, applied research, startup support, and local skills development whilst integrating AI into key sectors including agriculture, tourism, and energy.
Named after 12th-century inventor Al-Jazari, the institute aims to serve as a collaborative platform connecting universities, public institutions, and businesses to co-develop locally adapted technological solutions.
The expansion also aims to reinforce the "Made in Morocco" innovation identity, particularly in southern provinces, whilst supporting digital inclusion of small and medium enterprises.
ZOOM OUT - Al Jazari Institute is a component of Morocco's ambitious Digital 2030 strategy launched in September 2024, which aims to position the country as a leading digital economy in Africa by creating 3,000 startups, generating MAD 40 billion ($4.4b) in digital exports, and training 100,000 digital talents annually. The strategy emphasises inclusive digitalisation through hybrid cloud infrastructure, AI adoption across public and private sectors, and nationwide connectivity improvements reaching 1,800 rural localities by 2026. The comprehensive approach demonstrates Morocco's commitment to ensuring digital transformation benefits all regions whilst building local technological capabilities.
[Written and edited with the assistance of AI]
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