Morocco Opens $700 Million Mohammed VI Tower in Salé

A $700 million, 55-story skyscraper opened this week in Salé, Morocco, the twin city of the capital Rabat. It includes a luxury Waldorf Astoria hotel, offices, shops, restaurants, and upscale apartments. The tower ranks among Africa's tallest and is expected to generate 450 direct jobs and 3,500 indirect ones, according to Leila Haddaoui, director of the development company O Tower.

Construction took eight years and involved more than 2,500 workers from over a dozen countries. The building has already been featured on Morocco's 200-dirham banknote.

It offers views of the Atlantic Ocean and the twin cities of Rabat and Salé. The total area of the tower exceeds 102,800 square meters, or about 1.1 million square feet. The project aims to position Rabat and Salé on the international stage as part of Morocco's broader tourism push, Haddaoui stated.

Morocco is Africa's most visited country and seeks to attract more tourists, particularly as regional conflicts may influence traveler preferences toward safer destinations.

Morocco is preparing to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which aligns with these development efforts. The tower symbolizes the country's growing influence in Africa and the Middle East through high-profile projects. However, critics have noted that development is concentrated along Morocco's Atlantic corridor, while other areas remain underdeveloped.

Gen Z-led protests occurred last year, highlighting issues such as high unemployment and struggling public services. The tower was conceived by Othmane Benjelloun, a 93-year-old billionaire who owns Bank of Africa. The idea originated from his 1969 visit to NASA for a spaceflight simulation ahead of the Apollo 12 mission, according to a statement from tower management.