Doha – The Moroccan Ministry of the Interior has launched an ambitious national project to digitize civil registers in all prefectures and provinces of the country with a budget of MAD 194 million (19.4 million US dollars).
This massive company aims to modernize public administration and to simplify the access of the citizens to essential administrative documents.
The project was announced by the General Directorate Territorial Communities (DGCT) by an international tender. It is expected that more than 38 million records from 1915 are digitized when the civil registry system was first set up in Morocco.
These records are currently being distributed in 1,821 civil registration office in the ten regions of the country.
“This project aims to set up a centralized and secure database and combine all civil registration offices with a uniform and efficient information system. This enables you to enable real-time data exchange with other public institutions in order to accelerate the procedures, improve the quality of service and strengthen the digital transformation of Moroccan administration,” said the Ministry.
The digitization process unfolds in two different phases. The first phase aims at 27 million paper files that have never been digitized and the numbering, careful manual data entry and a thorough review.
The second phase will concentrate on over 11 million digital records that are undergoing an exam, indexing and extended security improvements.
The birth dates are given priority from after 1950 and after 2003 due to their daily administrative importance and high demand from citizens.
The offer is built in five geographical properties with a submission period of May 29. The first property covers the Fès-Meknès region with a budget of MAD $ 36.7 million ($ 3.67 million), while the second destination on Marrakechs-Safi with MAD $ 38.6 million.
One of the third parties that were southern regions included Souss-Massa, Dakhlaed Ed-Dahab, Guelmim-Oute Nomen and Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra, the MAD 34 million (3.4 million US dollars).
The fourth property, which is budgeted at MAD $ 39.5 million ($ 3.95 million), includes Béni Mellal-Khénifra and Drâa-TaFilalet. The fifth and largest plot of land with MAD $ 45.5 million ($ 4.55 million) is shown for Tanger Tétouan-Al Hoceïma and the oriental region.
This initiative builds on previous efforts to modernize civil service services. In 2023, the government of Decree No. 2.22.04 passed the implementation of law No. 36.21 in the civil register, which which introduced Electronic pre -clearing for births, deaths, marriages and divorces.
The digitization of the civil registers is part of the wider digital transformation strategy in Morocco. The most recent initiatives include the digitization of medical documents for children, announced In February by the National Observatory for Children’s Rights (ONDE).
Last month the Moroccan office for industrial and commercial properties (Oompic) extended its electronic business creation platform nationwide. The step is intended to simplify the administrative procedures and promote entrepreneurship as part of the country’s goal of starting 3,000 startups by 2030.
This contributes to a partnership between the Ministry of Digital Transition and the Ministry of Industry and Trade. signed This month to accelerate commercial digitization.
The public reaction to these digital initiatives was positive. A survey in September 2024 by L’économiste and the Sunergia Group found The fact that 67% of the Moroccans believe that administrative procedures were simplified by digitization compared to 58% in 2023.
The survey showed that 69% of Moroccans are now doing their own administrative tasks, with young people aged 18 to 24 years old.
This project for civil register represents a significant step towards the implementation of royal guidelines for administrative digitization and is considered the key column of the government of the government to develop the digital infrastructure of the country and the strengthening of citizens’ trust in public services.
