Casablanca – Morocco has secured $467 million in new financing from the African Development Bank to support railway expansion and vocational training, bringing together two areas that are central to the country’s current development plans. The agreements, signed in Rabat on September 17, provide $237 million for railway infrastructure and $231 million for the Cap Compétences 2030 program, with the two operations targeting transport capacity, workforce skills and access to employment.

The railway financing will support the development of the Kenitra-Marrakech corridor, one of the main components of Morocco’s plans to expand high-speed rail and modernize its existing network. The project is designed to increase railway capacity, improve operating performance and strengthen connections between major urban and economic centers.

The African Development Bank financing will contribute to the extension of high-speed rail while supporting upgrades to existing infrastructure along the corridor. The project includes railway equipment and track components for both conventional and high-speed services, as well as improvements to infrastructure serving the wider Casablanca railway network.

The investment forms part of Morocco’s longer-term railway development program, which aims to expand high-speed services while improving conventional rail connections. Rising passenger and freight demand has increased the need for additional capacity, modern equipment and more efficient railway operations.

The Kenitra-Marrakech high-speed project extends for approximately 430 kilometers and is expected to significantly reduce travel times between several major Moroccan cities. Planned services are expected to bring the Casablanca-Marrakech journey to around 1 hour and 15 minutes and the Rabat-Marrakech journey to around 1 hour and 40 minutes once the new infrastructure becomes operational.

The project is part of a much broader railway investment plan. Morocco expects to invest about $10.3 billion in railway infrastructure through 2030, covering the Kenitra-Marrakech high-speed project, the acquisition of new trains, station construction and rehabilitation, and improvements to the existing network. Around $5.7 billion of this program is linked to the Kenitra-Marrakech high-speed line and regional railway development.

The wider investment program also includes efforts to strengthen domestic railway capabilities. Morocco plans to expand local manufacturing and maintenance activities while increasing the participation of domestic companies in railway-related projects. Previous government plans have targeted local integration of more than 40% in parts of the railway ecosystem, potentially creating additional demand for technical skills in engineering, maintenance, construction and rail operations.

The $237 million financing from the African Development Bank will therefore form one part of the wider funding structure for Morocco’s railway expansion. It is directed toward infrastructure capacity, equipment and operational improvements rather than covering the entire cost of the high-speed rail program.

The second agreement, worth $231 million, supports Cap Compétences 2030, a national program aimed at improving vocational training and strengthening the transition between training and employment. The program seeks to make professional training more closely aligned with the needs of businesses and changes in the labor market.

Digitalization is one of the main elements of the program, alongside broader access to learning and stronger links between training institutions and employers. The initiative is also designed to improve the quality and diversity of vocational training and strengthen the institutions responsible for supporting trainees and job seekers.

Cap Compétences 2030 is structured around three main areas. The first focuses on developing skills and strategic partnerships that can contribute to Morocco’s development objectives through 2030. The second aims to create a more inclusive system for training, integration and job placement based on the requirements of businesses. The third covers digital transformation, institutional capacity and improvements to operational systems.

A major target of the program is young people who have not obtained formal diplomas. Around 260,000 young people are expected to benefit from expanded learning and apprenticeship opportunities over the next five years. The initiative is intended to provide practical skills that can improve access to employment while expanding the range of training available to people outside traditional education pathways.

Employment services will also form an important part of the program. The National Agency for the Promotion of Employment and Skills is expected to contribute to matching training and additional qualifications with employer requirements. The Taehil (qualification) program will provide further training opportunities for job seekers seeking to strengthen their professional profiles.

The digital transformation component is intended to modernize the institutions and services that support job seekers and businesses. By improving digital systems, the program seeks to make employment and training services easier to access while strengthening the mechanisms used to match available skills with job opportunities.

The focus on vocational training comes as Morocco continues to face pressure in its labor market, particularly among younger people. The country’s unemployment rate reached 10.8% in the first quarter of 2026, while unemployment among people aged 15 to 24 stood at 29.2%. The unemployment rate among women was 16.1%, highlighting differences in labor-market participation and access to employment.

Against this backdrop, expanding vocational training is intended to address part of the gap between available skills and employment opportunities. The program places greater emphasis on practical training, apprenticeships and closer cooperation with businesses, with the aim of making training more responsive to actual recruitment needs.

The two financing agreements also intersect through the skills required by Morocco’s infrastructure program. Railway expansion is expected to create demand for engineers, technicians, construction workers, maintenance specialists and other professionals. Developing these skills locally could help support the operation and maintenance of an increasingly sophisticated railway network.

Morocco has been expanding its railway expertise for several years, particularly through the development of high-speed rail. The expansion toward Marrakech is expected to generate additional requirements in areas such as railway engineering, signaling, maintenance, operations and specialized construction. Vocational training programs could therefore contribute to building a larger pool of workers able to meet some of these requirements.

The two programs are linked to broader national strategies. Cap Compétences 2030 supports the objectives of Morocco’s New Development Model, the 2025–2030 employment roadmap and ongoing reforms in education and vocational training. The railway project is part of the country’s longer-term railway development plans, including the Rail 2040 strategy.

The new financing also extends a long-standing relationship between Morocco and the African Development Bank. Since 1978, the bank says it has mobilized more than $17.3 billion for more than 150 projects and programs in Morocco. Its financing has covered areas including transport, social protection, water and sanitation, energy, agriculture, governance and finance.

The latest agreements add new funding to two areas where Morocco is pursuing large-scale investments. Railway development is intended to improve the movement of passengers and goods, while vocational training is focused on strengthening the skills available to businesses and improving access to employment.

The railway component will support infrastructure and equipment along the Kenitra-Marrakech corridor as Morocco continues extending high-speed rail toward the south. The skills program, meanwhile, is designed to expand training opportunities, particularly for young people, and improve the mechanisms connecting vocational education with the labor market.

Implementation will determine how quickly the financing translates into additional railway capacity, improved travel and logistics performance, expanded training opportunities and stronger links between skills development and employment. Both projects form part of longer-term programs whose effects will depend on infrastructure delivery, institutional implementation and the ability to connect investment with practical economic needs.