The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved €205 million (approximately $240 million) in financing for Morocco to modernise and expand the country’s railway infrastructure.
Approved by the Bank’s Board of Directors on July 8, the financing will support the Rail Infrastructure Development Support Project (PADIF), which is designed to strengthen the capacity and operational performance of the strategic Kenitra-Marrakech railway corridor.
The project includes the extension of Morocco’s high-speed rail line and the modernisation of existing railway infrastructure along one of the country’s busiest passenger and freight routes. By improving connectivity between major economic and urban centres, the investment is expected to promote more sustainable mobility, enhance regional integration and reduce travel times and logistics costs.
“By combining the extension of the high-speed rail line with the modernisation of existing infrastructure, this operation will help accommodate growing passenger and freight traffic, facilitate trade flows, and reduce travel times,” said Achraf Tarsim, Head of the African Development Bank Group’s Country Office in Morocco.
He added that the project would strengthen Morocco’s logistics competitiveness over the long term and reinforce its position as a strategic gateway linking Europe and Africa.
The programme also includes the procurement of new rails, track components and other equipment to upgrade conventional railway lines and the high-speed network around the Casablanca rail hub. In addition, a project management support component will oversee engineering supervision, implementation, monitoring and evaluation to ensure efficient delivery.
The AfDB said the investment aligns with its Four Cardinal Points strategy and Morocco’s 2024-2029 Country Strategy Paper. It also supports the country’s New Development Model and the Rail 2040 Plan, which aims to modernise the national railway system and strengthen sustainable transport infrastructure.
Since beginning operations in Morocco in 1978, the African Development Bank Group has mobilised nearly €15 billion to finance more than 150 projects across key sectors, including transport, energy, agriculture, water and sanitation, governance, social protection and financial services.
