Omar Hilale: “AI Made in Morocco” Is a Diplomatic Soft Power Tool and a Lever for the Development of South-South Cooperation

In his address at the official launch of the “AI Made in Morocco” project, during a ceremony chaired by the Minister Delegate in charge of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, Ambassador Hilale noted that the new Moroccan project “AI Made in Morocco” appears as a bold and forward-looking response that can resonate beyond national borders and turn Morocco into a continental digital hub.

This response is built around three clear pillars that could reshape the Kingdom’s position on the global technological chessboard, Mr Hilale said during this high-level institutional meeting, attended by several ministers and senior officials from national institutions and bodies, as well as Moroccan and international start-ups.

The first pillar is based on sovereign artificial intelligence, he pointed out, adding that the national cloud, in place since 2025, ensures that the country’s data remain under Moroccan control. This choice, he said, protects against external risks and offers African countries an alternative path to dependence on major foreign firms. The diplomat already sees in this the early signs of a distinctly Moroccan digital soft power.

The second axis focuses on solidarity-based and multidisciplinary cooperation, in line with the High Directives of His Majesty the King, may God assist Him, Mr Hilale noted, stressing that Morocco is offering solutions adapted to local realities to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals within a framework of solidary South-South cooperation.

“With the North, concrete North-South partnerships are multiplying, including in particular the agreement with Mistral AI to process Arabic and dialects and the launch of the research and development center; the center of excellence with Onepoint; strengthened cooperation with Oracle and Huawei; advanced discussions with OpenAI; as well as Nvidia’s recent decision to give priority to Morocco in its business plan in Africa. Another space for Morocco’s action in the field of artificial intelligence is triangular cooperation, bringing together expertise from the North and Moroccan skills for the benefit of Southern countries, with the support of international and regional organizations such as the UN,” Mr Hilale explained.

The third pillar mobilizes diplomacy, he specified, adding that the “AI Made in Morocco” label is becoming a flag within multilateral bodies, where the Kingdom co-chairs the UN Group of Friends on AI for Sustainable Development and chairs the African Coalition for Science and Innovation and the UN General Assembly High-Level Committee on South-South Cooperation. These positions, he said, reflect national leadership that is being written through intelligence for the Global South and strengthen both Morocco’s image and action internationally.

In this context, the Ambassador highlighted the global technological landscape, where artificial intelligence is undergoing rapid industrialization, recalling that private investments already exceed 202 billion dollars for 2025. “Computing models are reaching unprecedented scales. Yet this race remains dominated by a few powers: 60 percent of talent is concentrated in the United States. China controls the majority of patents and raw materials. Africa, with only 2 percent of the world’s data centers and 1.5 percent of investments, remains largely behind,” he detailed.

According to the Ambassador, the “AI Made in Morocco” model could well make the Kingdom a recognized reference in ethical and inclusive artificial intelligence, adapted to the realities of a continent seeking localized and sovereign solutions.

In a context where digital divides are deepening inequalities, Morocco is charting an original path that links sovereignty, openness, and solidarity, using AI to promote justice and development within Arab and African countries, Mr Hilale concluded.

Editorial team/le7tv