The e-TAMKEEN programme iscommitted to consolidating the digital skills of Moroccan civil servants as part of its many projects. This commitment enabled a wide range of activities, including the first thematic exchange visits to Belgium, based on the Skills Building  Plan co-designed with the 14 beneficiary departments. These focused on the digitalisation and simplification of administrative procedures, as well as public innovation.

The composition of this delegation was not fortuitous. The imperative was to bring together decision-makers with strategic profiles within e-TAMKEEN's partners, to ensure exchange of ideas and imagine concrete post-visit actions. It was also importanr that the delegation's profiles and functions were in harmony, to maximise the coherence and productivity of the exchanges.

With this in mind, a study mission to Belgium took place from 25 September to 5 October 2022. The mission brought together a delegation of 18 representatives from Moroccan ministries and public agencies. Their visits took them to Brussels, Namur and Antwerp, where they had the opportunity to exchange views with more than twenty leading players on the themes of the trip.

In the complex dynamics of Belgian governance, a number of bodies have stood out as key interlocutors. These include the Administrative Simplification Agency (ASA) at federal level, eWBS for the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, and Easy.brussels at Brussels regional level.

Focusing on the digitalisation of the Administration, the delegation studied several relevant entities. Discussions covered improving citizen services and data management with institutions such as the FPS BOSA, the Digital Agency, Digitaal Vlaanderen and the Belgian Institute for Postal Services and Telecommunications. There were also fruitful discussions on digital inclusion in the Saint-Josse-ten-Noote commune and with the non-profit organisation Mediawijs, the latter focusing on the prevention of fake news.

The delegation went on to discover innovative projects during visits to the Port of Antwerp, the BeCentral campus, the NID (Namur Intelligente et Durable) and the BeCode and Molengeek coding schools. The workshop at the NIDO Lab was a highlight, revealing tools such as the Digital Playbook and introducing the network of innovation leaders in the Belgian Administration.

The experience in Belgium proved to be a great source of inspiration, arising from rich encounters and enlightening debates with Belgian stakeholders. More than just an immersion experience, the expedition forged deep and meaningful relationships between the ministries represented, laying the foundations for future fruitful collaborations.