Latest news with #Tangier-Tetouan-AlHoceimaRegionalCouncil
Maroc
25-07-2025
- Business
- Maroc
First Regional Green Economy Forum Kicks Off in Tangier
The first edition of the Regional Green Economy Forum (RGEF) kicked off on Thursday in Tangier with a focus on the theme 'Empowering African Cities, Paving the Path to Carbon Neutrality.' This event, organized under the High Patronage of HM King Mohammed VI, is an initiative of the World Green Economy Organization (WGEO), supported by the Moroccan Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Regional Council, and United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa), with the aim of promoting sustainable solutions to support African cities. The Forum brings together experts and representatives from local governments, national, African, and international institutions, to support Africa's efforts toward sustainable, low-carbon urban development, strengthen cooperation between local, national, and international actors, encourage the exchange of experiences and best practices, and promote investment in green infrastructure, renewable energy, and sustainable mobility. The Forum also serves as a platform for discussion on current themes such as multi-level governance, energy transition, circular economy, sustainable mobility, and financing mechanisms, with the aim of supporting strategies that lead African cities toward carbon neutrality. Morocco's Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali, reiterated the Kingdom's commitment to supporting joint African action to build a green, resilient, and prosperous future for the continent, one that meets the aspirations of its people and protects the rights of current and future generations. In a video message, the minister emphasized that Morocco, under the farsighted leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, has made South-South cooperation a strategic choice and a central pillar of its foreign policy, based on active solidarity and integration, highlighting several pioneering initiatives launched by the Kingdom to strengthen climate action in Africa. WGEO President Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer noted that the Forum is taking place as climate change becomes a tangible reality, with African cities on the front lines facing rising temperatures, water scarcity, and environmental degradation. He pointed out that these challenges are also drivers of positive transformation toward sustainable development. He stated that WGEO, through the Global Alliance on Green Economy (GAGE), which includes representatives from 100 countries, works to ensure inclusive, resilient green growth, with Africa as 'the cornerstone of this alliance,' aiming to build fair and sustainable cities capable of adapting to climate change by strengthening their capacity to develop feasible green projects, renewable energy solutions, sustainable mobility, and waste-to-energy initiatives. President of the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Regional Council, Omar Moro, emphasized the region's aspiration to become a model of green economy transition, leveraging its role as a bridge between Africa and Europe, underlining its efforts to promote investment in renewable energy, develop sustainable infrastructure, support green innovation, raise awareness of the green economy, and engage citizens in environmental preservation. He also stressed that the Forum is an effective platform for experience-sharing between local governments, the public and private sectors, and civil society, helping unite the efforts of city leaders and local stakeholders to design practical projects and foster public-private partnerships aimed at achieving carbon neutrality in urban areas. Secretary General of UCLG Africa, Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, pointed out that although Africa contributes only 3-4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, it is one of the continents most exposed and vulnerable to climate change effects. He stressed that Africa has the capacity to surpass polluting and unequal development models by building greener, smarter cities, as already demonstrated by numerous African cities, both large and small, committed to innovative sustainability initiatives. United Nations Resident Coordinator in Morocco, Nathalie Fustier, highlighted that this regional forum fits within a critical momentum of South-South cooperation and experience-sharing among African cities, describing it as a strategic platform for peer learning, identifying bankable projects, building coalitions, and developing carbon neutrality pathways tailored to African realities. She also emphasized the efforts of the UN System in Morocco to support cities and territories in this ambitious green transition and reiterated the UN's full commitment to accompanying this process with all partners, adding: 'It is our collective responsibility to make African cities more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient living spaces.' Tangier Mayor Mounir Laymouri, also President of the Moroccan Association of Municipal Council Presidents (AMPCC), affirmed that Africa lies at the heart of the green transition, stating that this transformation depends on empowering cities and local authorities with the necessary resources to play their role. He also noted that African local governments often face limitations in financial and human resources. The two-day event includes debates on various green economy-related topics, such as carbon neutrality, policies and governance, greening African cities, renewable energy solutions, sustainable transport, waste management and circular economy, smart water management, and green industrialization.
