The Ministry of Transport and Logistics Declares the Marrakech–Agadir High-Speed Rail Project to Be in the Public Interest

Decree No. 2.26.605, dated 19 Rabii I 1448 (September 1, 2026), has been published in the Official Gazette. It declares that the public interest requires the construction of a high-speed railway line linking Marrakech and Agadir, as well as the line connecting Chichaoua and Essaouira, in the Marrakech-Safi and Souss-Massa regions.

The decision comes within the framework of implementing the provisions of Law No. 7.81 on expropriation for public purposes and temporary occupation. The decree defines the geographical boundaries covered by the project, based on the location plan attached to it.

The declaration of public utility is a particularly important stage in the project’s legal and institutional process, as it paves the way for the completion of a number of procedures related to its implementation. These include, first and foremost, identifying the properties and areas likely to be affected, as well as completing the technical, topographical and geological studies.

The declaration of public utility constitutes an essential step toward bringing the project to fruition. This phase is expected to be followed by technical, financial and institutional procedures to determine the operators and partners responsible for carrying out the project, including entities overseeing railway infrastructure, engineering firms, and companies or consortiums that will participate in civil engineering works, structures, railway and electrical equipment, and signaling and telecommunications systems.

The next stages will also clarify the financing arrangements to be adopted for the completion of this project, as well as the procedures for awarding contracts related to the studies, works and equipment.

This declaration of public utility comes as part of a strategy aimed at strengthening the railway connection between Marrakech and Agadir and consolidating the high-speed transport network, thereby supporting economic, tourism and investment momentum between Marrakech and the Souss-Massa region.

The project is thus moving from the announcement and planning phase to a more advanced legal stage, paving the way for the completion of studies, the appointment of stakeholders and partners, and the identification of funding sources, ahead of the launch of construction work.

Source: Agadir24