HIGH SPEED TRAIN BETWEEN MARRAKECH AND AGADIR

Morocco must carefully study its competing interests as two world powers try to build a high-speed train line between Marrakech and Agadir.

Rabat – Moroccan King Mohamed VI said in a speech marking the 44th anniversary of the Green March: “The Green March has always been the best illustration of effective cohesion between the throne and the people.”

“For this reason, I invite the relevant authorities to seriously consider developing a railway between Marrakech and Agadir, first before extending it to the rest of the southern regions.”

The Green March was a peaceful mass demonstration coordinated by Morocco that led to a possible concession of the territories of Western Sahara by Spain in 1975, giving it a symbolic place in the country’s history.

The expansion of the Moroccan railway infrastructure to the south in the Western Sahara region, as requested by King Mohammed VI, will be a progress towards strengthening the territorial integrity of Morocco by connecting the cities of El-Ayoun and Dakhla to the rest of the kingdom and the Marrakesh-Agadir railway will be the starting point.

If the proposal to create a high-speed line (TGV) between Marrakech and Agadir materializes, it will connect two popular tourist destinations in Morocco. Marrakech and Agadir attract 57% of the tourists who spend the night in Morocco, according to the Moroccan Ministry of Tourism. It will also be the second high-speed railway in Morocco after the construction of the first TGV line in Africa in 2018 between Casablanca and Tangier.

New competition: High-Speed Train Between Marrakech And Agadir

King Mohammed VI’s announcement follows the trade negotiations with France and China respectively. The negotiations resulted in a much lower offer than China. However, accepting an offer from China could have serious implications for Morocco’s relations with France, the second-largest foreign investor in Moroccan infrastructure.

The cost of the first express train project between Casablanca and Tangier was 2.1 billion euros (22.1 billion dirhams), of which 51% of the costs were loaned by France, according to the French Development Agency. While Moroccan public rail company ONCF has also planned to expand a 3 billion euro project linking major cities in Morocco, the huge investment losses incurred by France if China were to get a new contract would still be a huge TGV line.

The history of Morocco in the twentieth century was largely determined by the French protectorate that controlled Morocco until 1956, and the French influence remains evident in the infrastructure and economy of present-day Morocco. The French Development Agency described France’s huge investment in the rail project in Casablanca and Tangier alone, which made Morocco a leader in high-speed rail transport on the African continent.

In addition to the one billion euros invested in the Tangier-Casablanca railway, French investments in Morocco have spread to other sectors such as education and employment. Moroccan development programs for the French Development Unit alone have exceeded 5.6 billion euros since 1992.

The debt that Morocco collects through billions of dollars in projects goes back to the era of 1904, when French protection took root after a huge financial investment from France in the Moroccan government, expecting an opportunity to seize power in the midst of competing for colonial powers.

Although colonial domination is no longer an achievable goal in the long-term for nation-states, maintaining financial control through loans is a powerful tool for global power like France, and its consolidation in its relations with its ally Morocco.

China has its own ambitions for international prosperity through investments in infrastructure and technology. The infamous “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI) was launched in 2013 as a mega project to install transmission lines in foreign countries to establish global economic and political independence as a global power. BRI was compared to the ancient Han Chinese Silk Road project.

Western powers’ skepticism about China’s motives stems from its “Made in China 2025” project, in which Beijing seeks to become a leader in a wide range of industries, including high-end railway infrastructure. As part of this plan, he has already attempted deals that would compel partner countries to share technological and industrial developments, giving China an advantage in many industries on the back of its trading partners.

Cost-benefit analysis for Morocco: High-Speed Train Between Marrakech And Agadir

Borrowing money for a billion-dollar project is justified in a situation where long-term investment is valuable compared to measuring regional security and profitability. Moroccan policymakers must weigh the risk of borrowing against the added value of an efficient transportation system still new in Africa.

Morocco has already played a pioneering role in promoting Africa’s development as a continent, setting an example in current areas of great interest, such as environmental conservation, education, infrastructure and security.

A high-speed railway would greatly improve the flow of trade and traffic between the two most popular tourist cities in Morocco, let alone produce jobs in this industry. Rail travel is also an efficient, clean and environmentally sustainable transportation.

However, another $ 2 billion railway project would be very expensive in Morocco, because it is still paying for the Tangier-Casablanca railway project. Given the massive funding required for the project, other areas of interest can be considered a higher priority for the Moroccan government.

Morocco ranked 123 of 189 countries in the 2018 Human Development Index report, and its low stance is due to gaps in areas such as education and illiteracy, and all of the questions the African Union is looking to improve across the continent.

On the contrary, the improvement of the Moroccan human development index in recent years is a positive indication that its recent decisions – including its investment in the railway between Casablanca and Tangier – have become a continental leader in sustainable development.

If a viable plan to finance a high-speed link between Marrakech and Agadir is developed, it will produce an important source of long-term economic growth in Morocco.

Among the development goals set by the African Union, taking advantage of the high-speed rail network will cover many questions, enhance African economic independence and interdependence, and encourage new investment, both foreign and foreign. the National.

If Morocco continues this project, the big question is to know who will be entrusted with the project. As France and China seek to increase their influence in Africa, economic security must be a major concern in trade negotiations.

Stabilizing an investor who will commit to sustainability in Africa will make the new high-speed railway line not only a showcase for progress in Morocco, but a long-term investment in the continent as a whole.

Is Morocco Ready to Invest in New Commuter Rail Network?

The continuous improvement of the Moroccan railway network has led a large number of Moroccans to trains to move, especially on the Axis of Kenitra and Casablanca.

RABAT – The Moroccan government plans to invest approximately 400 million euros (4.2 billion dirhams) to launch a suburban rail network, ESE reported on Wednesday (February 19th).

“In the coming months, the Moroccan government plans to launch an ambitious rail development [in the suburbs] project, which could be equivalent to the Spanish Cercanias network, and the Valencia community would like to participate,” explains EFE, quoting the head of Valencia’s local government, Ximo Puig.

“Cercanias” is the name given to the suburban train system in Spain’s main urban areas. The system consists of high-speed trains running on short and medium distances.

A Valencia official made the announcement on the last day of his trip to Morocco, according to the Spanish news agency EFE.

Bouygues led a delegation from the Valencia region on a working visit from February 16 to 19, with the aim of strengthening institutional and commercial ties between Morocco and the southeastern region of Spain.

Generalitat, the political organization of the autonomous community of Valencia, will submit a proposal to establish a public-private partnership to develop local rail networks in Morocco, through its public company Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Valenciana (FGV).

The private companies involved in the project will be Stadler, specializing in train manufacture, and Vectalia, specializing in public transport management. Viktalia already operates bus fleets in Moroccan cities, including Nador and Safi.

The Valencia official announced that stakeholders will prepare their proposals to participate in the request for proposals put forward by Morocco.

During its visit to Morocco, a Valencia delegation held several meetings with Moroccan investors, businessmen and officials.

The delegation included representatives of twenty Spanish companies working in the fields of tourism, construction, railways, logistics, and food industries.

High-Speed Train Between Marrakech And Agadir