The Palais des Congrès Abir Rkia in Rabat hosted the first international conference on urban renewal on Tuesday, December 16, 2025. The event was organized by LafargeHolcim Morocco in collaboration with the National Agency for Urban Renewal and Rehabilitation of Unsafe Buildings and the National Council of the Order of Architects.
This foundational event served as a reference platform to deepen discussions on integrating urban renewal into public policies, viewing it as a lever for achieving spatial justice, enhancing social cohesion, and improving the environmental performance of urban areas.
The conference saw the participation of over two hundred actors, experts, and professionals from Morocco and various African, European, and Latin American countries. It focused on creating a constructive dialogue space that brought together public actors, professionals, and experts, reinforcing the logic of integration among different visions.
The conference’s activities were divided into four thematic sessions and nine main interventions, addressing all dimensions of urban renewal, from public policies and governance to operational mechanisms, social engineering, citizen participation, innovation in sustainable construction and mobility, and the use of digital solutions in reshaping urban fabric.
The opening remarks included presentations from Adib Ben Ibrahim, Secretary of State for Housing; Choukri Benabdallah, President of the National Council of Architects; Khalid Samaka, General Director of LafargeHolcim Morocco; and Azhar Aqtito, General Director of the National Agency for Urban Renewal. Their speeches emphasized collective responsibility and the importance of integrating the roles of institutions, professional practitioners, and economic actors in supporting urban renewal projects.
Interventions from the National Council of Architects focused on reinstating the significance of architectural and urban quality while considering local identity and residents’ comfort to ensure the sustainability of projects. The National Agency for Urban Renewal stressed the need for a unified intervention framework to address deteriorating neighborhoods and unsafe buildings.
LafargeHolcim Morocco presented innovative solutions in materials and construction systems, reaffirming the role of the industrial sector in supporting urban renewal.
Choukri Benabdallah remarked that urban renewal is a comprehensive societal project requiring a shared vision, in which the architect plays a central role in ensuring the quality of spaces and respecting usage patterns and sustainable development approaches. Khalid Samaka pointed out that urban renewal necessitates mobilizing collective intelligence that intertwines the roles of institutions, freelance professions, and industrial actors.
Azhar Aqtito indicated that adopting an integrated approach, backed by advanced technical engineering, is the way to ensure a tangible social impact and improve the daily quality of life for citizens.
The conference also benefited from the experiences of international experts from France, Belgium, Brazil, and Benin, who highlighted the importance of participatory models in management, innovation in governance, and the ability to implement successful projects in complex urban contexts. This demonstrated that Morocco could draw from these references while preserving its local specifics.
The conference concluded with participants stressing the need to accelerate urban renewal initiatives to keep pace with the transformations occurring in Moroccan cities, ensure dignified living conditions, enhance spatial justice, and entrench sustainable development, thus establishing a new dynamic that combines long-term thinking and action.
