A $700 million, 55-story skyscraper has opened in Morocco, marking the country's growing global ambitions. The Mohammed VI Tower, named after the king and inspired by a rocket on its launchpad, stands 820 feet tall in Salé, the twin city of the capital Rabat.
The tower features a luxury Waldorf Astoria hotel, offices, shops, restaurants and upscale apartments. It is expected to create 450 direct jobs and 3,500 indirect ones, according to Leila Haddaoui, director of development company O Tower. Built over eight years with more than 2,500 workers from over a dozen countries, the skyscraper is among Africa's tallest.
The tower has already appeared on Morocco's 200-dirham banknote and offers views of the Atlantic Ocean and the twin cities. It stands near the Grand Theatre of Rabat, designed by the late Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid. The project aims to put Rabat and Salé on the international stage as part of a broader tourism push.
Morocco, already Africa's most visited country, is seeking to attract more visitors as regional conflicts steer travelers toward perceived safer destinations. The effort comes as it prepares to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup. For its founders, the tower symbolises Morocco's growing soft power in Africa and the Middle East.
Critics argue that development is concentrated along Morocco's Atlantic corridor, leaving other areas underdeveloped. Gen Z-led protests last year highlighted grievances over high unemployment and struggling public services. The tower was conceived by 93-year-old billionaire Othmane Benjelloun, who owns Bank of Africa and was inspired by a 1969 NASA spaceflight simulation invitation.
