Rabat – Morocco and the African Development Bank (AfDB) signed two financing agreements on Thursday worth a combined €405 million to support the Moroccan railway infrastructure for the high-speed line and vocational training in Morocco.
Minister Delegate for the Budget Fouzi Lekjaa and AfDB Country Manager for Morocco Achraf Tarsim signed the agreement in Rabat.
The Director General of the National Railway Office (ONCF), Rabie Khlie, attended the signing ceremony alongside Minister of Employment Younes Sekkouri.
The first agreement, valued at €205 million, will finance a project to support railway infrastructure development and strengthen the operational capacity and performance of the Kenitra-Marrakech railway corridor as Morocco extends its high-speed rail line.
The financing will also support the modernization of existing railway infrastructure and improve connections between the country’s major economic and urban centers.
The second agreement, worth €200 million, will contribute to financing the “Cap Competences 2030” program, which seeks to improve the quality and diversification of vocational training.
Lekjaa said the two projects are important, stating that the first aims to serve the absolute priority of employment by mobilizing all necessary resources to make youth genuine drivers of value creation.
The second, which is focused on extending the high-speed rail line, represents a source of “pride” for Morocco, commending the exceptional partnership with the AfDB.
Tarsim echoed the remarks, stressing that the two agreements mirror a shared ambition between Morocco and the AfDB. He said investment in skills will boost the country’s economy and help create more opportunities, including employment.
Tarsim described Morocco as a “reference for Africa,” while Sekkouri stressed the importance of AfDB’s support for Morocco’s development projects, including those planned over the next five years.
King Mohammed VI launched the Kenitra-Marrakech high-speed rail line last year in April.
The project is built on the success of Al Boraq, Morocco’s first high-speed railway, which connects Tangier to Casablanca.
The project is expected to significantly reduce travel times across the corridor. Once operational, the journey between Casablanca and Marrakech is expected to take about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
