Morocco’s Minister of transport and logistics, Abdessamad Kayouh, revealed the ambitious Morocco’s $9.6 Billion Rail Investment Plan on Tuesday that would foresee the modernization of the country’s railway infrastructure by the year 2030.
The Minister made this announcement at the event of his presentation to the Chamber of Representatives. This was at the meeting of the Infrastructure, Energy, Mining, Environment, and Sustainable Development Commission that was held in Rabat.
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Abdessamad Kayouh indicated the comprehensive strategy which was aimed at enhancing the general railway infrastructure in Morocco.
Inside Morocco’s $9.6 Billion Rail Investment Plan
Delving into further details, Kayouh mentioned that the government is earmarking approximately $5.3 billion to build a high-speed rail line that will run from Kentira to Marrakech. The planned budget will go towards enhancing the regional railway network on the existing ones.
Furthermore, the Moroccan government is also allocating approximately $2.9 billion to purchase a total of 18 high-speed trains and 150 multi-service trains. Another approximately $1.4 billion will be reserved for the construction or renovation of about 40 railway stations and maintaining the efficiency of the overall national network.
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These initiatives that are in place are a part of a broader railway development plan. This plan extends to the year 2040 which foresees a major boost to Morocco’s general rail connectivity.
Connecting Cities
According to Abdessamad Kayouh, the long-term goal is to link 43 cities. This will be an increase from the current 23 cities. Additionally, they have a vision of serving 87% of the population as compared to the current 51%.
“This ambitious project is expected to revolutionize the general transportation structure of Morocco,” the minister stated. He also revealed that the plan is inclusive of linking 12 international airports and 12 ports to the railway network. This is quite an increase from the current coverage of one airport and six ports.
This upgrade project is expected to create 300,000 new jobs across Morocco. Lastly, this major infrastructure investment demonstrates the commitment of Morocco to modernize its transport network fostering economic growth through enhanced connectivity.
