Marrakech – Morocco’s Minister in charge of Digital Transition, Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, has outlined the country’s commitment to sovereign digital infrastructure through the launch of technical studies for the construction of Igouda, Africa’s largest data center in Dakhla.
The minister made her remarks in a ministerial panel held in Marrakech as part of GITEX Africa Morocco, which kicked off today in Marrakech with incredible momentum, attracting 50,000 participants from diverse sectors.
The event is also convening over 1,450 exhibitors from over 130 countries across the three days.
The ministerial meeting convened speakers to discuss the theme “redefining sovereignty in the age of artificial intelligence.”
The panel convened African and European ministers to discuss issues related to digital sovereignty, data mastery, and the energy requirements needed to develop AI in Africa.
The minister said the project will serve as a “true data embassy” on the edge of the Sahel, which is expected to reach a capacity of 500 megawatts by 2030.
The project will be built using fully green infrastructure, the minister explained, powered exclusively by renewable energy and cooled using water from the Atlantic Ocean.
The project reflects Morocco’s willingness to share expertise with fellow African countries, especially in AI applied to architecture, the minister said.
French Minister Delegate for AI Annee Le Henanff also participated in the panel, where she presented the EU vision for a technological sovereignty to reduce dependencies in strategic sectors, including cloud computing, cybersecurity, and AI.
She conveyed France’s commitment to make its experience available to African countries to boost digital sovereignty.
The minister also commended what she described as the strong conference of visions between the EU and Africa.
For his part, Gabon’s Minister of Digital Economy, Mark Alexandre Doumba, stated that access to sufficient competitively priced energy is the most critical complement for developing a real AI-driven economy.
African countries hold a significant comparative advantage in this regard, Doumba asserted, citing his country’s reliance on hydropower.
GITEX continues through April 9 at Place Bab Jdid.
