Morocco Invests MAD 18 Billion per Year in Road Projects – Equipment Minister

Rabat - Equipment and Water Minister Nizar Baraka announced, on Wednesday, that Morocco is prioritizing the development of significant road programs and projects. Speaking at the opening of a national symposium in Rabat, Baraka highlighted that the ministry's annual investment in this sector averages around 18 billion dirhams.Baraka emphasized the importance of road operation and safety programs, which have received over one billion dirhams annually over the past five years. This investment reflects the ministry's commitment to ensuring continuous traffic flow and user safety, particularly in mountainous regions.During the symposium, organized in partnership with the Moroccan Permanent Road Congress Association (AMPCR), Baraka underscored the ministry's efforts to design and implement roads that account for the challenging mountainous topography. He noted the efficient and experienced human and logistical systems in place to maintain road traffic, especially in winter when snowfalls are frequent, and in s ummer when sand dunes encroach upon desert roads.Baraka highlighted that the Ministry of Equipment and Water has more than 900 construction machines and trucks, including 111 dedicated to snow removal, ensuring the reopening of roads and ongoing maintenance and renewal of intervention mechanisms.In parallel, the Minister of Transport and Logistics, Mohammed Abdeljalil, detailed Morocco's national road safety strategy for 2017-2026. This strategy includes securing road infrastructures and achieving significant progress in various areas. However, Abdeljalil pointed out the difficulty in predicting road accident frequency and severity, stressing the need for innovative mechanisms based on objective evaluations.With the rise in road accidents involving two- and three-wheeled vehicles, Abdeljalil emphasized the urgent need to invest in secure infrastructure that protects all driver categories. He insisted that road safety should be a priority, advocating for shared road space that guarantees safe movement fo r all users through secure infrastructure.Abdeljalil also noted the public debate's oversight regarding the importance of secure road infrastructure in improving safety levels. He called for this issue to be urgently addressed in Morocco's strategic road safety management.The symposium, which runs for two days, aims to review the integration of road safety into the design, implementation, and operation stages of infrastructure projects. It will explore the challenges and opportunities of creating safer roads. Panels will focus on the design and equipment of forgiving roads, road operations, and executing major projects in mountain areas.Source: Agence Marocaine De Presse