MFA Bourita Calls for AI that Serves Peace, Security, Sustainable Development in Africa

In his intervention, MFA Bourita indicated that this participation follows the holding, on March 20, 2025, under the Moroccan presidency, of the very first PSC ministerial meeting dedicated to AI, noting that the recommendations of the said meeting have seen significant progress, notably through the adoption of the African Declaration on AI which announced the creation of an African Fund dedicated to this technology.

While emphasizing that Morocco's commitment to making AI a strategic lever for sovereignty, development, and public action is inspired by the enlightened Vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the minister praised ambitious continental initiatives, notably the establishment of an Advisory Group on AI, reaffirming the Kingdom's full support for African actions aimed at ensuring equitable and sovereign access to this technology.

Addressing the transformations brought about by AI, MFA Bourita drew attention to three major concerns related to "governance," marked by the challenges posed by the proliferation of manipulated content and disinformation campaigns capable of influencing democratic processes and undermining trust in institutions; to "conflictuality," characterized by the growing use of AI in conflict dynamics, particularly through the spread of hate speech and targeted manipulation of public opinion, exacerbating tensions; and to "peacekeeping," in a context of increasingly complex operational environments linked to the multiplication of information sources and the emergence of hybrid threats.

Faced with these challenges, the minister proposed the establishment of African monitoring, early warning, and rapid response mechanisms regarding information manipulation, the development of systems for detecting hate speech and managing information crises, the strengthening of African human capacities in AI professions, as well as the elaboration of frameworks of engagement with digital platforms and the development of African AI solutions dedicated to conflict prevention and supporting peace operations.

In conclusion, and while highlighting the Kingdom's progress in AI, particularly through the "Digital Morocco 2030" strategy or the "AI Made in Morocco" initiative, MFA Bourita reaffirmed Morocco's commitment to supporting African momentum in AI, with the objective of fostering the emergence of a sovereign, responsible African AI, resolutely focused on the interests of the peoples of the continent.