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Marrakech – A protocol agreement establishing a data and artificial intelligence excellence center in the Casablanca-Settat region was signed Tuesday in Rabat. The partnership unites key government ministries, the Moroccan Investment and Export Development Agency (AMDIE), and French group Onepoint.
The signing ceremony brought together Amal El Fellah Seghrouchni, Minister Delegate for Digital Transition, Ryad Mezzour, Minister of Industry and Commerce, Karim Zidane, Minister Delegate for Investment, Ali Seddiki, Director General of AMDIE, and David Layani, President and founder of Onepoint.
This strategic initiative, part of the “Morocco Digital 2030” national strategy, will equip the country with cutting-edge infrastructure dedicated to data and AI. The center will support public service modernization, digital innovation, and the competitiveness of national industry.
The project targets the recruitment of 500 Moroccan talents over four years, strengthening expertise in strategic domains such as AI, middleware, and data management. This specialized workforce will enhance Morocco’s position as a high-value offshoring destination.
Positioning Morocco as a continental reference for technology
Minister Seghrouchni called the partnership a major advancement in Morocco’s digital trajectory. The project aims to reinforce the North African country’s digital sovereignty and mobilize local talent around projects with strong international reach.
For Minister Mezzour, this agreement demonstrates the confidence world leaders place in Morocco’s industrial, human, and digital potential.
The Casablanca-Settat location will consolidate the region’s technological appeal and create valuable synergies for Industry 4.0 development, supporting the digitalization of national SMEs and strengthening industrial system security.
Minister Zidane stated that this excellence center will position Morocco as a continental reference for technology, promoting qualified job creation and human capital development. The project aligns with national priorities for investment, innovation, and digital sovereignty.
David Layani announced that the center will tackle major AI challenges in a sector whose global market is projected to reach €1,500 billion by 2030.
He stressed the importance of developing middleware solutions that allow organizations and businesses to expand securely. The facility will design technological components with Moroccan engineers, delivering tangible benefits for citizens.
The center represents a joint public-private effort to make Casablanca-Settat a hub for digital innovation at the intersection of competitiveness, training, and technological sovereignty.
Onepoint, operating in France, Canada, Morocco, and other countries, employs over 4,000 people worldwide. The company recorded a turnover of €500 million in 2024 and targets €1 billion by 2028.
Also present at the ceremony were Bertrand Baret, Onepoint’s Deputy CEO, and El Mehdi Alaoui Mrani, head of the company’s Morocco office.
Read also: Morocco to Develop AI Model to Simplify Government Services
