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Rabat – The International Union of Railways (UIC) elected Morocco’s General Director of the National Office of Railways (ONCF), Mohamed Rabie Khlie, as the union’s new vice-president on Thursday. Khlie also serves as president of the UIC-Africa region.
During the UIC’s 98th General Assembly, the council consisting of 180 international rail network representatives, unanimously voted and confirmed Khlie as the UIC’s new vice-president until the end of 2023.
Following the election, a UIC press release stated that the win is “recognition of the renewal of the Moroccan railway sector and of its Arab-African leadership.”
Morocco has served as the UIC-Africa’s president since 2010. The ONCF noted the role of the recent infrastructural developments in the rail network as being a key factor in the longevity of the kingdom’s role within the union.
In 2018, Morocco unveiled Africa’s first high-speed train service. Al Boraq, Morocco’s high-speed train operating between Tangier and Casablanca, propelled Morocco’s rail network into the future.
Read also: Morocco’s High-Speed Train on Track for 3 Million Passengers in 2019
Additionally, Morocco’s rail network has been at the forefront of the kingdom’s Operation Marhaba. The ONCF announced on Tuesday, July 6, that it would offer Moroccans Residing Abroad (MREs) a special railcard that reduces the cost of train tickets up to 50%.
The UIC’s mission statement notes that the union seeks to “promote rail transport globally with the objective of responding effectively to current and future challenges relating to mobility and sustainable development.”
In 2015, King Mohammed VI announced Morocco’s 2040 Rail Strategy, a plan that seeks to expand Morocco’s current rail system tenfold. By 2040, Morocco intends to connect 87% of its population by rail, while also offering access to 15 international airports and 12 maritime ports.
Currently, the kingdom only connects 51% via rail networks. As for airports and seaports, only Casablanca’s Mohammed V Airport offers a train station alongside six other seaports across the country.
