Paris and Rabat have concluded contracts and investment agreements amounting to “up to ten billion euros” during Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Morocco, which began on Monday, as announced by the French presidency.
France and Morocco have signed “up to ten billion euros” worth of agreements during Emmanuel Macron’s state visit, where he was grandly received on Monday, October 28th, by King Mohammed VI, aiming to mend ties strained by three years of tensions. More agreements are expected to be signed on Tuesday.
The agreements signed on Monday cover sectors like rail, renewable energy—where Morocco aims to be a leader—energy transition, and energy connectivity cooperation.
CMA CGM Partners with Marsa Maroc
The French maritime transporter CMA CGM is partnering with Marsa Maroc to “equip and operate” for 25 years half of the container terminal at “Nador West Med” in northern Morocco, the French group announced on Monday. CMA CGM and the Moroccan company specialized in port terminal operations will form a joint venture to equip 35 hectares of the container terminal and 750 meters of quay.
The investments are expected to amount to $280 million over 25 years, “with the goal of reaching an annual volume of 1.2 million TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit, the standard measure for containers),” according to CMA CGM.
Alstom and Egis Included in the Second Section of the Tanger-Marrakech High-Speed Rail Project
Among the agreements signed Monday evening by King Mohammed VI of Morocco and Emmanuel Macron, it was decided that French groups Alstom and Egis would participate in the construction of the second section of the Tanger-Marrakech high-speed rail line.
French group Alstom also signed an agreement in Rabat on Monday with the Moroccan National Railways Office to negotiate a contract for supplying 12 to 18 high-speed train sets, AFP learned from sources close to the matter.
Safran to Create an Aeronautical Maintenance Workshop in Casablanca
The French aerospace engine and equipment manufacturer Safran will establish a maintenance and repair site for its flagship LEAP engine in Casablanca.
The construction of this new 25,000 m² workshop in Casablanca’s airport zone “is part of a massive investment plan to develop the global maintenance and repair network that supports the growing LEAP engine fleet,” Safran emphasized.
LEAP, a next-generation engine designed for fuel efficiency, powers most of the new generation single-aisle aircraft families like the Airbus A320neo, Boeing 737 MAX, and COMAC C919, serving over 3,500 aircraft worldwide, Safran specified.
TotalEnergies Signs Agreement for “Green Hydrogen Development” in Morocco
French company TotalEnergies has signed an agreement for the “development of the green hydrogen sector” in Morocco. It had already signed a similar agreement with Tunisia in May for building a large green hydrogen production and export complex in the south of the country.
Engie and the Moroccan Office of Phosphates have signed an “energy transition partnership agreement,” which includes renewable energies.
The French Development Agency will also assist the Moroccan phosphate industry in decarbonizing its operations with a loan of 350 million euros.
Lastly, EDF signed a memorandum of understanding regarding the expansion of the Taza wind farm.
