Rabat – Morocco has officially joined the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) as its third African member state, reiterating the country’s commitment to the digitization of its administration and economy.
Based in Saudi Arabia, DCO works with governments, civil society, international organizations, and the private sector to advance inclusive digital transformation within its member states.
As Morocco joined the organization on Tuesday, DCO’s collective GDP exceeded $2 trillion with a total population of over half a billion people, 70% of whom are aged under 35, the organization reported in a press release.
Currently, the organization has nine member-states including Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Rwanda, and Saudi Arabia.
Morocco’s Minister Delegate of Digital Transition and Administration Reform, Ghita Mezzour, welcomed the accession to the DCO club and noted that the group’s mission aligns with Morocco’s digital transformation strategy.
“We are delighted to join the DCO, and our membership builds on Morocco’s significant investment in developing our local digital infrastructure,” Mezzour said.
For her part, DCO’s Secretary-General Deemah Al Yahya commended Morocco’s efforts to expand its network coverage and digitize its administration services.
“Having a country that has so clearly prioritized digital transformation coupled with a thriving start-up and innovation ecosystem as a member state of the DCO will undoubtedly strengthen our collective strength and impact in creating a more inclusive global digital economy,” Al Yahya explained.
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Over the past two decades, Morocco has adopted numerous strategies to accelerate the digitization of administration services for nationals and residents to have better access to information.
These efforts concluded with the creation of digital platforms by public institutions operating in several sectors such as health care, taxation, and transportation.
Morocco further launched a national plan for 2018-2023 to expand the internet network and coverage in rural areas.
With a mobile adoption rate of 117.1%, DCO said, Morocco has great potential to accelerate its digitization efforts.
But the country remains to have an underdeveloped telecom infrastructure and e-government compared to other countries in the region, particularly in Gulf countries, the World Bank reported in March.
The bank further noted that only 17% of Moroccans aged more than 15 use digital payment services, while 1.6% of the population buy products and services online.
As Moroccans continue to distrust digital payment services, the bank outlined that digital transformation is key in addressing unemployment and increasing female labor participation over the short and long term.
