Abdessamad Kayouh, the Director General of Morocco's National Airports Office (ONDA), has outlined a strategic vision to position Casablanca's Mohammed V International Airport as a leading aviation hub for the African continent. In recent statements, Kayouh emphasized the airport's role as a key gateway, connecting Africa to the rest of the world and facilitating intra-African travel.
The strategy involves significant infrastructure development and service enhancements at the Casablanca hub. Key projects include the ongoing Terminal 2 expansion, which aims to increase the airport's annual passenger capacity to 14 million. This expansion is part of a broader national plan to modernize airport infrastructure across Morocco.
Kayouh highlighted the importance of strategic partnerships with major international airlines and the development of new air routes to bolster connectivity. The vision aligns with Morocco's broader economic ambitions to strengthen its position in regional trade and logistics, leveraging its geographic location as a bridge between Africa, Europe, and the Americas.
The push to develop Casablanca as a premier hub comes amid growing competition among major African cities, including Addis Ababa, Nairobi, and Johannesburg, for dominance in the continent's rapidly growing aviation market. ONDA's plans are framed as essential for capturing a significant share of this future growth.
