APEBI and APDND forge strategic partnership to strengthen digital trust

The digital trust agenda in Morocco gained momentum after the Information Technology, Telecommunications and Offshoring Federation (APEBI) and the Association of Digital Law and Data Practitioners (APDND) signed a strategic partnership aimed at helping businesses meet regulatory, cybersecurity and data protection requirements. The initiative aligns with the country’s ongoing Morocco Digital 2030 strategy and places particular emphasis on supporting very small, small and medium-sized enterprises.

The agreement brings together APEBI’s business network and implementation capacity with APDND’s legal expertise. Through this collaboration, companies will receive both operational guidance and specialized legal support to improve compliance with evolving digital regulations.

The two organizations said their objective is to make digital compliance, cybersecurity and data protection accessible across Morocco’s business community, including companies with limited financial and technical resources. They view digital trust as a key factor in improving competitiveness, resilience and investment attractiveness.

APEBI President Rachid Ressani said digital trust should no longer be limited to large corporations. He stated that combining APDND’s legal expertise with APEBI’s implementation capabilities would allow businesses of every size to strengthen their digital transformation efforts.

APDND founding President Lina Fassi Fihri said a modern regulatory framework is essential to reinforce investor confidence and position Morocco as a leading African hub for digital compliance. She also called for stronger engagement from private-sector stakeholders to anticipate regulatory developments linked to emerging digital technologies.

The partnership is built around four main areas of cooperation. The organizations will share legal expertise during APEBI events and working sessions, contribute to the drafting of legislation related to digital technologies and data governance, establish a joint working group open to the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM) and other economic stakeholders to anticipate artificial intelligence regulation and develop sector-specific recommendations, and provide legal support for compliance programs targeting very small, small and medium-sized enterprises.

The governance framework also strengthens institutional cooperation. APDND will join APEBI as an observer member and participate in the work of its Cybersecurity and Digital Trust Vice Presidency. A joint steering committee composed of representatives from both organizations will monitor implementation of the agreement and submit annual progress reports to their governing bodies.

The partnership comes as cybersecurity, digital sovereignty and regulatory compliance have become strategic priorities for Morocco’s digital economy. By combining technology expertise with digital law specialization, APEBI and APDND aim to provide Moroccan businesses with more comprehensive support to secure their digital transformation and improve their competitiveness in domestic and international markets.