Laayoune congress addresses smart cities and sustainable governance
The first African Smart Cities and Innovation Congress opened on 27 October 2026 in Laayoune, in the Moroccan Sahara, according to 2M/MAP. Proceedings are scheduled to continue through 29 October.
Ibn Zohr and Abdelmalek Essaadi universities are involved in organising the event alongside the higher schools of technology in Laayoune and Tetouan. The meeting focuses on using digital technologies for sustainable governance of African territories.
The organisers’ programme includes discussions on artificial intelligence, urban infrastructure and sustainability, alongside an exhibition and a hackathon. These planned activities do not yet establish that local authorities have adopted solutions or that validated scientific findings have emerged.