Industry 4.0 Paves the Way for Enhancing Africa’s Industrial Competitiveness
Mohamed Lakhlal, the General Director of UM6P TECHNIX, emphasized the necessity for Morocco and the African continent to prepare for the profound transformations associated with Industry 4.0 during the NextGen Manufacturing Summit Africa. He explained that this phase represents a strategic opportunity to enhance the continent’s industrial competitiveness and to train future talents.
Lakhlal stated, “UM6P TECHNIX is a business unit specialized in vocational training in technical and industrial fields within Mohammed VI Polytechnic University. Our mission is to accompany the transition to future jobs.” He added that Industry 4.0 has become a pivotal global issue, particularly for Africa, which needs to accelerate its integration into global value chains.
Strategic International Partnerships
To realize this vision, UM6P has established partnerships with prominent institutions. Lakhlal pointed out that “UNIDO, the United Nations organization, is a key player in this field, while Deutsche Messe is a well-known German partner with expertise in Industry 4.0.” He considered the summit as a platform for exchange, discussion, and collaboration in developing an action plan aimed at enhancing African industrial competitiveness in a changing landscape marked by the spread of artificial intelligence, digitization, the Internet of Things, and smart sensors.
Transforming the Initiative into an Annual Event and Establishing a Smart Factory Academy
Mohamed Lakhlal also announced the intention to make the summit an annual event in partnership with international institutions, aiming to build a sustainable African industrial dynamic. In this context, the launch of the Smart Factory Academy has been confirmed, which will serve as a training and innovation space aimed at enhancing the capabilities of African talents in the vital areas of Industry 4.0.
