From High-Speed Rail to Gas Pipelines: Agadir Hosts Forum on African Integration Projects

The National School of Applied Sciences of Agadir will host, on November 19 and 20, 2026, the ninth edition of the Building and Public Works Forum (BTP Forum), organized by the Civil Engineering Club under the theme “Morocco, Gateway to Africa: Civil Engineering at the Heart of Major Continental Integration Projects.”

The forum will bring together students, teacher-researchers, professionals, and representatives of companies and institutions to discuss the transformations taking place in the building and public works sector and explore the role of civil engineering in delivering major infrastructure projects and strengthening economic and territorial connectivity.

According to the event’s presentation note, this edition places South-South cooperation and continental integration at the heart of its discussions, highlighting Morocco’s position as a bridge between Africa and Europe, as well as the engineering expertise required for major structural projects.

The program includes conferences led by experts and stakeholders in the infrastructure sector. They will focus on the high-speed rail line and its role in developing mobility and territorial planning; the Dakhla Atlantique port, presented as a model for designing a new-generation port in a desert environment; and the experience of the Nador West Med port.

The forum will also devote a session to the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline project, both as an energy interconnection project between West Africa and Europe and as a case study for examining the engineering challenges associated with infrastructure spanning several countries.

Under the title “The Hidden Challenges of Major Projects: What the Public Never Sees,” a panel discussion will explore the behind-the-scenes realities of construction sites, as well as the technical and managerial constraints involved in their execution, enabling students to discover aspects of professional practice.

Alongside the scientific sessions, the forum will host a corporate and networking area aimed at bringing students closer to employers and fostering relationships that can facilitate internship opportunities and the completion of final-year projects.

The program will also feature a structural engineering competition designed to showcase young engineers’ abilities in innovation, application, and creativity, as part of the organizing club’s commitment to strengthening the connection between academic training and the labor market’s requirements in the sector.