Marrakech – Rabat is set to roll out 30 new electric buses along a new north-south express line connecting Salé, Rabat, and Témara, complete with rooftop solar photovoltaic installations at up to three bus depots.
According to a press release issued yesterday, the Moroccan capital has been selected as one of four cities to receive support from the C40 Cities Finance Facility (CFF) to transform its ambitious climate plans into concrete, finance-ready infrastructure projects.
“This pivotal project is a key step in implementing our strategic vision for sustainable urban mobility,” said Rabat Mayor Fatiha el Moudni. “It is not merely about renewing our bus fleet, but rather a foundational investment designed to enhance the quality of life for all citizens across Greater Rabat.”
The initiative will combine electric mobility and renewable energy within a single framework, setting a precedent for integrated infrastructure delivery across Morocco. It also offers an opportunity to test innovative governance and contractual models for transit operators, providing valuable lessons for other urban contexts in Morocco and the wider MENA region.
“The new fleet of 30 electric buses will represent a significant upgrade to the transportation services available to our residents. It will provide a more reliable, quieter, and cleaner service, while also streamlining travel within the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra conurbation,” Mayor el Moudni added.
The announcement was made at the C40 World Mayors Summit in Rio de Janeiro, where the CFF marked its tenth anniversary.
Alongside Rabat, funding support was also awarded to Belo Horizonte’s watershed adaptation initiative and São Paulo’s nature-based regeneration along the Billings Reservoir, both in Brazil, as well as Cartagena’s clean ferry network connecting island communities to the mainland in Colombia.
“By combining electric mobility with on-site solar photovoltaic energy generation at our depots, we are building a pioneering model in Morocco for truly integrated, zero-emission infrastructure,” explained Mayor el Moudni.
The C40 Cities Finance Facility, implemented jointly by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and C40 since 2015, is an award-winning project preparation facility.
With support from Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, CFF helps cities develop inclusive urban infrastructure projects and connect them to climate finance.
Ingrid Simon, Co-Director of the C40 Cities Finance Facility, expressed enthusiasm about the new partnerships: “The C40 Cities Finance Facility is delighted to announce its four new partner cities – Belo Horizonte, Cartagena, São Paulo and Rabat – whose fantastic projects will build communities’ resilience to extreme heat and flooding, connect people to employment and services, and create cleaner, healthier environments.”
Since its launch in 2015 at COP21 in Paris, the CFF has partnered with more than 30 cities across the Global South. By 2030, it aims to have leveraged over €1 billion in capital investment for transformative climate infrastructure projects.
