Alstom Eyes Second Morocco Factory to Secure High-Speed Train Contract

According to the Africa Intelligence website cited by HuffPost, Alstom wants to set up this new factory in the port of Tanger Med in order to prevent its Spanish competitors Talgo and CAF from winning the tender launched by the National Railway Office (ONCF) of Morocco for the purchase of 168 trains and the extension of the high-speed rail lines in the kingdom.

The two Spanish manufacturers were favorites to win this contract, which in addition to the purchase of the trains, provides for their maintenance and the development, by the successful company, of a factory in Morocco. This is why Alstom’s announcement of the construction of a new factory in Morocco is seen as an attempt by the French group to "court" Morocco, which is working to develop its rail network in preparation for the 2030 World Cup that it will host with Spain and Portugal.

This announcement from Alstom comes after the Macron administration authorized the transfer of 30 Mirage 2000-9 aircraft from Abu Dhabi to Morocco. Paris is trying to reconcile with Rabat, after several months of tension, with the Sahara issue in the background.