Curtains close on GITEX Africa, following a successful inaugural edition in Marrakech that witnessed, for the first time, the convergence of influential stakeholders from the entire global and African tech ecosystem to empower bold digital transformation missions in the world’s rising innovation economy.
Held under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, GITEX Africa is hosted by the Digital Development Agency (ADD), under the authority of the Moroccan Ministry of Digital Transition and Administration Reform.
Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, inaugurated on May 31, Africa’s largest tech and start-up show, which welcomed 900 exhibitors and start-ups, 250 leading investors, 250 conference speakers, and 30 ministerial delegations, with tens of thousands of attendees from 120 countries.
In addition to Akhannouch, several other ministers and dignitaries from across Africa and the world attended the inauguration ceremony, including the Moroccan Minister of Digital Transition and Administration Reform, Ghita Mezzour, the General Director of the Moroccan Digital Development Agency, Sidi Mohammed Drissi Melyani, Emirati Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Omar Sultan Al Olama, President of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), Chakib Alj, CEO of Smart Africa, Lacina Kone, and CEO of KAOUN International, organizer of GITEX Africa, Trixie LohMirmand.
“In light of the economic turmoil and profound transformations the world is witnessing today, digital technology has become an essential and unprecedented lever for economic development both internationally, and in the African continent in particular,” stated Akhannouch.
The Head of Government also noted that GITEX Africa is an opportunity to highlight the continent’s promising potential and its efforts invested in developing talents and skills in the fields of technology and innovation.
GITEX Africa shed light on several branches of the tech industry, such as IoT, Artificial Intelligence, Cloud and Big Data, Cybersecurity and Digital Banking, Telecom and Network Infrastructure, and Digital Cities.
GITEX Africa 2023, An Opportunity to Highlight Morocco-UAE Relations
This edition, the first-ever launch of GITEX Global outside the UAE, saw the participation of the UAE Cybersecurity Council, which was represented by a high-level Emirati delegation.
In an exclusive interview with Morocco Times TV, the Head of the UAE Cybersecurity Council, His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, praised the hosting of GITEX Africa by Morocco and highlighted the importance of this influential event in promoting collaboration and partnership between governments in the field of technology.
Al Kuwaiti also noted that the Emirati Cyber-security Council is working on several solutions that detect and actively alert cyber attacks in order to efficiently face these attacks, adding that the Council created its national cloud and the National Security Operation Center with the aim of identifying attacks threatening the nation’s cyber-security.
“Cyber-security culture is an important DNA that we need to have in our blood and our daily life, not only for us but also for our kids who use this technology,” stressed the Emirati official.
In a similar context, the Emirati official commended the exchange of expertise between Morocco and the UAE in the field of cybersecurity, recalling that the two countries share information under the auspices of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of preserving international cyber-security.
A Platform for Startups Growth
Bringing together government institutions, investors, and international companies, in addition to high-level stakeholders, creators, and innovators, GITEX Africa provided a platform to discuss advances in new technological trends and identify future opportunities, all while promoting the Kingdom as an investment destination in the digital sector.
The three-day event also dedicated a large space to Moroccan and international start-ups, reflecting Morocco’s commitment to promoting creativity and innovation and encouraging initiatives.
Within this framework, the Minister of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, Ghita Mezzour, signed two major agreements to support startups and develop digital competencies in Morocco.
The first agreement was signed between the Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform and Technopark. This collaboration aims to improve Technoparks’ offer for digital startups by creating support paths adapted to their needs, including pre-incubation, incubation, and acceleration.
This initiative also aims to expand the offer to other regions of Morocco, while maintaining the same levels of quality. Thanks to this agreement, digital startups will benefit from programs funded by the ministry covering all stages of their development, from idea to consolidation, through five support paths, namely; pre-incubation, incubation, development, and acceleration.
The second agreement was signed between the Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform and LEET initiative. This agreement establishes a strategic partnership for the creation and implementation of special programming and coding schools named “YOUCODE” over the period 2023-2026.
These schools are specially designed for youth from various regions of Morocco, with the aim of fostering the development of digital professions, improving employment opportunities in new technologies, and stimulating the creation of ecosystems of digital startups.
With over 100 participating government entities from 80 countries, GITEX Africa 2023 is the catalyst of multiple investment pledges and public-private partnership announcements spearheading the acceleration of Africa’s digital transformation initiatives.
Africa’s showpiece tech event is affiliated with GITEX Global in Dubai, the world’s largest tech and start-up show, rated by tech executives as the world’s best global tech event.