Maroc
25-06-2025
- Business
- Maroc
Tangier-Tarifa: Zero-Emission Electric Maritime Link by 2027
The Spanish maritime company Baleària presented on Tuesday in Tangier a project for an electric, zero-emission maritime link between Tangier and Tarifa, operated by two high-speed electric ferries set to be launched in 2027. The presentation ceremony was attended by Morocco's Minister of Transport and Logistics, Abdessamad Kayouh, the Spanish Ambassador to Morocco, Enrique Ojeda, the President of the Port Authority of the Bay of Algeciras, the President of the Port of Tangier City, the Spanish Secretary-General for Air and Maritime Transport, and the President of the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Regional Council. This public-private partnership project aims to establish a green maritime corridor between Europe and Africa, enabling a fully electric, CO2-free crossing between the two shores of the Strait. It includes the construction of two twin vessels in Spain and the installation of port infrastructure for electric charging in both Tangier and Tarifa. In a statement to MAP, Minister Kayouh stressed that strengthening the maritime fleet is part of a broader strategy to ensure smooth and sustainable mobility, particularly within the framework of the Marhaba Operation, conducted under the supervision of the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity. He noted that the ministry is supporting the operation by mobilizing around 29 vessels, offering a weekly capacity of 500,000 passengers and 130,000 vehicles across four Moroccan ports and twelve European ports. "The goal is to make as many vessels as possible available to meet rising demand and ensure optimal crossing conditions for Moroccans living abroad," he said. For his part, Baleària's CEO, Georges Bassoul, stated that each vessel will produce 16 MW of electric power via four electric thrusters powered by batteries with a capacity of 11,500 kWh, allowing the entire crossing to be completed using electric propulsion only, with zero emissions. In a detailed presentation of the project's technical aspects, Bassoul emphasized that these will be fully decarbonized crossings, meeting 2050 sustainability goals as early as 2027. MAP: 24 June 2025
Morocco World
07-04-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
Tangier Joins Morocco's Tramway Cities Ahead of 2030 World Cup
Doha – Tangier is set to become Morocco's fourth city with a tramway system, following a MAD 8.4 billion ($840 million) project announced this month. The ambitious plan includes three lines spanning 25-30 kilometers, aimed at addressing FIFA's concerns about transportation infrastructure for the 2030 World Cup, which Morocco will co-host with Spain and Portugal. The project brings together multiple stakeholders, including the Tangier Municipality, Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Regional Council, Northern Regions Development Agency, and the Ministry of Transport and Logistics. Alstom Transport Morocco, whose director Thi Mai Tran recently met with city officials, will oversee implementation. Financing will be split between international and domestic sources, with 65% coming from French public funds and the European Investment Bank, while Moroccan public funds will cover the remaining 35%. The undertaking is a continuation of the country's expansion of its tramway network. In September 2024, Casa Transports launched lines T3 and T4, adding 26.5 kilometers and 39 stations to the city's public transport system. The new lines operate from 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., with trains running every 10 minutes initially, planned to increase to 5-minute intervals. This transportation initiative is also part of broader preparations for the 2030 World Cup. After receiving low scores in FIFA's December 2024 evaluation report – 2.2 out of 5 for accommodation and 2.6 for transportation – Tangier has accelerated its infrastructure development. In January, Mayor Mounir Laymouri announced a MAD 1.124 billion ($112.4 million) investment in public transportation, including a high-quality urban bus transit line. Meanwhile, the city's airport is undergoing a major overhaul. A MAD 3.27 billion ($327 million) expansion project at Ibn Batouta Airport seeks to triple passenger capacity from 2 million to 7 million annually by June 2029. The revamp includes a new terminal, control tower, and aircraft parking areas across 199 hectares. For Tangier's tramway project, preliminary plans indicate one line will connect the offshore zone near the TGV station to Moghogha and Béni Makada. A second line will traverse the city along Boulevard Moulay Ismaïl, serving the Hassani district, sports city, Gzénaya industrial zones, and TFZ, while passing through Béni Makada, Souani, and the university area. The project, which residents have anticipated since 2014, is intended to address urban transport challenges in this growing city of 1.1 million inhabitants, while meeting FIFA's requirements for the 2030 World Cup infrastructure. Tags: 2030 World CupPublic TransportationTangierTramway
