Morocco Expands Highway Network Ahead of 2030 World Cup Co-Hosting

While it has already built 1,800 kilometers of motorways, leading the Maghreb countries and ranking second in Africa, Morocco is aiming high. The kingdom wants to seize the opportunity of hosting the 2030 World Cup to bring this to 3,000 kilometers. In an interview with the daily Les Inspirations Éco, the Minister of Equipment and Water, Nizar Baraka, highlights the flagship projects that are or will be implemented as part of a well-crafted plan. This year, his department is allocating a budget of over 13 billion dirhams for investment in infrastructure development, to support national and sectoral strategies and accompany the country in its ambitions and in meeting future challenges. According to the minister, the Moroccan road network accounts for 90% of passenger travel and 75% of freight transport. Its National Scheme of Road Infrastructures established for the 2040 horizon serves as a compass for developing the road network.

One of its projects is the new continental motorway Casablanca-Rabat stretching over 60 km with an estimated total cost of 5 billion dirhams. Another major project is the Southern expressway consisting of the duplication and widening of the National Road N°1 over 1,055 km between Tiznit and Dakhla with an updated overall investment of around 8.8 billion dirhams. There is also the road and motorway connectivity of the Nador West Med Port, a project aimed at connecting the industrial-port complex to the national motorway network from the Fez-Oujda motorway over a distance of 104 km. The investment cost is estimated at 7 billion dirhams through the Guercif-Nador motorway. The ministry also intends to upgrade, modernize the road network, build and maintain rural roads with the support of the regions as part of the Regional Development Programs. A budget of over 15 billion dirhams will have to be mobilized.