ESIS Extension / Morocco / IS Promotional Activities / Update Memo

The promotion of the Information Society is taking on increasing importance in Morocco as both the public and private sector are underlining its importance in building a strong economic infrastructure. Already stressed on several occasions by his father, the newly crowned King Mohammed VI reaffirmed in September his attachment to a "society of knowledge and information" and confirmed the government’s intention to "put into place a legal and economic environment that will encourage the development of Information Technology".

The State is a key player in the promotion of the information society, both as a consumer of technology and through its support of key initiatives in a variety of areas. The Ministry of Industry and Commerce established as early as October 1998 a working committee in charge of monitoring information technologies (CSTI). This committee has been assigned with co-ordinating national promotional activities in this area. Other groups that will play an important role in promoting specific initiatives are the Moroccan Committee for EUMEDIS Follow-up, the Information Technologies Group (GTI) and the - Electronic Commerce Committee for the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (CCE).

Several universities have been actively participating in both the use of Information Technology in education, and the development of both teaching and research in this area. Under the guidance of the Ministry of Graduate Education and of Scientific Research, the National School of Information Systems and of the Analysis Systems (ENSIAS), the National Institute of Economics and Applied Economics (INSEA), and the Mohammadia School of Engineers (EMI) have actively promoted the MARWAN project (Moroccan Academic and Research WAN) and tele-teaching.

Private sector initiatives have been both varied and normally varied in scope. The most significant has been the launching of the Maghrebin Association of Electronic Commerce in Casablanca last Spring. The 1rst National Forum that launched the association drew two hundred participants from a wide range of public and private sector activities. The COFIMAG group and Akhawayn University are the driving forces behind this project.

The national daily and monthly press has covered promotional efforts closely the last year. L’Economiste, Le Matin du Sahara et du Maghreb and the La Vie Economique, have been particularly attentive to promotional efforts of the Information Society. The press as a whole has followed the tender for the second GSM license, and the subsequent formation of the Meda Télécom group.

The Moroccan Information Society was organized by the SEPTI of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the African Economic Commission (CEA). The objective of this workshop was to inform national actors of public initiatives in the Information Society and to discuss future pilot projects in this area. Specific projects that were proposed included "Information Technology and the City", electronic administration, electronic commerce, and IT infrastructure

"Electronic Commerce in emerging countries" seminar organized by European EDI Management Institute, Lausanne, with the universities of Toulouse and Marrakech. This seminar will offer a comparative analysis of electronic commerce strategies in emerging countries and propose a framework for a worldwide technology watch

"The National Plan for Developing Information Technology" seminar organized by the association of INSIA graduates (ALIF). This seminar will present the National Plan for Information Technology to coordinate public efforts and permit the emergence of a Moroccan economy based on knowledge and innovation.

African Development Forum , organized by the Economic Commission of the United Nations of Africa. Participation of an official Moroccan delegation to present the Moroccan Information Technology initiatives and to propose regional initiatives in this area.

Information as a competitive factor for business, a National Forum that will be organized by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

National Action Plan for the year 2000. The coordination committee for the year 2000 continues its promotional efforts begun in September 1998. Major projects include :

Please note that this report has been prepared under the sole responsibility of the ESIS II contractors.
It does not necessarily reflect the views of the Commision, nor does the Commission accept responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of information contained herein.
The ESIS Team of contractors welcomes any additional information or corrections.