Morocco: launching the 2035 Road Plan
Morocco’s Ministry of Equipment, Transport and Logistics and its Directorate for Road Infrastructure announced that the study on the organization and financing of the country’s road infrastructure will start in September. The Ministry has allocated 8.4 billion dirhams – 800 million euros – for the project. The study is part of the National Scheme of Road Infrastructure, which will define Morocco’s sectoral road map till 2035. It will also outline scenarios and operational modalities for the development of the country’s road and highway network in the medium-long term period in accordance with four five-year plans between 2016 and 2035.
The study is one of the main priorities set by the 2035 Road Map, which was developed in 2013 taking stock of all of the national sector strategies. Special attention was paid to logistics, Green Morocco Plan, tourism and Snat (Schema National d’Amenagement du Territoire), as well as to operational considerations associated with ports, railways and air sectoral plans.
The 2035 Road Plan envisages the construction of 5,500 kilometres of roads, comprised of 3,400 highways and 2,100 motorways for a global investment value of approx. 96 dirhams (over 9 billion euros). The plan also implies the modernisation of the country’s road network by requalifying 7,000 kilometres of existing roads, financed by means of a provisional appropriation of around 55 billion dirhams (approx. 5 billion euros). It will also consolidate another 24,000 kilometres of roads, rebuild 300 major works and restore 1,000 more on a budget of approx. 70 billion dirhams (almost seven billion euros).