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Rabat – Morocco’s telecommunication operator Maroc Telecom and the European Commission (EU) held a meeting today on digital sovereignty on the sidelines of GITEX Africa 2026 in Marrakech.
Mohamed Benchaaboun, CEO of Maroc Telecom held talks with Executive Vice President of the EU Commission and Commissioner in charge of technological sovereignty, security, and democracy, Henna Virkkunen.
A statement from Maroc Telecom said the meeting served as a platform to discuss dialogue and digital sovereignty, describing the theme as central to the digital strategies of both EU and African countries.
The talks focused on safeguarding critical digital infrastructures, data governance, cybersecurity, and the conditions for sovereign and sustainable technological development.
Benchaaboun described digital sovereignty as a tangible, day-to-day responsibility for Maroc Telecom, rather than merely an abstract concept.
“We deploy critical infrastructures that connect tens of millions of people in Morocco and Africa,” the statement read.
The CEO of the telecommunication operator also emphasized that securing these infrastructures, controlling the data that transits through them, and ensuring the resilience of networks against all kinds of threats collectively define digital sovereignty for Maroc Telecom.
“Our meeting with madame Virkkunen confirmed that on these topics, the European Union and Africa not only share converging interests but also have a real capacity to build joint responses that meet the scale of these challenges,” Benchaaboun explained .
The statement also recalled Maroc Telecom’s pledges toward digital sovereignty as a major strategic priority, emphasizing the importance of continuous investments in next-generation networks, cloud infrastructure as well as cybersecurity.
Such investments reflect the group’s ambition to build a sovereign, resilient digital ecosystem to contribute to Africa’s economic development, Maroc Telecom elaborated.
Maroc Telecom concluded its statement by pledging to step up efforts to contribute to solutions tackling common challenges between Africa and the EU, including security infrastructures against growing cyber threats and protecting citizens’ data.
In February, the operator said its turnover last year reached MAD 36.7 billion (approximately $4 billion), representing an increase of 1.4% compared to 2024.
The group attributed the performance to the growth of international activity, which was up by 5.3%.
Maroc Telecom is part of hundreds of companies and groups taking part in GITEX Africa 2026, taking place from April -9 in Marrakech.
Over 1,400 exhibitors are participating in the event, which is set to attract more than 55,000 attendees.
GITEX Africa 2026 is also bringing high-level speakers and officials, who are taking part in different panels to discuss different themes around AI and digital sovereignty, and cybersecurity.
