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Moroccan Minister of Industry, Investment, Trade and Digital Economy Moulay Hafid Elalamy speaks during an interview at CyFy Africa 2019 in Tangier, Morocco, on June 7, 2019. An international conference on technology, innovation and society, dubbed CyFy Africa 2019, started on Friday in the Moroccan northern city of Tangier. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

TANGIER, Morocco, June 7 (Xinhua) -- An international conference on technology, innovation and society, dubbed CyFy Africa 2019, started on Friday in the Moroccan northern city of Tangier.

The three-day event brings together ministers, journalists, ethicists, as well as technology leaders and entrepreneurs from different countries for Africa-centerd conversations over data, innovation, gender, norms and new media.

The conference, which will run through June 9, is expected to tackle the use of emerging technologies to serve the continent and chart a course for its digital future.

During the inaugural day, a panel of discussion was held on the importance of technology in industry and decision-making.

The panel also explored how social networking sites influence the political decision, and their effects on the interaction between nations and peoples.

Moroccan Minister of Industry, Investment, Trade and Digital Economy, Moulay Hafid Elalamy, told reporters that the digital world has begun to take its place, saying the conference will allow Morocco's information technology actors to benefit from the experience and expertise of international experts and strengthen his country's position as a digital platform.

Meanwhile, Sunjoy Joshi, chairman of the Research and Development Foundation (ORF) of India, co-organizer of the conference, told Xinhua that CyFy Africa is one of ORF's arms which looks at the interaction of technology in society.

Africa represents in many ways the future of the earth, Joshi said, noting Africa is now the most dynamic economy in the world.

Africa has very dynamic and intelligent young men and women who are creating ways of interaction between societies and technology, he added.