TRANSPORT · MOROCCO
Key Facts
- —The country Morocco is a North African kingdom of about 37 million people. It runs Africa’s only high-speed train and co-hosts the 2030 football World Cup with Spain and Portugal.
- —Why it matters Morocco plans more than US$11 billion of rail investment by 2030. Its state railway now says public money alone can no longer pay for projects of this size.
- —Why now Rail operators, development banks and investors meet in Rabat on Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 October to find new ways to fund African railways.
- —What happened On Wednesday 14 October the head of Morocco’s national railway office urged lenders to back the rail plan with low-carbon and other new forms of finance.
- —The numbers More than €10 billion (about US$11.2 billion) of investment by 2030, a 630-kilometre high-speed network and 168 new trainsets.
- —What it means for you Faster trains between Tangier, Casablanca and Marrakech would serve 2030 World Cup visitors. Carbon-linked rail finance and new loans could also open deals to US investors.
- —Still open Which lenders commit, how rail carbon credits would be priced, and when the high-speed extension to Marrakech opens.
Morocco’s national railway office used an international forum in Rabat on Wednesday 14 October to seek new money for its rail plan. Its chief said public budgets can no longer carry a programme worth more than €10 billion (about US$11.2 billion) by 2030.
The meeting matters beyond Morocco because weak rail links hold back trade and growth across Africa. For US readers, it shapes 2030 World Cup travel and could open new rail debt and carbon deals to foreign investors.
What the Rail Plan Includes
Mohamed Rabie Khlie is director general of the Office National des Chemins de Fer (ONCF), the state railway, and opened the forum. He called for moving “urgently from the diagnosis phase to action on the ground” and for lasting partnerships to develop African rail.
The programme extends the high-speed line from Tangier to Marrakech, creating a fast network of 630 kilometres. It also includes 168 new trainsets and commuter services in the largest cities, modelled on the Paris RER suburban network.
The Ministry of Transport and Logistics put the programme at 134 billion dirhams (about US$13.6 billion) to 2030. Its secretary general, Zine El Abidine Britel, read the speech on the minister’s behalf and linked the plan to World Cup preparations.
The ministry’s plan also connects the railway to Nador West Med, a new port on the Mediterranean coast, and expands regional trains. It wants a firm contract between the state and the railway office to reassure lenders about commitments, funding and risk.
Why Morocco Wants New Rail Financing
Khlie said Africa’s infrastructure gap cuts about 2% from the continent’s annual economic growth and lowers productivity by up to 40%. He argued that traditional public funding can no longer absorb the high cost of rail projects on the continent.
His answer is low-carbon finance, since he sees rail as clean transport that is eligible for money tied to emission cuts. He said the railway office and the International Union of Railways should jointly approach United Nations bodies and carbon regulators.
François Davenne is director general of the International Union of Railways (UIC), the Paris-based global rail body that co-organised the forum. He said carbon markets could supply interest-free public money for projects whose returns stretch over as long as 30 years.
A UIC study cited by Davenne estimates that rail could avoid 1.8 gigatonnes of carbon emissions in developing countries by 2050. The study puts the potential revenue from those savings at between US$27 billion and US$72 billion.
Davenne also pointed to a wide gap between the carbon price used in studies and the price in real trades. Studies assume about €100 (about US$112) a tonne, while commercial deals stay below €20 (about US$22).
To narrow that gap, he announced a coalition with international partners to update the methods behind rail carbon credits. It will seek official recognition under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which governs carbon trading between countries.
Where the African Development Bank Money Fits
The forum follows two loan agreements signed in Rabat on Thursday 17 September with the African Development Bank, Africa’s main multilateral lender. Together they total €405 million (about US$453 million), Moroccan business media reported at the signing.
The first loan, €205 million (about US$229 million), pays for new rails on the Kenitra to Marrakech line and in the Casablanca hub. It also buys track switches for conventional and high-speed lines and expansion joints for bridges, the daily L’Economiste reported on Thursday 15 October.
The second loan, €200 million (about US$223 million), supports Cap Compétences 2030, a vocational training programme run by the employment ministry. It aims to open apprenticeships to 260,000 young people, half of them women, and to train 60,000 young jobseekers.
The European Union, the World Bank and the African Development Bank were listed for the forum’s round tables on funding. Moroccan outlets reported no new loan for Morocco from Wednesday’s opening session.
What It Means for US Readers
For American travellers, the high-speed extension would link Marrakech, a major tourist city, to the existing line from Tangier. That matters for 2030, when Morocco co-hosts the World Cup with Spain and Portugal and fans will travel between host cities.
For investors, the push for carbon-linked and other non-budget finance could create bonds, loans and credit deals open to foreign funds. Morocco and the United States have had a free trade agreement in force since 2006, which already eases American business there.
The risk is cost and debt, since large rail programmes can run late and over budget. A clearer state contract with the railway office, as the ministry proposes, would help lenders judge that risk.
The currency matters for dollar investors, because the dirham is managed against a basket of the euro and the US dollar. Bank Al-Maghrib’s official reference rates on Wednesday 14 October were 11.0091 dirhams per euro and 9.8519 per US dollar.
Background on the people and lenders behind such projects is in Who Runs Morocco’s Economy, the Key Players in 2026 and Foreign Powers and Investors in Morocco 2026. Practical details on the host city are in the Rabat city guide.
What Is Not Known
It is not known which lenders or investors will commit money after the forum closes on Thursday 15 October. No recommendations or final declaration had been published by early Thursday.
Published accounts of the opening day give no opening date for the Marrakech high-speed extension. It is also unclear how quickly rail carbon credits could win recognition and reach a price that helps pay for track.
Officials did not reconcile the two programme totals, more than €10 billion (about US$11.2 billion) and 134 billion dirhams (about US$13.6 billion). Officials did not say whether the two totals cover the same set of projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Morocco’s rail plan?
It is an investment programme of more than €10 billion (about US$11.2 billion) to 2030, led by the state railway office. It extends high-speed rail to Marrakech, adds 168 trainsets and builds commuter services in large cities.
Why is Morocco seeking new rail financing?
The railway chief said traditional public funding can no longer absorb the high cost of rail projects. He wants lenders to add low-carbon and other new forms of finance.
What is the Rabat rail forum?
It is a two-day meeting on investment and financing for Africa’s railways, held on 14 and 15 October 2026. The International Union of Railways and Morocco’s railway office co-organised it.
How much did the African Development Bank lend Morocco?
Two agreements signed on Thursday 17 September total €405 million (about US$453 million). One funds rail upgrades and the other funds vocational training.
What does the plan mean for US travellers?
A finished high-speed link to Marrakech would shorten trips between major cities before the 2030 World Cup. No opening date for the extension was given at the forum.
Sources: Le360 (French), 14 October 2026; Hespress (French), 14 October 2026; International Union of Railways, forum page; Le360 (French), 15 October 2026; Le360 (French), 17 September 2026; Bank Al-Maghrib reference rates, 14 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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