The grant, provided by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), will support the U.S.-Moroccan consortium ORNX in preparing the engineering work needed to advance the project, a key component of Morocco’s green hydrogen strategy.
The funding agreement was signed in Laayoune by USTDA Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer Thomas Hardy and ORNX Chief Executive Officer Peter A. Gish, in the presence of U.S. Ambassador to Morocco Duke Buchan III.
Calling the agreement “an important day,” Buchan said it marked the first time the U.S. government had financed a private-sector initiative in Morocco’s Southern Provinces.
“The relationship between Morocco and the United States is stronger than ever,” Buchan said, attributing the momentum to the leadership of King Mohammed VI and U.S. President Donald Trump.
He also reaffirmed Washington’s support for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as the basis for resolving the regional dispute over the Sahara, saying the time had come for a solution capable of strengthening stability and prosperity across North Africa and the wider African continent.
Beyond its diplomatic significance, Buchan said the project demonstrates growing U.S. economic engagement in the region through advanced technology, engineering expertise and private investment expected to generate jobs and stimulate economic growth.
He added that the partnership combines Morocco’s natural resources, human capital and industrial potential with American innovation and technical expertise to create shared prosperity for both countries.
Hardy said the USTDA grant will finance the preliminary engineering study needed to address key technical questions before construction, helping accelerate the project’s development while facilitating future investment.
He described the green ammonia facility as a strategic industrial project that will reinforce Morocco’s position as a regional energy and industrial hub while contributing to the industrial development of the Southern Provinces.
The agreement also forms part of the USTDA’s broader program in Morocco, with the agency planning to continue supporting infrastructure and economic development projects across the Kingdom, particularly in Laayoune, Hardy said.
Mohamed Amine Belhaj, Director of Economic Diplomacy at Morocco’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, said the agreement comes as Morocco and the United States mark 250 years of diplomatic relations.
He said cooperation between the two countries has expanded steadily in technology and energy while American companies have shown growing interest in investment opportunities across Morocco, including in the Southern Provinces.
Belhaj described the USTDA grant as another example of the two countries translating their strategic partnership into tangible investments.
The Moroccan government selected ORNX to develop the Laayoune green ammonia project under the Kingdom’s national green hydrogen strategy, launched in line with the vision of King Mohammed VI.
Regional officials, diplomats, elected representatives and business leaders attended the signing ceremony.
