Morocco has launched a new plan to increase its railway lines and renew its trains, and Spain has also started work to try and win the project, but France is a clear competitor in this battle.
It was at the Moroccan-Spanish summit held last February, at the start of talks between the two countries, that the Moroccan Ministry of Transport made it known that many national companies would be interested in implementing various projects that would soon be developed in the Kingdom.
Following a meeting between Raquel Sanchez, Spain’s Minister of Transport and Urban Agenda, Mohamed Abdel Jalil, Minister of Transport and Logistics, and Nizar Baraka, Minister of Equipment and Water, a memorandum of understanding was signed with a view to cooperation in the field of transport, particularly in the area of railways and their infrastructures, the extension of the Tangiers, Marrakech, and Agadir airports, and the improvement of the various ports.
Morocco intends to transform its rail network, for which it will invest billions of euros until 2040. It aims to build 1,100 km of high-speed lines, including those linking the cities of Kenitra and Casablanca to Marrakech, which will later be extended to Agadir. It also plans to build a new line between Rabat and Oujda and to purchase around a hundred trains to cover these new services.
In addition to high-speed rail, Morocco aims to add 1,600 kilometers to the traditional rail network, as well as bring together nine seaports. The budget amounts to more than two billion euros, which will be used for this work until 2025.
In this regard, Spanish newspapers have praised the relationship between Morocco and Spain, saying that this means “the end of the French partnership”.
According to the same sources, following Germany’s interest in this project, the French believe that the giant projects in Morocco will go to Germany, Spain, and the new partners.
It should be noted that the agreement signed by the Germans with Morocco also aims to develop infrastructure measures as sustainable and environmentally-friendly mobility solutions, to encourage sustainable transport on the railways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and comply with international standards. The agreement covers consultancy and engineering services across the entire rail system value chain.