Morocco’s strategic project to link the Sahel region to the Atlantic through a vast highway network faces mounting security challenges amid coups, militant violence, and shifting alliances in West Africa.

King Mohammed VI announced the project in 2023 to enable isolated landlocked countries in the Sahel — such as Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso — to access the Atlantic Ocean through Moroccan ports. The initiative is part of Rabat’s strategy to expand influence in Africa and establish itself as a reliable partner to both Europe and the continent.

Envisioned as a regional economic lifeline, the road network would stretch across thousands of kilometers and culminate at the future Atlantic Port of Dakhla, intended to boost economic development in Western Sahara. The project is valued at €1.2 billion ($1.4 billion) and is 38% complete, with operations expected to start in 2028.

Military Regimes and Russian Alignment in the Sahel

The project's core partners — Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger — formed the “Alliance of Sahel States” in September 2023 after cutting ties with France and strengthening relations with Russia. All three are ruled by military juntas that came to power through coups between 2020 and 2023.

Their shifting alliances have strained relations with the African Union and ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States), from whom they now risk sanctions or isolation. These countries currently rely on ports in ECOWAS states like Benin, Togo, and Senegal — access that is increasingly uncertain due to political tensions.

Following meetings with Moroccan officials in April 2025, the foreign ministers of Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali voiced strong support for the project, calling Morocco “one of the first countries to welcome us when others were about to declare war on us.”

Security, Infrastructure, and Logistical Obstacles

Experts warn that the biggest barrier remains the worsening security environment in the central Sahel, plagued by jihadist attacks and intercommunal violence. “If there is no security, your work stops,” said Moroccan analyst Abdelmalek Alaoui.

Other practical challenges include:

• No existing railway lines in the target areas.
• Extremely low vehicle density across the region.
• Delayed coordination with Mauritania and Chad.
• Unclear final route due to vast distances — Chad lies over 3,000 km from Moroccan borders.

Nigerian researcher Sadiq Abba noted that “many steps must still be taken” before real implementation begins.

Backing from Allies, But Financing Questions Remain

The U.S., France, and several Gulf states are expected to support the project financially. Morocco has already secured backing from regional think tanks and policy centers. Beatriz Meza of the International University of Rabat believes Rabat is leveraging the Sahel’s instability to present itself as “a strategic triangle between Europe and Africa.”

Still, questions over funding and coordination loom. Nouakchott is reportedly building infrastructure on its side to guarantee continuity of the corridor, but long-term security remains the determining factor.