Morocco-Mauritania Road Link Nears Completion, Boosting Regional Connectivity

The overall progress of the realization of the road axis (RN17 and RN17B) connecting Es-Semara (in southern Morocco) to the Mauritanian border via the communes of Amgala and Tifariti, over a distance of 93 km, has reached more than 95%, said Samih Zemmari, provincial director of Equipment, Transport and Logistics in Es-Semara, on the sidelines of a field visit by the governor of the province of Es-Semara, Brahim Boutoumilate, and elected officials to kilometer point No. 77 of this road.

With a total amount of 49.72 million dirhams (MDH), this road axis connecting Es-Semara to the Mauritanian border (Bir Moghrein in the north of the country) includes four sections. According to Zemmari’s explanations, three sections have been completed on time over a distance of 40 km, carried out respectively in 2017 (7 MDH), 2022 (9.54 MDH), and 2023 (4.92 MDH), while the fourth is in the final stage of completion. The latter consists of the construction of the roadway of national road No. 17 connecting Es-Semara to the Mauritanian border over 53 km, mobilizing a total amount of more than 28.23 MDH, he explained, specifying that the progress of the work on the realization of this axis has reached more than 88%.

For the official, the realization of this road aims to reduce travel time and improve road comfort and safety. This project will strengthen the road link between Morocco and Mauritania with a view to opening a second border post, all the more so as it will provide users of the road with a quality road axis, he said. The president of the commune of Amgala adds: "the implementation of this road axis is in line with the Atlantic Initiative, launched by" King Mohammed VI, "which aims to promote regional integration by facilitating in particular the access of Sahel countries to the Atlantic Ocean."

This road will also promote economic activities and socio-economic development at the provincial level, create jobs, and consolidate the stability of the population in the communes of Amgala and Tifariti, she added. In addition to this road axis, the construction of a future bus station on an area of 3,600 m² is also planned to improve passenger reception conditions and ensure optimal management of travel flows. Its total cost is estimated at 900,000 dirhams. In addition, a new first-class taxi line connecting Es-Semara and Amgala via Lagaida will also be built to facilitate citizen mobility.