French Magazine highlights Morocco’s Infrastructure Renaissance spearheaded by King Mohammed VI

The French magazine Conflicts, specializing in geopolitical issues, extensively published an analysis on “Morocco’s success in the field of infrastructure over the past 25 years, after considering the role of this element in various international documents as fundamental to economic development.”

In what constitutes a “French acknowledgment” of Morocco’s infrastructure Renaissance, the Geopolitics magazine confirmed that the kingdom “has maintained its infrastructure development plan for 25 years without deviating from its course, whether in the areas of transport, energy, or digital technology, which has been a central focus within the developmental model.”

The magazine also revealed that “the current results of Moroccan infrastructure are due to the adjustments made to the laws governing investment and competition; while the Millennium Development Goals set a target of 9% of GDP for infrastructure investments, the World Bank estimated in 2019 that Morocco’s ratio was about 11.2% over the past two decades, covering sectors like transport, water, sanitation, irrigation, information and communication technology, and electricity.”

Describing Morocco as the third-largest recipient of foreign direct investments, with $37.5 billion between 2003 and 2007, the analysis noted that the national road network improved by 62.7% between 2013 and 2020, with 62.7% of the national road network now in good condition. This is expected to be reinforced by upgrading 7,000 kilometers of national roads, 2,000 kilometers of highways, and 4,500 kilometers of rural roads by 2035.

In the same context, the document drafted by John Thomas Lessor, General Director of the “Thomas More Institute,” highlighted significant developments in the railway sector over the past two decades. Railways have become denser and more modern, including electric and high-speed lines; notably, the Al-Boraq line carried 5 million passengers in 2023 out of a total of 52 million benefiting from the railway network. The country plans to extend this network to 43 Moroccan cities by 2040, compared to 23 currently, reaching about 87% of the Moroccan population.

From railways to maritime transport, the analysis noted that “the Port of Tangier Med has become one of the most attractive ports in the Mediterranean and among the top 20 container ports worldwide,” with an expected investment of $7.5 billion to modernize port infrastructure by 2030, playing a crucial role in developing maritime routes and supporting the fishing industry.

Highlighting Morocco’s infrastructure achievements over the past 25 years, coinciding with King Mohammed VI’s accession to the throne, Conflicts mentioned the kingdom’s development of numerous energy projects, including solar and wind energy, citing the Noor solar projects in Ouarzazate, Boujdour, and Tafilalt, as well as wind energy and green hydrogen projects with recent agreements with Germany.

From railways and ports to energy projects and information technology, the report noted that “prioritizing the development of digital technology over the past 25 years has enabled Morocco to reach high levels, according to the International Telecommunication Union, with mobile phone subscriptions reaching 55.2 million and 38.3 million subscribers by the end of December, according to the National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency.”

It also mentioned that “the fiber optic network built by telecom service providers in the country is one of the most advanced in Africa, with Morocco planning to launch 5G technology by 2030 as part of preparations for hosting the World Cup with Spain and Portugal.” It reported that “the data center sector is currently experiencing a real boom and is expected to reach $51 million by 2028, surpassing South Africa.”

In conclusion, the French magazine’s analysis deemed that “the development of infrastructure was the foundation of economic development over 25 years of King Mohammed VI’s reign, contributing to economic diversification and positioning the country as a major industrial and technological hub in Africa,” while “Morocco managed to attract key players in promising sectors by providing modern and efficient infrastructure in transport and logistics services, making a significant difference.”