Redefining rabat's waterfront: negotiations and compromises in the BouRegreg Valley development project

After several decades of abandonment of its river, Rabat decided, at the start of the millennium, to implement a waterfront development policy. The fulfillment of the BouRegreg Valley development project marks a crucial turning point in the relationship between the city of Rabat and its waterfronts. In order to have the land base necessary to achieve the special development plan, the BouRegreg Development Agency undertook negotiations with several local actors, both individuals and associations. The negotiations between the agency and the fishermen have not been without tension or even conflict. This led the project owner to consider different arrangements and to make compromises with the main actors. From a broader perspective, this project illustrates the challenges related to empowering urban energy landscapes and the need to advance sustainability and resilience in evolving territories. By transforming the BouRegreg Valley, Rabat seeks to reconcile urban modernization with the preservation of river ecosystems while integrating local communities into the development process. The ability of stakeholders to negotiate and adapt projects to social and environmental realities is a key factor in ensuring a more inclusive and sustainable urban transition.