Construction of the new headquarters of the Arab Civil Aviation Organization (ACAO) officially began in Rabat on Thursday, in a ceremony attended by outgoing Minister of Transport and Logistics Abdessamad Kayouh.
The building will be located in the Hay Riad district, near the National Road Safety Agency (NARSA). The groundbreaking ceremony brought together representatives of the League of Arab States and ACAO Director General Khalid Cherkaoui, a Moroccan national.
The project is intended to reinforce Rabat’s position as the permanent headquarters of the regional organization, which specializes in civil aviation.
Cherkaoui was elected director general of the ACAO in Rabat on June 30, 2026, during the organization’s 29th General Assembly. He succeeded Abdennebi Manar.
Speaking to the press, Kayouh said the new headquarters was expected to “play a major role,” noting that the Ministry of Transport and Logistics had worked to bring the project to fruition.
The central headquarters in Rabat, he said, would help oversee and develop aviation services across Arab countries, in line with the agreements and objectives of the League of Arab States.
“The project will therefore play an essential role in organizing and overseeing transport between Arab countries,” he added.
Cherkaoui said the building would meet international standards, providing better working conditions for the organization’s staff and improving facilities for delegations from Arab countries that regularly visit Rabat.
The new headquarters will also be designed to support the ACAO’s various responsibilities, including strengthening cooperation and coordination among Arab states in civil aviation. Its work covers air safety and security, air navigation, training and the development of regional air transport.
The project has an investment budget of MAD 20 million.
With construction now underway, Rabat is further consolidating its role as a center for Arab cooperation in civil aviation. The new headquarters is expected to provide the organization with facilities suited to its mission and support coordination among Arab countries as the aviation sector faces growing demands for safety, modernization and connectivity.
