Gitex Africa: Digital Technology Offers Great Prospects for Helping People with Disabilities (Minister)

30 mai 2024 Printable Version

Marrakech - Digital technology offers great prospects for helping people with disabilities overcome their handicap, said Wednesday in Marrakech Aawatif Hayar, Minister of Solidarity, Social Integration and Family.

In an interview with MAP on the sidelines of the 2nd edition of Gitex Africa 2024, Ms. Hayar stressed that modern technology, notably artificial intelligence, provides solutions for people with disabilities to improve their living conditions and promote their inclusion in society.

Morocco, under the wise leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, had made great strides in ensuring that people with disabilities had access to their rights, she said, highlighting the government's support for the decree on the special disability card, which offers a range of benefits for this category through the use of modern technology.

Ms. Hayar emphasized the involvement of the private sector as part of its social responsibility towards people with disabilities, with a number of companies gearing their innovations to enable this category to integrate into society and contribute to achieving the principle of equal opportunities for all. In that context, she stressed the need to gear technological innovation, whether in the public or private sector or in civil society, to achieve greater inclusion of people with disabilities.

The minister pointed out that startups represent an essential lever for facilitating the integration of this category, as they target fields and categories that do not appeal to large companies, adding that Morocco has multiple programs for creative companies and startups.

In this respect, she called on creative young people to direct their talents towards people with disabilities, for the benefit of humanity and society.

Held under the High Patronage of HM King Mohammed VI, Gitex Africa 2024 is a major crossroads for exchanges on the latest technological innovations, particularly in artificial intelligence, healthcare, and cybersecurity.

Initiated by Kaoun International, the international subsidiary of Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), and supported by the Digital Development Agency under the authority of the Ministry of Digital Transition and Administration Reform, the exhibition is the largest tech and start-up show in Africa.