Major highway project planned for Morocco

Work on a new 172km highway is underway in Morocco. Financing worth US$706.7 million is being budgeted for the new highway, which will connect Berrechid-Beni with Mellal. The new highway will have two toll booths and three rest areas. The project is due for completion in 2014, with the first stretch in the Tadla-Azilal area expected to open to traffic June 2013. The new highway is a key link in the Moroccan Government’s planned road network for the country. This is aimed at ensuring all towns and villages in the country are accessible by road and are only a short distance from a high speed highway. The 2008-2015 road connectivity programme has been set as a high priority for Morocco’s continuing economic development. This particular project is being funded jointly by a loan from the 2719 Chinese Government, by the European Investment Fund (EIF) and the Arab Fund for Economic & Social Development (AFESD). The highway will link regions such as Tadla-Azilal to the road network.