Morocco has successfully secured a significant loan amounting to €205 million from the African Development Bank (AfDB) aimed at enhancing the high-speed rail line between Kenitra and Marrakech. This funding initiative, which encompasses a total of €405 million, was formalized through two financing agreements signed on Thursday in Rabat. The agreements were executed by the Minister Delegate in Charge of Budget, Fouzi Lekjaa, alongside the AfDB Country Manager for Morocco, Achraf Tarsim, during a ceremony that also saw the participation of Younes Sekkouri, the Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment, and Skills, and Mohamed Rabie Khlie, the Director General of the National Railways Office.
The €205 million loan is designated to support the Railway Infrastructure Development Project, which aims to bolster the capacity and operational efficiency of the Kenitra-Marrakech corridor. This will be achieved through the extension of the high-speed rail line and the enhancement of the existing infrastructure along this strategic route. The overarching goal is to improve territorial connectivity and enhance Morocco's logistical competitiveness in the region.
In addition to the railway agreement, a second separate accord amounting to €200 million has been established to finance the "Cap Compétences 2030" program. This results-oriented funding initiative is geared towards improving the relevance and diversification of vocational training offerings, particularly through the digitization of services and the implementation of large-scale apprenticeship programs. The initiative aims to enhance the employability of young people and women in the job market.
Fouzi Lekjaa expressed that the expansion of the high-speed rail line represents a point of pride for Morocco, emphasizing that the second project focused on employment mobilizes essential resources to empower youth as true value creators. He praised the exceptional partnership with the AfDB.
Meanwhile, Achraf Tarsim remarked that these two agreements reflect a shared ambition to prepare Morocco for the future by supporting the expansion of the high-speed rail line and developing the skills the economy will require. He affirmed that Morocco currently stands as a reference point for the African continent.
Younes Sekkouri elaborated on the priorities of the Cap Compétences 2030 program, the first aspect of which aims to significantly support apprenticeship programs targeting 260,000 young people who are not graduates. The second component is focused on enhancing the professional integration of this demographic, leveraging the National Agency for Employment and Skills Promotion, particularly through the Taehil program. The third pillar emphasizes the modernization and digitalization of support institutions.
These two initiatives align with Morocco's strategic priorities and the AfDB's Four Cardinal Points vision. As a long-standing partner of the Kingdom, the pan-African institution has mobilized over €15 billion since 1978 to finance more than 150 projects across key sectors such as human development, water, agriculture, energy, and transport infrastructure.
As reported by lopinion.ma.
