Moroccan Federation of Information and Communication Technologies (APEBI)… Unsteady Balances in the Era of Digital Transformation
Just days before the opening of the GITEX Africa 2026 exhibition in Marrakech, where Morocco is expected to present itself as a pivotal player in digital transformation on the continent, a quiet but deep discussion emerges regarding the state of the Moroccan Federation of Information and Communication Technologies. This is not a loud debate, nor is it an announced crisis; rather, it is a state of hesitation filled with questions: Is this body undergoing a normal transitional phase, or is what is happening indicative of a deeper dysfunction in its structure and representative function?
Recent events cannot be separated from their broader context: the resignation of the Secretary-General immediately after his appointment as the official spokesperson, followed by the departure of the Deputy Treasurer, are not mere isolated incidents. They are cumulative indicators that internal balance is no longer as stable as it once was. In institutions, the significance of events lies not in the events themselves, but in what they reveal about invisible transformations. When the task of expression is entrusted to someone other than the president, it surpasses the mere distribution of roles and implicitly raises questions about the nature of harmony within the leadership.
Every professional framework has its differences, but the real difference lies in the ability to manage them. Are we facing a natural divergence of visions, or the beginning of a trust fracture? The answer typically does not emerge directly; it is read through signs. Among these signs, the resignation of a financial official at this timing opens up questions regarding the nature of discussions related to resource management, especially in light of public funding, where transparency becomes a crucial element in maintaining credibility.
What is most striking is the silence. The majority of members have not expressed clear positions, nor have there been indications of an announced internal discussion. This silence cannot be regarded as mere neutrality; it may express caution, or waiting for unresolved balances, or even reflections of intersecting interests. In any case, it is part of the landscape and evidence that matters are no longer internally settled.
In this same context, there are talks about the withdrawal of a prominent player from the telecommunications sector from the board of directors. If this information is confirmed, it carries special significance; such decisions are not made arbitrarily, but reflect a careful assessment of the general situation. The withdrawal of a player of this magnitude is often interpreted as a sign of imbalance or loss of trust.
On the other hand, the federation continues to maintain its media presence through a series of announcements and statements. However, this presence sometimes appears inconsistent with the deep transformations taking place in the sector. Today, the digital field no longer operates on the logic of ad hoc initiatives; it has become linked to major stakes concerning digital sovereignty, building real industrial capacities, and facing increasingly organized regional competition. In this context, mere visibility is no longer sufficient; the true measure is the ability to persuade and establish trust.
What is happening is no longer purely an internal matter, as the federation operates within a broader institutional framework that includes the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises, the Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, along with the Court of Auditors. These entities play different roles in framing this sector and ensuring its balance. Hence, a legitimate question arises: Are these institutions content with mere observation, or does the situation require intervention to realign the course? The circulating discourse about the possibility of an audit, although not officially confirmed, reflects a growing level of concern.
Reducing what is happening to merely an internal crisis within a specific body may be a misleading simplification. The digital sector itself is undergoing a phase of reshaping, intertwining the stakes of representation with the redistribution of power balances. In this framework, one can view what is happening within the federation as part of broader transformations, not as an isolated case.
At this particular moment, the significance of GITEX takes on special meaning; it is not merely a technical event, but a moment that tests the ability of stakeholders to present a cohesive image of the sector. The question is no longer about presence or absence, but rather the nature of that presence and its capacity to reflect a coherent reality.
Ultimately, this is not about tracking the details of resignations or monitoring temporary tensions, but about a deeper question: Does this federation still fulfill its role as a unified framework for the interests of its members, or has a gap begun to widen between the institution and its function? In such moments, matters are not settled through statements, but by what the course of events will reveal, and the manner in which balance will be rebuilt… or postponed.
