The forum was kicked off on Saturday in Marrakech by the Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch and HE Sheikha Al Mayssa Bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, President of “Years of Culture”.
Qatar-Morocco cultural year: The objective of this forum, which was held on November 16-17 in Marrakech, is to accelerate South-South cooperation through joint projects focused on artificial intelligence, technological innovation and sustainability.
No fewer than 350 senior executives and representatives from the public and private sectors took part in the 3rd edition of the Qatar Africa Business Forum on Saturday. This two-day event is part of the Qatar-Morocco cultural year 2024. The forum was kicked off on Saturday in Marrakech by the Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch and HE Sheikha Al Mayssa Bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, President of “Years of Culture”, thus breathing new impetus into the dynamic of cooperation between the two countries. “The Qatar Africa Business Forum 2024 aims to be a catalyst for a new era of cooperation, where visionary investments stimulate economic expansion while prioritizing the regeneration of our planet. It is a forum that recognizes the urgent need for forward-thinking strategies that balance progress with the well-being of humanity,” note the forum organizers. The debates focused on investment in artificial intelligence to ensure tomorrow’s growth.
The opportunity is to debate strategic issues to accelerate the development and growth of the African continent which is experiencing major changes on the economic and social level. The continent, whose population will double by 2050, faces significant challenges in achieving the goal of inclusion and sustainability. “The objective of the forum is to accelerate South-South cooperation through joint projects focused on artificial intelligence, technological innovation and sustainability, to explore the role of Africa in the global economy, with debates focused on agriculture, smart urbanization and renewable energies and finally to prepare sports and economic infrastructures for 2030, drawing on Qatar’s experiences in organizing the FIFA World Cup 2022”, we learn in this sense. During the debates, participants highlighted the need to forge synergies in order to rely on technologies from the South. The panelists thus examined how Africa’s development would change not only its trajectory but also that of the entire world. Discussions focused on climate resilience, digital transformation, capital allocation and the definition of economic governance systems capable of producing results. The emergence of cognitive cities was also on the agenda. The choice of this theme is explained by the dynamic of accelerated urbanization observed at the continental level. These “smart” cities are indeed full of opportunities that would enable the continent to meet a number of challenges.
Highlighting successful initiatives and innovations from Africa and the Middle East, high-level speakers illustrated the transformative potential of cognitive technologies to shape the cities of tomorrow. Reflection in this direction tends to promote understanding of how advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data and IoT can foster intelligent and adaptable urban ecosystems. Sport was also among the themes discussed during the forum. The day ended with a round table on the weight of sport. The aim is to define how this sector can play a catalytic role offering long-term regional and community benefits.
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