At the GITEX Africa 2026 summit in Marrakech, Omar Hilale, Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, issued a stark warning regarding the widening gap between the pace of technological innovation and the ability of sovereign states to regulate it. Addressing a crowd of tech leaders and policymakers, Hilale questioned who truly benefits from the current trajectory of artificial intelligence, suggesting that the rewards are currently concentrated among a small group of actors who control the essential pillars of the industry: infrastructure, data, funding, and specialized expertise.
The ambassador’s call for a more inclusive gouvernance IA (AI governance) comes at a critical juncture for the Global South. Even as the digital revolution promises unprecedented efficiency, Hilale argued that without a coordinated international framework, the technology risks becoming a tool for further divergence rather than a catalyst for shared prosperity. He emphasized that the current “technological lead” held by a few powerful entities creates a systemic imbalance that threatens to leave developing nations—particularly in Africa—as mere consumers rather than architects of their own digital futures.
This diplomatic push for equity is not merely theoretical. Hilale pointed to the tangible risks of “digital colonialism,” where the lack of local infrastructure and regulatory capacity allows external entities to dictate the terms of AI deployment. For Morocco, the goal is to transition from a regional adopter of technology to a strategic bridge between the African continent and global regulatory bodies, ensuring that the benefits of AI are distributed across health, education, and agriculture.
The Fragmentation of Global AI Frameworks
A central theme of Hilale’s keynote was the “fragmentation” of current efforts to manage AI. He noted that while cities from London and Seoul to Paris and New Delhi have launched their own frameworks to oversee the technology, these initiatives often operate in silos. Each region prioritizes different outcomes—some focusing on security and risk mitigation, others on rapid innovation, inclusion, or the establishment of “trustworthy AI.”
According to the ambassador, this lack of coordination creates a regulatory patchwork that complicates the emergence of a unified global vision. When frameworks are not interoperable, it becomes difficult for smaller nations to align their domestic laws with international standards, often leaving them vulnerable to the terms imposed by the largest tech providers. To combat this, Hilale proposed a fundamental rethinking of digital multilatéralisme, urging states to articulate existing initiatives into a cohesive, interoperable system.
The urgency of this coordination is underscored by the disparity in adoption rates. Hilale highlighted a troubling statistic: while nearly two-thirds of populations in advanced economies are utilizing AI technologies, the adoption rate remains extremely low across many African nations. This gap is not merely a matter of preference but a reflection of deep-seated inequalities in access to hardware, stable electricity, and high-speed connectivity.
The Roadmap Toward Digital Multilateralism
Despite the challenges, Hilale identified several key milestones in the effort to structure global AI oversight. He referenced the United Nations‘ ongoing efforts to foster digital cooperation, specifically citing the adoption of the Global Digital Compact in 2024. This was followed in 2025 by the establishment of an international scientific panel and the launch of a global dialogue on AI, intended to provide a data-driven foundation for policy decisions.
However, the ambassador maintained that these diplomatic wins remain insufficient relative to the speed of AI’s evolution. To move from principles to practice, he advocated for a strategy based on four concrete pillars:
- Infrastructure Development: Building shared computing power and data centers to reduce reliance on foreign cloud providers.
- Knowledge Sharing: Establishing open channels for the transfer of technical expertise and academic research.
- Targeted Financing: Creating funding mechanisms specifically designed to support AI projects in the Global South.
- Human Capital: Investing in large-scale training programs to ensure the local workforce can manage and maintain AI systems.
| Initiative | Year | Primary Objective |
|---|---|---|
| UNESCO Forum | 2018 | Establishing ethical frameworks for AI |
| AI Movement Centre | Ongoing | Research and development of AI applications |
| Rabat Consensus | 2024 | Structuring African-led AI cooperation |
Morocco as a Strategic Bridge
Morocco’s ambition to lead in gouvernance IA is backed by a series of strategic moves designed to position the Kingdom as a mediator between Africa and the global North. By leveraging its unique position, Rabat aims to support structure a sustainable African cooperation model that prevents the continent from becoming a fragmented market for foreign AI services.
The ambassador’s vision aligns with Morocco’s broader digital strategy, which seeks to integrate AI into essential public services. In the agricultural sector, for instance, AI is being explored to optimize water management in the face of climate change—a priority that resonates across the entire Sahel region. In healthcare, the goal is to use AI for early diagnostics in rural areas where specialist doctors are scarce.
By promoting the “Rabat Consensus” of 2024, Morocco is attempting to create a unified African voice in international forums. This approach suggests that for AI to be a true lever for development, it must be governed by those It’s intended to serve, rather than being imposed as a finished product from abroad.
The path forward will depend on whether the international community can move beyond symbolic pacts toward actual resource sharing. As Omar Hilale concluded, the nations that will hold the most influence in tomorrow’s decision-making processes are those that invest today in common frameworks, shared skills, and genuine partnerships. The window to prevent a permanent digital divide is closing, and the requirement for a coordinated global response has never been more urgent.
The next critical checkpoint for these efforts will be the upcoming review of the Global Digital Compact’s implementation milestones, where member states are expected to report on the progress of the international scientific panel’s findings.
We invite readers to share their perspectives on the balance between AI innovation and state regulation in the comments below.
