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Beirut-Rabat, 3 September 2026--Yesterday, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Dr. Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, Morocco's Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform. The MoU aims to deepen cooperation on effective governance and the modernization of public administration, both in the Kingdom and across the Arab region.
The MoU provides for support to advance effective governance, modernize public administration and improve the quality of public services. It also seeks to enhance regional and South-South cooperation on digital transformation and digital government, develop digital public services, facilitate the exchange of experience and knowledge in these areas, and strengthen the capacities of public institutions and public-sector personnel.
Against this backdrop, Al-Mashat commended the Ministry's role in formulating and implementing public policies on digital transformation and digital government, fostering innovation and modernizing public administration, promoting good governance, and strengthening institutional capacity in Morocco. She noted that Morocco had climbed 11 places in the United Nations E-Government Development Index since 2022, placing it among countries with a high level of e-government development. Al-Mashat expressed confidence that the cooperation would yield positive outcomes and improve citizens' daily lives.
The two sides also agreed to support implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 16 on effective, accountable and inclusive institutions, and to strengthen transparency, integrity and accountability in the public sector.
For her part, Ms. Seghrouchni commended the efforts of ESCWA to strengthen Arab cooperation and support institutional reform across the region. "The signing of this memorandum of understanding reflects our shared commitment to building an effective, productive and impactful institutional partnership, one that advances the modernization of public administration and improves the quality of services provided to citizens. We hope that the memorandum will serve as a platform for concrete joint initiatives that draw on the extensive expertise of both Morocco and ESCWA, while paving the way for broader cooperation with Arab countries through the exchange of successful experiences and their adaptation to national contexts," she said.
Cooperation will be implemented through regular activities, including forums and workshops, periodic consultations, and a joint action plan to guide the exchange of information, expertise, publications and knowledge in these areas. It will also promote regional and South-South cooperation on governance and public administration through innovative initiatives such as the "Catalyzing Digital Transformation in a Gender-Responsive and Inclusive Public Administration in Arab Countries" project. The project supports Djibouti, Jordan, Morocco and Somalia in advancing digital transformation and building more inclusive public administrations that respond to the needs of different segments of society. This work will include developing and testing the ESCWA Public Administration Index, which integrates gender and digitalization indicators.
As part of the visit, Al-Mashat toured the headquarters of the National Commission for the Control of the Protection of Personal Data, which is affiliated with the Ministry. Its Chair, Omar Seghrouchni, briefed her on the Commission's work to protect citizens' personal data. She also met with Karim El Aynaoui, Executive President of the Policy Center for the New South, to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation on research and public policymaking.
The MoU builds on the longstanding partnership between ESCWA and the Kingdom of Morocco to advance effective governance, modernize public administration, promote digital transformation and support sustainable development. Morocco recently hosted the third Arab Regional Public Administration Modernization Forum, underscoring its pioneering role in advancing innovation in government across the region.
