Today's sons realize the dreams of yesterday's kings. A project initiated by Hassan II,
Juan Carlos. Completed today by Mohammed VI and in Libya VI.
the project links Africa to Europe via Morocco by digging a long
underwater tunnel. Its length exceeds twenty-six kilometers. And the high cost
that no one could predict it. The project was drawn on maps and studied
on paper. For decades, he did not find the seriousness that conveyed him on the ground
the reality. The Continental Connection is a project, if it had been implemented, we would have found
, the brown continent, in a better condition than it is today. But we also saw
the old continent, finding support in its successive crises. But the work
a halt for political reasons. He returned to the fore also for the same reasons. However
this time is no longer confined to Morocco and Spain, but rather to Britain
that also found an entry point for participating in a project that guarantees
, ​​was its future, which has looked bleak lately. The linkage project
the Continental. The idea is not new, but yes, it is almost impossible. Through the years
, various forms of spending have been proposed that link Spain to
and Morocco. The first idea of ​​Spain, in the year A.
nine hundred and thirty. The project proposed the construction of a modern tunnel under the Strait of Jabal
. Tariq. But the engineers discovered very solid rock masses from
made digging tunnels impossible by using the available technology.
at that time. Engineers tried several engineering solutions, but all of them
fail. Until the year one thousand nine hundred and seventy-nine came. During the
. The visit of the King of Spain Juan Carlos to Morocco presented the idea for the first time
formally confronted a number of Hassan II to build a tunnel linking the two countries. An idea
accepted by Hassan II in particular and in Morocco in general. And both began to
of forming a joint committee to study and prepare the project. Among the most important
figures who called for the establishment of the project was the Spanish engineer, who was
came to possess a creative mind that has no limits. He had a major role in the development of
Spain. After the two parties announced the establishment of a joint committee, they
of great technical and geological difficulties. They planned at the beginning of
The matter is to construct an iron tunnel. But the idea was made. After they discovered the size of
the enormous water pressure in the Strait of Gibraltar. The following idea was
construction of a suspension bridge, which has also been excluded. This is because the bridge
, which needs to be at least nine hundred meters deep. While
the depth of the sea in Gibraltar does not exceed three hundred meters. In the year two thousand and six,
that another study was conducted stating the possibility of constructing an underwater tunnel. The implementation
the idea at that time, it was a fantasy. But today is
the idea considered the most feasible. Especially with the availability
the technology required to implement it. Through this project , the
Morocco and Spain, with a sea railway tunnel. It is a project similar to the suspended tunnel
Channel linking England and France will be linked. But the project remained locked in
throughout that year until the moment when relations were restored
between Rabat and Madrid. The world wants Morocco. The Gibraltar crossing accounts for
pivotal importance in global trade. And passing through it twenty
percent of that trade. Therefore, the establishment of a land crossing may increase the size of
trade significantly. After providing the required facilities. It is expected
the project starting this year. Spanish sources indicate
the tunnel, which will be ready between the two thousand and thirty and two years,
forty. Its track will be forty-two kilometers long. More than half of the
distance will be an underwater tunnel. Eleven kilometers in the tunnel under
ground. The diameter of each individual track tunnel is seven meters and ninety centimeters. As
for the real cost of the project, there are no official figures for
. But its high cost was one of the most important reasons for
that the project will not be completed. Today, there are several international institutions interested in
financing. Such as the World Bank, European Investment Bank,
Arabic. Because this tunnel will allow to increase the volume of trade between Africa and
Morocco, greatly facilitating the transport of goods between the two countries. This can
, the tunnel was used as a gas pipeline between Morocco and Spain. It is expected
that the project will have great economic and tourism benefits. Especially with
to the European side, which will be easy to reach Rabat? And yet would like
China funds also more than all countries that the project is implemented. This is because
line with its vision of the Belt and Road. Which aims to link the world
whole, with a modern and advanced transportation network for the transport of Chinese goods.
of Britain also showed interest in the project and entered the competition with the
Spain. Especially after it left the European Union. Trying in
from them to strengthen with Morocco, which it considers as the front of Africa as a
Investment and from it you want to go to the brown continent. And if it was done
of the implementation of the project will turn Morocco into a link between the two continents of Africa of
Europe. And the economy of the African continent, especially Morocco, will recover.
Do you think the project will turn into a reality? Or will it remain confined
of political developments.