Billions Invested in Modernizing Morocco's Road Network

Wednesday 10 January 2024 - 16:45

The Moroccan government, under the leadership of Infrastructure Minister Nizar Baraka, has pledged a significant investment of 20 billion dirhams to revamp the nation's road infrastructure through comprehensive regional development programs. This substantial commitment is designed to elevate connectivity and mobility throughout Morocco.

Currently, six development agreements have been formalized with various regions, securing a substantial 16.8 billion dirhams in funding. Predominantly, a noteworthy allocation of 16 billion dirhams will be dedicated to road-related projects. This encompasses 12 billion dirhams earmarked for the modernization of over 2,271 km of national and rural roads, spread across 32 technical facilities within the participating regions. An additional 4 billion dirhams will be utilized for the construction and maintenance of rural routes.

Key road enhancement initiatives have been outlined, including the expansion of the N2 highway between Chefchaouen and Tetouan in the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region. This project aims to widen the busy thoroughfare to two lanes over a span of 52.5 km, with a budget of 1.028 billion dirhams. In the Oriental region, a comprehensive 10 billion dirhams has been allocated to improve 446.6 km of roads. Meanwhile, the Fes-Meknes region is set to witness the doubling of the N8 to two lanes, covering a distance of 73 km, at a cost of 1.56 billion dirhams.

Other regions are not excluded from these advancements, as Rabat-Sale-Kenitra will witness enhancements to the N6 and N4 highways, and the R710 in Beni Mellal-Khenifra is scheduled for expansion. Furthermore, port cities are poised to experience enhanced connectivity, with projects aimed at upgrading routes between Safi, Marrakech, and Essaouira.

Upon completion, these modernized highways are anticipated to catalyze regional economic development by facilitating increased trade and tourism. Such projects align seamlessly with the kingdom's overarching objectives of fostering prosperity through improved infrastructure accessibility across Morocco. Minister Baraka's announcement underscores the government's unwavering commitment to interconnecting the nation through strategic and impactful transport investments.