Morocco to get Africa's first high speed train

The $2 billion project will see 200 mph trains run from Tangier to Casablanca
Moroccan government believes the route will stimulate growth
Critics say the money should be spent on failing public services
(CNN)The first high-speed trains in Africa are flashing along the Atlantic coast of Morocco.

The French-made double-decker TGVs are being tested ahead of the launch of a flagship new line connecting Tangier with Morocco's economic capital Casablanca in 2018.
The new trains can reach speeds of 200 miles per hour. They will cut the journey time between the two cities by more than half -- to just over two hours. This is double the speed of South Africa's Gautrain, launched in 2012, which falls short of the criteria for high-speed rail.
The $2 billion project has been in development for a decade, funded by the governments of Morocco, France, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE.
King Mohammed VI and the Moroccan government expect the trains to deliver wealth and prestige for the country. But opponents claim they are an expensive folly.