Morocco links new digital law to its push for global AI governance

Morocco is moving ahead with a new legal framework for its digital ecosystem just as it steps up efforts to position itself as a key player in global talks on artificial intelligence governance. The draft “Digital X.0” framework law, now under review by the General Secretariat of the Government, is designed to regulate the use of AI in both the public and private sectors while reinforcing data protection and digital sovereignty. At the same time, Moroccan diplomacy is using this regulatory shift to support the country’s ambition to act as a bridge between major powers in international debates on AI, including at the United Nations.​

The Digital X.0 draft was recently presented by Minister Delegate for Digital Transition and Administrative Reform Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni as a cornerstone of Morocco’s digital transformation strategy. The text sets out three main pillars: data governance, digital identity, and interoperability between systems. It clarifies how data can circulate and be protected, and aligns with existing Law 09-08 on personal data protection, which remains the legal backbone for privacy rules in the country.

One of the most concrete innovations in the draft law is the introduction of a sector based digital identity system. This mechanism limits data access to the information strictly necessary for each type of activity and actor, reducing the amount of personal information shared across systems. The framework also establishes interoperability rules built on traceable user consent, so that any data exchange between public bodies or private companies must be explicitly authorized and can be audited. Cybersecurity is described as a central element intended to build trust in digital services without placing excessive or arbitrary control on users.

The Digital X.0 proposal sits within the broader “Maroc Digital 2030” strategy, which identifies artificial intelligence as a key driver of economic growth and administrative modernization. Over recent years, Morocco has expanded digital infrastructure, rolled out more online public services, and encouraged applied research in emerging technologies. The authorities see AI not only as a tool to streamline services but also as a way to increase competitiveness and attract investment in digital industries.​

To support these ambitions, the government has deepened partnerships with international technology players. One of the flagship initiatives is a strategic agreement with French start up Mistral AI to set up a laboratory focused on multilingual language models in Arabic, Amazigh, and other African languages. The aim is to make AI tools more relevant to local users and to position Morocco as a regional hub for language technologies. In parallel, a national program has been launched to train 200,000 young people in digital and AI related skills, in an effort to build a domestic talent pool and reduce dependence on imported expertise.

Morocco is also using its evolving digital framework as leverage in global AI governance debates. Speaking at a roundtable in Salé during the First National Conference on AI, Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Omar Hilale said Morocco had taken an early lead among influential players in advancing the global momentum on AI governance. He stressed that the country had chosen partnership with the United States while also adhering to a Chinese initiative, arguing that this dual approach reflects a desire to engage fully in the technological revolution without aligning with a single geopolitical bloc.​

According to Hilale, Morocco wants to support all international efforts with partners at the forefront of digital technology, with a focus on South South cooperation and on linking AI governance to the Sustainable Development Goals. He described access to AI tools, skills, and infrastructure not as a simple matter of technical assistance but as a question of justice, shared innovation, solidarity, and digital sovereignty. In his view, a fair distribution of AI capabilities is now part of how modern sovereignty is defined, particularly for developing countries.​

Within the UN system, Morocco has already gained visibility on AI issues. Hilale recalled that Morocco was the only Arab and African country invited by the United States to co present the first UN resolution on artificial intelligence, which was adopted by consensus and focuses on using AI to support sustainable development. Morocco also initiated and co chairs with the United States the UN Group of Friends on Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Development, a forum that brings together states from different regional groups to discuss emerging AI challenges and developments. This group is intended to serve as a space for creative thinking and cooperation on how AI can be governed in the global interest.​

Morocco is further involved in the negotiations to define the terms of reference and modalities for an Independent International Scientific Panel on AI, as well as for a Global Dialogue on AI Governance. These processes aim to structure expert input and political discussion on standards, risks, and opportunities linked to AI. The country has also been asked by Central Asian states to help draft and negotiate their first UN resolution on the role of AI in creating new opportunities for sustainable development in that region, with the text scheduled for adoption in early July. This request suggests that Morocco is seen as a reference point on AI policy among some developing countries.​

Beyond the UN, Morocco will co chair the 2025 ECOSOC Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation and currently chairs the Coalition on Science, Technology and Innovation for Africa’s Development. This coalition aims to promote the development and use of ethical AI to accelerate progress toward both the UN 2030 Agenda and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. The government argues that the objectives of the “Morocco 2030” Digital Strategy, backed by 11 billion Moroccan dirhams in funding, are aligned with these multilateral commitments and intended to support the same long term goals.​

Taken together, Morocco’s internal reforms and international activism are intended to reinforce each other. The Digital X.0 law is meant to provide legal certainty and strengthen trust at home, while partnerships with AI companies and large scale training programs seek to create tangible capacity. On the external front, high profile roles at the UN and within African and global coalitions give Morocco a platform to influence how AI is governed and to advocate for a more equitable distribution of its benefits. Officials say this combination could support the country’s ambition to host the AI Action Summit in 2027, following editions in Paris in 2025 and New Delhi in 2026, and consolidate its claims to leadership on the African continent in the field of ethical and developmental AI.​