N° 1 @ March 2014

Marrakesh International Seminar (March 2014) The need to renew and strengthen contacts between and OTIF

Marrakesh, 6 March 2014 legal issues in connection with ports of Morocco (, interoperability. , etc.) and The Secretary General of OTIF, European ports (CIM Uniform Mr Davenne, visited Morocco In due course, ONCF would Rules). from 5 to 7 March 2014 to like to have an interconnected take part in the international and interoperable network that For example, OTIF’s regulations seminar organised on the meets international standards. would make it possible to occasion of the 50th anniversary develop a production and of Moroccan Railways (ONCF). The high speed line between maintenance sector for “Euro- The event was co-organised and Tangier will in fact compatible” wagons on by ONCF and the International conform to ERTMS standards. the basis of the ATMF Rules Union of Railways (UIC). Various (technical Appendix to COTIF). actors and partners from In order to renew productive and Moroccan and international useful contacts for Morocco, OTIF will provide its expertise railways also attended the and more generally for North to Morocco and to any other seminar. Africa, the participation of State that requires it, in order experts from Morocco in the to improve international rail This meeting helped renew context of the memorandum transport, whether of freight or contacts with our Moroccan of understanding between OTIF of passengers. partners, particularly with Mr and ERA was raised. Khlie, the Director General of the National Office of A seminar between ONCF, the OTIF Moroccan Railways (ONCF). Moroccan Ministry of Transport and OTIF could be organised in The round table discussion Rabat in 2014. showed that OTIF should increase its presence in In this respect, Morocco has the order to make available its ability to develop intermodal expertise, particularly in terms transport, particularly for rail- of railway technology and sea freight between the large

Editorial : Samuel Flückiger / Ayoub Elkaroubi www.otif.org