Raquel Sánchez highlights Spain's interest in the participation of Spanish companies in infrastructure projects in Morocco

"Spain supports Morocco in its ambitious strategy to equip itself with an infrastructure network that will position it as a leader in its region, with the consequent benefit for its business fabric and its citizens. Within this framework, Spain would like to be present in the new infrastructure developments, particularly in the plans to extend the high-speed rail network and the airport network", the minister said during her speech at the plenary session of the Spain-Morocco Summit being held in Rabat.

In this sense, the head of Mitma recalled that Spain is a leader in high-speed railway, both in terms of the size of its network and in technology and management, and that it enjoys a leading position in Europe in the port and airport sector.

Thus, Spanish companies, both public and private, are interested in being part of Morocco's plan to extend its high-speed network with 1,300 kilometres of new lines that will link Casablanca-Marrakech-Agadir, on the one hand, and Oujda with Rabat, on the other; and to participate in the expansion and modernisation projects of its airport and air navigation network. In the medium term, Morocco plans to increase capacity at Marrakech, Tangier and Agadir airports.

Memoranda of Understanding

In this context of strengthening relations, Raquel Sánchez signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the Minister of Infrastructure and Water, Nizar Baraka, and with the Minister of Transport and Logistics, Mohammed Abdeljalil, with whom she held meetings during the Summit to define frameworks for cooperation between the two countries in the field of both transport and infrastructure.

"I welcome the signing of two Memoranda of Understanding with the Ministers of Infrastructure and Water, and Transport and Logistics, respectively, which will undoubtedly greatly help collaboration and cooperation between our countries," said the Spanish Minister.

Thus, both documents set out various areas of collaboration in all modes of transport, highlighting, for Spain, everything related to railways and their infrastructures.

For example, the Transport MoU provides for both countries to carry out collaborative activities related to the development of railway infrastructure and the operation of railway operations and rail traffic, including the maintenance of trains and rolling stock, the design of workshops, the training of railway personnel, the implementation and operation of railway traffic management systems, etc. It also provides for collaboration in projects for the planning, management and regulation of the road transport services sector or the control of maritime traffic and the management and operation of the navigation aids service, among other areas.

For its part, the Infrastructure MoU includes the possibility of collaborating in the deployment of infrastructure monitoring and supervision systems; programming and follow-up of road and motorway maintenance operations and optimisation of operating costs of the network in service, or support for feasibility studies and port planning, among other areas.

Bilateral meetings

The minister, who during her speech at the plenary session stressed Spain's interest in closer cooperation with Morocco, held bilateral meetings with her counterparts in Transport and Infrastructure to discuss issues of common interest, such as the development of maritime and air relations, especially in the area of the Strait of Gibraltar and the Canary Islands, to facilitate foreign trade and the mobility of citizens, in addition to those included in the MoUs signed.

In her meeting with Minister Mohammed Abdeljalil, the minister took the opportunity to reiterate the companies' interest in participating in Morocco's infrastructure plans, and issues such as cooperation in maritime services and land transport between the two countries were discussed.

The meeting with Minister Nizar Baraka focused on bilateral relations for the development of port and road projects and highlighted the strategic nature of the fixed link project between Morocco and Spain through the Strait of Gibraltar. On this point, the minister welcomed the reactivation of the meetings of the Joint Spanish-Moroccan Committee for the continuation of studies on this strategic project.

"We are going to give a boost to the studies of the Strait of Gibraltar Fixed Link Project that was initiated by both countries forty years ago. A strategic project for Spain and Morocco, and also for Europe and Africa", the minister stressed.

Non official translation