Morocco: EIB and ONCF sign technical assistance arrangement to adapt railways to climate change

• The technical assistance provided will serve to develop a climate resilience and adaptation strategy for the Moroccan rail network.
• It will improve the network’s ability to withstand extreme weather events.
• This arrangement is part of a long-standing partnership between the EIB and ONCF to promote more sustainable transport infrastructure.

On 9 October, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and Morocco's national railway operator, the Office National des Chemins de Fer (ONCF), signed a technical assistance partnership agreement to create a climate resilience and adaptation strategy for the Moroccan rail network.

This agreement marks a new step in the long-standing cooperation between the EIB and ONCF to strengthen Morocco’s transport infrastructure while responding to the growing challenges of climate change. The goal of this partnership is to support ONCF in anticipating climate risks, designing adaptation solutions for railway infrastructure and improving the network’s resilience to extreme weather events.

The first objective will be to assess the climate risks to which the Moroccan railway network is exposed, including both weather events and phenomena like extreme temperatures, heavy rainfall, strong winds and even erosion. The next step will be to develop adaptation solutions for the most vulnerable areas and infrastructure in order to reduce the risk of damage. Finally, a long-term strategy will be created to strengthen network resilience, bringing down the cost of future damage and service interruptions caused by climate change while also making Morocco’s railway network more sustainable.

The technical assistance will employ recognised climate risk assessment methodology, such as that used to class infrastructure systems by vulnerability and propose solutions capable of increasing their resilience. Deliverables from the 24-month partnership will include detailed mapping, vulnerability analyses and technical recommendations.

For the EIB, as the EU climate bank, this partnership with ONCF comes under a broader line of action to promote more sustainable transport infrastructure, aligned with Morocco's climate objectives and its national strategy for cutting carbon emissions by 2050.

"This partnership with ONCF demonstrates the EIB's strong commitment to supporting Morocco in making its energy transition and adapting its infrastructure to climate change,” EIB Vice-President Ioannis Tsakiris stated. “The rail sector – which emits up to 80% less CO₂ than road transport – is crucial for achieving the country’s climate objectives,” he added. “With this technical assistance, we hope to build the resilience of Morocco's rail network, for a safer and more sustainable future.”

“This partnership with the EIB is part of ONCF’s stated mission to pursue its adaptation strategy for efficient and resilient infrastructure, allowing it to make the railway system the backbone of sustainable mobility,” said Mohamed Rabie Khlie, Director General of ONCF.

Background information

European Investment Bank

The EIB has been a key partner for Morocco for more than 40 years. It finances the development and implementation of important projects in vital sectors of the Moroccan economy such as business support, agriculture, water and sanitation, education, health, transport and even renewable energy.

EIB Global is the EIB Group’s specialised arm devoted to increasing the impact of international partnerships and development finance. It is designed to foster strong, focused partnership within Team Europe, alongside fellow development finance institutions and civil society. EIB Global brings the Group closer to local people, companies and institutions through its offices around the world.