Morocco Unveils 134 Billion Dirham Rail Investment Plan

Morocco's Minister of Transport and Logistics, Abdessamad Kayouh, announced in Rabat on Wednesday an investment program to develop the country's rail network, with a total envelope of 134 billion dirhams (MMDH) through 2030. The program includes an investment plan accompanied by a complementary program to expand and modernize the network.

An international forum on rail financing in Africa

The announcement came on the sidelines of the international forum "Investment and Financing Solutions for Africa's Railway Future," organized by the International Union of Railways (UIC) in partnership with Morocco's National Railway Office (ONCF). The gathering brought together more than 200 participants from 20 countries, including representatives of railway networks, financial institutions, investors and public authorities.

Mohamed Rabie Khlie, ONCF's director general, said traditional public resources are no longer enough to match the continent's ambitions, calling for innovative financing mechanisms and more diversified financial partnerships. He recalled that the forum's first edition, held three years ago in Senegal, produced the Dakar Declaration, which had already highlighted the sector's financing challenge, saying today's ambition is to "move from observation to action." Khlie also noted that the continent's demographic, economic and environmental shifts require rethinking mobility models, describing sustainable mobility as a lever for inclusive development in line with the African Union's Agenda 2063.

Why this matters to Moroccans

The program comes as Morocco continues modernizing its rail network, from extending the Al Boraq high-speed line to strengthening regional transport links on the existing network. Morocco had already signed financing agreements with the African Development Bank to support rail infrastructure modernization projects, in the same push to diversify traditional public funding sources.

The investment carries particular weight for Moroccan travelers, who increasingly rely on the high-speed train to move between major cities: expanding the network is tied to better connections between regions and shorter travel times, alongside preparations for major milestones awaiting Morocco in the coming decade, starting with its co-hosting, alongside Spain and Portugal, of the 2030 World Cup, which will require transport infrastructure able to absorb a large influx of visitors and travelers.