USTDA extended Morocco $337,880 grant to support Royal Air Maroc's plans to modernize its airline operations.

The grant is expected to aid airports in the north African country in a bid to upgrade services and infrastructure to meet growing air-traffic demand and develop airline's operations at Casablanca's Mohammed V Airport, the country’s chief port.

The feasibility study grant will provide a plan to help respond to future aviation demand and increased competition.

The fund aims also to support Morocco's long-term plan to increase tourism and international aviation traffic.The grant will as well help Royal Air Maroc in meeting their business development goals.

Since February 2004, Morocco has got involved in a structured and clear policy as regards the liberalization of its sky, a large scale project which has led to the entry into force of the Open Sky agreement between Morocco and the European Union (signed in December 2006).

According to the agreement, Moroccan air carriers can fly to and transit from any of the airports in Europe, reciprocally, Moroccan airports are open to all European carriers.

The Moroccan policy to modernize its airline operations has been accompanied by the adoption of some incentive measures such as setting up of a new pricing policy in the field of airport taxes. The impact of this liberalization has been almost immediate on the air traffic which has recorded tremendous achievements.

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency advances economic development and U.S. commercial interests in developing and middle-income countries.

USTDA provides grant funding to overseas project sponsors for the planning of projects that support the development of modern infrastructure and an open trading system.