RABAT: Morocco announced on Wednesday it would buy up to 168 trains from Spain’s CAF, South Korea’s Hyundai and France’s Alstom for $2.9 billion as part of preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup it is co-hosting with Spain and Portugal.
The National Railway Office (ONCF) said in a statement that it had awarded the contracts for the “new train acquisition program, with a total cost of 29 billion dirhams, as part of the development plan for 2030.”
They include 18 high-speed trains from Alstom, sealing a deal first mentioned during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Rabat in October.
Morocco already has one 350-kilometer (220-mile) high-speed railway line between the coastal cities of Tangier and Casablanca, and is planning a second that will extend 400 kilometers (250 miles) from Kenitra on the coast to Marrakech in the interior.
The first line, built by Alstom, has been in operation since 2018.
The contract with Spain’s CAF is for 30 intercity trains with an option for a further 10, while the deal with Hyundai Rotem is for 110 commuter trains.
The ONCF said the purchases aimed to contribute to “the successful joint organization of the 2030 FIFA World Cup.”
It said it also aimed to develop the domestic railway industry, with a local factory for commuter trains and “the ambition to export trains in the medium and long term.”
Morocco announces $2.9 billion deal for French, Spanish and South Korean trains
https://arab.news/zyca3
Morocco announces $2.9 billion deal for French, Spanish and South Korean trains
- They include 18 high-speed trains from Alstom
- The ONCF said the purchases aimed to contribute to “the successful joint organization of the 2030 FIFA World Cup“
Senegalese president meets Kuwaiti crown prince ahead of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
- Bassirou Diomaye Faye visits Kuwait and the UAE this week to strengthen his country’s ties with Gulf nations
LONDON: The president of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, arrived in Kuwait on Monday for an official visit before traveling on to the UAE to participate in Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.
Faye, who was accompanied by ministers responsible for national transformation, African integration, foreign affairs, finance and water management, held talks with Kuwait’s crown prince, Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, on a number of issues, officials said.
The president aims to strengthen ties between Senegal and Gulf countries during his visits to Kuwait and the UAE this week, his office said. And on Jan. 14 and 15 he will take part in the final two days of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, described as a significant annual, international event dedicated to addressing the challenges related to sustainable development, energy transition and innovation.
Faye was welcomed on arrival in Kuwait by the country’s prime minister, Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah; the deputy assistant foreign minister for African affairs, Naif Mohammed Al-Mudhaf; and other officials.
