New York – On the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly (UNGA-80), Morocco unveiled its Digital for Sustainable Development (D4SD) Hub, created in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). With a budget of $38 million over three years, the Hub will accelerate the adoption of digital public infrastructure, artificial intelligence (AI), and innovation across Africa and the Arab States to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Speaking at the launch, HE Aziz Akhannouch, Head of Government of Morocco, said: “The adoption of Artificial Intelligence has emerged as a decisive global issue, and Morocco is determined to play an active role by harnessing this technology in the service of inclusive and sustainable human development.”
The D4SD Hub will co-create, pilot, and scale inclusive digital solutions, applying AI tools in health, education, climate resilience, and governance, while empowering women and youth as digital leaders. The initiative follows a July memorandum of understanding between Morocco and UNDP during the National AI Conference, signaling early alignment on AI priorities.
Haoliang Xu, UNDP Acting Administrator, emphasized the transformative role of digital tools: “Digital transformation is a cornerstone of UNDP’s 2026–2029 Strategic Plan. Through the D4SD Hub, Morocco and UNDP are creating a platform for countries to co-design, test, and scale digital solutions that serve people and the planet.”
The launch convened ministers, UN leaders, private sector executives, and civil society partners, who also discussed establishing an AI and Data Science Alliance for Arab States and Africa to harmonize standards, develop talent, and ensure responsible AI adoption.
This initiative complements Morocco’s Digital Morocco 2030 strategy, which seeks to make AI a pillar of development by fostering startups, strengthening local skills, and ensuring ethical use of technology. Recent partnerships include talks with OpenAI on research and innovation, and a cooperation deal with French AI startup Mistral.
Regionally, the Hub aligns with the UN Secretary-General’s Roadmap for Digital Cooperation, UNDP’s Global Digital Strategy, and the digital agendas of both the African Union and the Arab League. It also builds on Africa-wide efforts such as Kenya’s GreenTech Hub and AI Skills Centre, and ITU and Google’s AI and robotics training programs.
