21/11/2023 - 22/11/2023
Rabat - The Venice Commission organised the 17th UniDem Med Seminar entitled "Digital transformation and artificial intelligence : rules and applications", in co-operation with the Ministry of Digital Transformation and Reform of the administration of the Kingdom of Morocco. The seminar took place on 21-22 November 2023 in a hybrid format : online and face-to face in Rabat, Morocco. Around 50 senior public officials from the Southern Mediterranean (Jordan, Lebanon Morocco, Palestine*) attended this event and exchanged their experience with experts from European countries (Germany, Spain, and United Kingdom). Council of Europe’s standards and initiatives with regard data protection and artificial intelligence were also shared.
The use of new information technologies and artificial intelligence in public administration decision-making can have an impact on the work of the public administration. Participants explored the legal consequences, the risks and opportunities of the introduction of digital services and artificial intelligence in the public administration and the best practices aiming to guarantee in parallel rights of the citizens. Various challenges were debated such as the questions of equal treatment, non-discrimination, data protection as well as the question of proportionality and transparency of measures taken by public administration in the context of digital transformation. Experts presented the standards and the work of the Council of Europe in these areas aiming to ensure that human rights, democracy, and the rule of law are protected and promoted in the digital environment.
The working languages of the seminar were English, French and Arabic.
The objective of the UniDem Med project (University for Democracy for the Southern Mediterranean) is to contribute through peer-to-peer exchanges to the modernisation of the public administrations in the region by ensuring the effective application of the law and the consolidation of institutions. The project aims to strengthen the legal capacities of senior civil servants in areas related to good governance, rule of law and human rights as well as to build closer ties between the public administrations from the region. The UniDem Med project is co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe in the framework of the Joint Programme “Protecting human rights, the rule of law and democracy through shared standards in the Southern Mediterranean" (South Programme V).
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*This designation shall not be construed as a designation of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual positions of Council of Europe member States on this issue.