Morocco’s national digital transition strategy known as “Maroc Digital 2030” is yielding positive results, Morocco’s Minister of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform Ghita Mezzour told Parliament on Monday. Approximately 170,000 transactions a day related to the Unified Social Registry (RSU) were recorded, while those related to mandatory health insurance reached around 307,000 per day, according to statistics as of August 2023.
The new platform is intended to assist citizens in their transactions with the government and make digital technology a key driver of Morocco’s socio-economic development.
Responding to statements by the National Authority for Probity, Prevention, and the Fight against Corruption (INPPLC) in a report entitled “Digital Transition: A Fundamental Pillar to Combat Corruption,” Mezzour told the Public Finance Oversight Committee of Morocco’s Lower House that a substantial budget had been allocated to initiate new programs under the digital strategy that have been developed as a result of broad participation by various institutional partners and stakeholders.
The new platform revolves around digital administration, governance, legal framework, data, change management, digital skills, and infrastructure.
Mezzour stated that over 600 public services are now available online, including 300 for citizens and over 200 for businesses, while 100 services are for public administrations.
“Recognizing the positive impact of digitizing administration in the fight against corruption, the national anti-corruption strategy includes a special program related to digital administration, with a completion rate of 74%, to improve electronic services, limit direct interactions between users and officials, promote transparency in administrative exchanges, and enhance service accessibility,” the minister highlighted.
Regarding the monitoring of the Digital Administration Development Index, Mezzour said that Morocco’s ranking is expected to improve by 2024, pointing out that a comprehensive and detailed report on the achievements, progress, and vision of digital administration was prepared in 2023 with input from all public departments.
With respect to facilitating administrative procedures related to investment, the minister touted a 45% reduction on average in the number of documents now required from investors to accomplish 22 administrative procedures, along with regional public awareness campaigns to introduce simplified processes and an update of the digital platform of Regional Investment Centers.
Concerning the use of digital identity used for both the identification and the authentication of persons, the minister focused on the kingdom’s electronic identification and authentication service, stating that the ministry is committed to supporting administrations in adopting the platform developed by the National Police (DGSN) for digital service users. She also noted that preparation of a decree is underway governing the expanded use of digital national identity for citizens.
With respect to necessary digital services infrastructure, she noted the government’s efforts to improve network coverage and communication quality in remote areas, highlighting measures already taken, including the launch of the second phase of the national plan for the development of high and very high-speed broadband in underserved areas, as well as infrastructure reinforcement through fiber optic and satellite coverage.
She also announced that other draft laws and regulations are being drafted regarding the digitization of administrative services, the fundamental principles and rules of digital administration, data exchange between administrations, the expanded use of digital national identity, and the legal justification for digital decisions and procedures.