AfDB approves €205M for Morocco rail upgrade

The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group has approved €205 million in financing for Morocco to support the implementation of the Rail Infrastructure Development Support Project (PADIF), aimed at modernising one of the country's busiest rail corridors.

Approved by the Bank's Board of Directors on 8 July, the project will strengthen the capacity and operational performance of the Kenitra–Marrakech railway corridor, which handles a significant share of Morocco's passenger and freight traffic. The investment includes extending the country's high-speed rail line and upgrading existing railway infrastructure along the strategic route.

The project is expected to improve connectivity between Morocco's major economic and urban centres, promoting more efficient and sustainable mobility while enhancing territorial integration.

In addition to easing passenger movement, the rail upgrade is expected to encourage a shift towards greener transport, reduce travel times and lower logistics costs, delivering broader economic and environmental benefits.

Achraf Tarsim, Head of the African Development Bank Group’s Country Office in Morocco, said, “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.”

The project includes the procurement of equipment to modernise railway infrastructure along the Kenitra–Marrakech corridor and around the Casablanca rail hub. The investment will cover new rails and track components for both conventional and high-speed rail networks, increasing corridor capacity and improving operational efficiency over the long term.

The financing aligns with the African Development Bank Group's strategic priorities and its 2024–2029 Country Strategy Paper for Morocco. It also supports Morocco's New Development Model and the Rail 2040 Plan, which aims to modernise and expand the country's national railway network.

Since 1978, the African Development Bank Group has committed nearly €15 billion to finance more than 150 projects and programmes across Morocco. Its investments span key sectors including transport, energy, agriculture, water and sanitation, social protection, governance and financial services.