The Ministry of Economy and Finance is looking to take its digital modernization to the next level. The department headed by Nadia Fettah Alaoui is looking to entrust the design, deployment and support of an integrated DataLab designed to improve the steering of public policies. Estimated cost: over six million dirhams. The stated aim is to « structure and enhance the use of economic, fiscal, budgetary and social data produced by the Ministry’s various departments », according to sources consulted by TelQuel.
Designed as a cross-functional platform, the DataLab will « centralize all the data flows available to the administration, and exploit them using advanced tools derived from data science, artificial intelligence and machine learning », according to the same sources.
In this way, the MEF is banking on an enhanced ability to anticipate trends, detect malfunctions and improve the State’s responsiveness to economic and social expectations. The promise is also that of « more rigorous management of public spending, finer evaluation of policies implemented, and a better understanding of the real needs of citizens and businesses », details the Ministry.
Training and skills transfer initiatives planned
The project, which will be piloted from Rabat, is based on a roadmap divided into five main modules. Firstly, the needs will be defined, the existing situation analyzed and the technical, human and organizational constraints specific to the Ministry’s ecosystem identified. This preliminary phase will give rise to an international benchmark and the identification of priority use cases, such as the analysis of macroeconomic forecasts, the evaluation of the impact of public spending or the monitoring of foreign trade.
The service provider will then design a complete software and technical architecture, ensuring internal networking between existing databases, processing security, infrastructure robustness and compliance with current regulations.
In addition to the technological dimension, particular attention will be paid to the DataLab’s governance. The specifications, consulted by TelQuel, call for the definition of a clear organizational scheme, identifying internal responsibilities, the skills profiles to be mobilized, and the methods for developing the human resources required for its operation. Training and skills transfer are also planned, to ensure the sustainability of the system within the administration.
Will the DataLab improve working conditions at the Ministry? In December 2024, the Confédération Démocratique du Travail (CDT) national finance union expressed its determination to take concrete steps in this direction.
Written in French by Younes Saoury; edited in English by AngloMedia Group.
