African Development Bank Approves €205m Loan for Morocco High-Speed Rail Extension

The African Development Bank has approved €205m in financing for Morocco to extend the Al Boraq high-speed rail network and strengthen the Kenitra-Marrakech corridor. The Board of Directors approved the loan on 8 July 2026 to support the Rail Infrastructure Development Support Project.

The financing targets capacity and operational performance improvements on the Kenitra-Marrakech railway corridor, which currently carries a significant share of Morocco's passenger and freight traffic on conventional lines. The project aims to build new high-speed infrastructure along the corridor to accommodate growing demand on the network.

The Rail Infrastructure Development Support Project will strengthen mobility and logistics capacity across the kingdom. The Kenitra-Marrakech high-speed line is under construction and will extend the Al Boraq network, which currently connects major population and economic centres between Tangier, Kenitra and Casablanca. The €205m loan provides dedicated funding for infrastructure development along the route.

Morocco's Al Boraq network represents the first high-speed rail system in Africa. The AfDB financing supports continued expansion of the network beyond its initial Tangier-Casablanca-Kenitra alignment. The Kenitra-Marrakech extension is under construction, with service expected around 2029, and will link the high-speed network to Morocco's fourth-largest city and a major tourism destination.