A World Bank assessment tied to a $250 million financing package for Morocco’s “Digital Morocco 2030” strategy warned that the country’s digital transformation could deepen inequality, increase electronic waste, and expose gaps in data protection unless authorities strengthen oversight and inclusion measures.
The April 2026 Environmental and Social Systems Assessment (ESSA) looked at the five-year Digital Transformation Acceleration Program (P513936), managed by the Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform and the Digital Development Agency. The ESSA was made available for public feedback by Morocco’s Ministry of Economy and Finance and the World Bank.
Morocco structured the initiative as a program-for-results model, which ties World Bank disbursements to measurable targets rather than project expenses. The program includes 11 performance indicators tied to goals such as integrating public services into a unified digital portal, adopting a government “Cloud First” policy, and creating jobs in the offshoring sector.
The report found no major environmental or social threats under World Bank exclusion criteria, but the ESSA warned that expanded use of cloud computing and data-hosting services could increase electricity consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. While some providers already use ISO 14001-certified systems and lower-water air-cooling technologies, the report said authorities still lack reliable data on the sector’s actual energy use.
The assessment also raised concerns over electronic waste disposal and weak environmental and social criteria in public procurement procedures for digital subcontractors and cloud providers.
On the social front, the report highlighted expected benefits, including improved transparency, reduced administrative delays, and job creation in AI and offshoring. However, it warned that unequal access to financial support programs could favor firms already better positioned to access financing unless authorities strengthen safeguards for women-led businesses and entrepreneurs in peripheral regions.
The ESSA also cautioned that poorly designed digital services could exclude elderly citizens, Amazigh-speaking populations, people with disabilities, and households without internet access or digital equipment.
The report identified additional weaknesses in Morocco’s data protection framework, noting that regulations still do not require mandatory deadlines for reporting data breaches or appointing dedicated data protection officers.
It also flagged algorithmic bias tied to AI use in public services and technology-facilitated gender-based violence as emerging risks that current regulations do not adequately address.
During a public consultation held April 1 in Rabat, civil society groups warned against digital policies that could further isolate women and girls, while representatives from Mohammed VI Polytechnic University called for stronger planning for workers whose jobs could face disruption from automation.
The program’s Environmental and Social Action Plan requires authorities to appoint oversight focal points, establish risk-screening guidelines, conduct a broader sector-wide assessment under Law 49-17, align public platforms with WCAG 2.2 accessibility standards, and launch a national awareness campaign on online violence.
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