Latest news with #Morocco-US
Morocco World
18-03-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
Morocco, US Strengthen Digital Partnership with High-Level AI Discussions
Doha – Moroccan Minister of Digital Transition Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni recently met with a number of senior US officials at the State Department to cement digital partnership between Rabat and Washington, Morocco's Ambassador to the United States, Youssef Amrani, announced on Monday. The meeting sought to advance digital cooperation between Rabat and Washington, building on their joint artificial intelligence initiatives launched last year. 'Productive discussions at the U.S. Department of State between Minister Amal El Fallah and Ambassador Steve Lang, Chief of Cyberspace and Digital Policy,' he posted on X. 'We reaffirmed the strong Morocco-US partnership, advancing cooperation in digital transformation and artificial intelligence to foster innovation and shared prosperity for both our nations. Promising perspectives lie ahead,' wrote the Moroccan diplomat. Ambassador Amrani added that Minister El Fallah, who serves as Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, also held 'a productive meeting at the State Department with Ms. Leila Elmergawi, Director for Strategy and Global AI Policy.' During this meeting, they discussed 'Morocco's ambitious AI Roadmap and the Digital Morocco 2030 plan, reaffirming their commitment to advancing AI development and digital transformation for a prosperous future.' These discussions come on the heels of groundbreaking Morocco-US collaborations in AI. In March 2024, both countries shattered barriers by co-presenting the first-ever UN resolution on artificial intelligence. The resolution, titled 'Seizing the Opportunities of Safe, Secure and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence Systems for Sustainable Development,' gained support from 123 Member States before its adoption. Following this achievement, in June 2024, both countries established the Group of Friends on Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Development at the UN headquarters in New York. Read also: US, Morocco Advance Strategic Partnership Under Trump Administration This initiative was launched by Morocco's UN Ambassador Omar Hilale and US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield. It aims to create a platform for international cooperation on AI development, with a particular focus on supporting developing countries. Former US Secretary of State Antony Blinken acknowledged Morocco's contributions during a UN Security Council Meeting on AI last December. 'This summer, the U.S. and Morocco also established a group at the United Nations, open to all member states, where experts from every region are sharing best practices for adopting artificial intelligence,' Blinken said, describing it as 'real progress.' The North African country is making bold strides in AI adoption. In April 2024, a parliamentary opposition group in Morocco's House of Councilors submitted a bill to regulate the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the country. Presented by the parliamentary group of the Moroccan Labor Union, the bill aims to address the risks and illegal uses of AI technology while proposing the creation of a National Agency for Artificial Intelligence to oversee AI governance. If approved, the agency would be responsible for implementing and monitoring a national AI strategy, fostering AI talent, and ensuring ethical AI use in Morocco. A recent survey by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), as part of the 2023 CCI Global Consumer Sentiment Survey, revealed that 80% of Moroccan consumers are aware of ChatGPT, while 38% actively use the AI tool. This positions Morocco as the second-highest user of ChatGPT globally, after India, and the leader in Africa.
Ya Biladi
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Washington hosts U.S.-Morocco talks on digital transition and AI
Washington hosted discussions on Monday, March 17, between Morocco and the United States, focusing on digital transition. «Productive exchanges took place at the U.S. Department of State between Minister Amal El Fallah and Ambassador Steve Lang, responsible for cyberspace and digital policies», stated Youssef Amrani, Morocco's ambassador to Washington. «We reaffirmed the strong Morocco-US partnership, advancing cooperation in digital transformation and artificial intelligence to foster innovation and shared prosperity for both our nations. Promising perspectives lie ahead», wrote Youssef Amrani On the same day, the Deputy Minister in charge of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform held a «fruitful meeting at the Department of State with Ms. Leila Elmergawi, Director of Global Strategy and Policy on AI». Discussions centered on Morocco's ambitious AI roadmap and the Morocco Digital 2030 plan, reaffirming a shared commitment to advancing AI development and digital transformation for a prosperous future, the Moroccan ambassador revealed. As a reminder, in March 2024, Morocco co-sponsored, alongside the United States and the United Kingdom, the first-ever UN General Assembly resolution on artificial intelligence.
Morocco World
08-03-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
Who is Richard Duke Buchan III, New US Ambassador to Morocco?
Rabat – US President Donald Trump announced last night the appointment of Richard Duke Buchan III as the new US Ambassador to Morocco, saying he will 'play a pivotal role as we strengthen Peace, Freedom, and Prosperity for both of our Countries.' A rich and varied career Born in 1963, Duke Buchan is known for his extensive work in both finance and diplomacy. He previously served as the US Ambassador to Spain and Andorra, and made significant contributions in boosting trade and cultural exchanges. He studied economics and Spanish at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and later earned an MBA from Harvard Business School. After finishing his studies, Buchan built a successful career in global finance. He began his career at Merrill Lynch, where he gained expertise in global corporate finance and investment banking. He later worked at Maverick Capital, managing investments in banks and financial services. In 2001, he founded Hunter Global Investors, which grew to manage billions of dollars. His financial background has provided him with a deep understanding of global markets and economic trends. He later transitioned from finance to diplomacy and served as the US Ambassador to Spain and Andorra from 2017 to 2021. In that role, he focused on boosting trade, resolving tax issues, and promoting cultural exchanges between the US and European countries. His efforts also included strengthening bilateral relations and supporting democratic values. After that he became the finance chair of the Republican National Committee, the primary committee of the Republican Party responsible for developing and promoting the republican brand. What's next in strong US-Morocco ties? Now, as he takes on his new role in Morocco, Duke is expected to use his financial know-how and diplomatic experience to strengthen US-Morocco ties and build on the strong partnership already in place. In December 2020, before leaving office, Trump's administration officially recognized Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara and reaffirmed its support for the country's serious, credible, and realistic autonomy proposal as the only basis for a just and lasting solution to the dispute. 'Morocco recognized the United States in 1777. It is thus fitting that we recognize their sovereignty over the Western Sahara,' Trump said, referencing strong historical ties between the two countries. King Mohammed VI described Trump's recognition as a 'historic decision' and a 'milestone' in Morocco-US relations. He emphasized that Morocco would be 'forever grateful' for this recognition. The Biden administration did not reverse Trump's decision but also did not actively implement it and instead maintained a middle ground. After Trump's re-election in late 2024, King Mohammed VI congratulated him and highlighted the importance of their bilateral relations. The monarch reaffirmed that Morocco remains a 'true friend and faithful ally' of the US and expressed a desire to further strengthen cooperation. With Trump returning to office, his administration is expected to further reaffirm its recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara and potentially open a US consulate in the region and promote US investment in the southern provinces. This would further legitimize Morocco's position, which has been enjoying international momentum in recent years. Several countries worldwide have expressed support for the country's territorial integrity and autonomy plan, with many opening diplomatic representations in Morocco's southern regions. The latest notable addition is France, which announced last year its official backing of Morocco's autonomy plan as a legitimate and serious solution to the longstanding dispute. 'The present and future of Western Sahara fall within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty,' said French President Emmanuel Macron. Trump's first administration made the US the first major country to unambiguously embrace Morocco's territorial integrity. But the Biden years saw a slight dip in American commitment to upholding Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara. With Trump back in the White House, it remains to be seen whether his second administration will implement all the provisions of the December 2020 deal with Morocco, including the opening of an American consulate in the disputed Moroccan region. Tags: Donald Trump and MoroccoMorocco US RelationsUS Ambassador in Morocco
