Assahafa.com
Morocco’s Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment, and Skills, Younes Sekkouri, on Monday called for the debate on artificial intelligence (AI) to be approached from a distinctly political perspective. He argued that “what is missing is not what AI will bring, but what policymakers will do to manage its impact,” particularly through social dialogue.
Speaking during the general debate of the 114th Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC), Sekkouri welcomed the report by the Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO) on the future of work. He stressed that at a time when “the entire world is already living with AI,” the real dividing line is not between progress and decline but rather in societies’ ability to establish a collective framework for decision-making.
Criticizing the opposition between “declinists,” who fear “the worst future for humanity,” and “accelerationists,” who champion progress “while sometimes forgetting that technology can harm societies,” he called for “moving this debate out of the narrow corridor of technology and into the realm of politics.”
According to the minister, AI represents an unprecedented “technological trap” because, unlike previous innovations, it immediately raises concerns about “job destruction,” making the debate particularly challenging.
In this context, Sekkouri underscored the crucial role of social dialogue, saying it helps “reduce gaps, mitigate risks, and enable collective decision-making.” Without social dialogue, he warned, “AI cannot become a priority,” especially in environments where fundamental issues such as wages and working conditions remain unresolved.
The minister advocated greater transparency and international discussion involving major AI stakeholders—whether in generative, agentic, or future robotic AI—to ensure that technological development serves societies first and foremost.
Sekkouri further reviewed the government’s achievements in the social sphere, noting that an ambitious national social dialogue process launched in recent years has mobilized 50 billion dirhams and resulted in wage increases for “more than 4.25 million Moroccans.”
The process has also addressed major structural issues, ranging from the minimum wage to crises in key sectors such as education and healthcare, helping to establish “a minimum level of trust” among the government, employers, and trade unions, he said.
Morocco is participating in the 114th Session of the ILO (June 1–12) with a strong tripartite delegation led by Sekkouri and comprising representatives of the government, workers, and employers, alongside members of Morocco’s Permanent Mission in Geneva.
Source: map
