Morocco Launches $9.5 Billion High-Speed Rail Project to Boost Economy

"With a budget of 96 billion dirhams, this railway initiative goes far beyond the construction of rails. It marks the beginning of a new era of economic, industrial and territorial transformation for the Kingdom," writes the magazine Finances News Hebdo. With a length of 430 km, the Kenitra-Marrakech LGV will reduce the travel time between Tangier and Marrakech to less than 3 hours and quickly serve 5 regions representing 67% of the kingdom’s GDP.

But beyond that, this megaproject aims to redefine Morocco’s economic geography, strengthen the mobility and attractiveness of regions, promote the emergence of new economic hubs and boost the national economy. According to Youssef Guerraoui Filali, president of the Moroccan Center for Governance and Management, quoted by the magazine, "this LGV will constitute a real lever for the Marrakech region, still marked by the aftermath of the Al Haouz earthquake. This project will pave the way for global economic development, beyond the tourism sector, by strengthening industry, agro-industry and services."

In addition to contributing to the modernization of the railway network, the Kenitra-Marrakech LGV offers Morocco the opportunity to develop a competitive railway industry at the African level and in the MENA region. "We currently have an integration rate of about 40%. It is imperative that Morocco takes ownership of the entire industrial process to develop a strong local brand," explains Guerraoui. The project gives prominence to very small and medium-sized enterprises (VSMEs) and could benefit hundreds of local actors.

"This project will generate 10,000 direct and indirect jobs, and the reduction in travel time will have a considerable impact on the economic competitiveness of Marrakech," details Guerraoui, adding that Marrakech, whose average GDP per capita is much lower than that of Casablanca and Rabat-Salé-Kenitra, "must now follow this momentum to bridge the economic and social gap."