Towering over the Moroccan capital's historic cityscape, a $700 million, 55-story skyscraper opened this week in a move that underscores the country's expanding global ambitions.

这座高达55层的摩天大楼本周在摩洛哥首都的历史城区景观中拔地而起，其造价为7亿美元，这一举动突显了该国不断扩大的全球雄心。



Named for King Mohammed VI and inspired by a rocket on its launchpad, the 820-foot Mohammed VI Tower will feature a luxury Waldorf Astoria hotel, offices, shops, restaurants and upscale apartments.

这座以国王穆罕默德六世的名字命名、设计灵感源于发射架上火箭的820英尺高的穆罕默德六世塔，将拥有一家豪华的华尔道夫酒店、办公室、商店、餐厅和高档公寓。

Among Africa's tallest skyscrapers, the tower is expected to generate 450 direct jobs and 3,500 indirect ones, Leila Haddaoui, director of development company O Tower, told reporters.

作为非洲最高的摩天大楼之一，这座塔预计将创造450个直接就业岗位和3500个间接就业岗位，开发公司O Tower的负责人莱拉·哈达维告诉记者。

It stands in Salé, the twin city of the capital, Rabat, and was built over eight years with the involvement of more than 2,500 workers from over a dozen countries. It has already appeared on Morocco's 200-dirham (about $20) banknote. It stands near the Grand Theatre of Rabat, designed by the late Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, and offers views of the Atlantic Ocean and the twin cities.

它位于首都拉巴特的姊妹城市塞拉，历时八年建成，有来自十多个国家的2500多名工人参与其中。 它已经出现在摩洛哥的200迪拉姆（约合20美元）纸币上。 它毗邻已故伊拉克裔英国建筑师扎哈·哈迪德设计的拉巴特大剧院，并可欣赏到大西洋以及这两个姊妹城市的美景。

With the project, Morocco is positioning Rabat and Salé — often overlooked by tourists — on the international stage, as part of a broader tourism push, Haddaoui added.

哈达维补充说，通过这个项目，摩洛哥正将经常被游客忽视的拉巴特和塞拉推向国际舞台，这是其更广泛的旅游业推广努力的一部分。

Already Africa's most visited country, Morocco relies on tourism economically and is seeking to attract more visitors, as regional conflicts are believed to steer travelers toward perceived safer destinations. The effort comes as it prepares to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

摩洛哥已经是非洲游客到访最多的国家，经济上依赖旅游业，并正寻求吸引更多游客，因为据信地区冲突正促使旅行者转向被认为更安全的目的地。 这一努力正值该国准备联合主办2030年国际足联世界杯之际。

For its founders, the newly inaugurated tower is a symbol of Morocco's growing soft power in Africa and the Middle East. It reflects the country's ambition to position itself as a leading regional player through high-profile development projects aimed at expanding its influence.

对于其建造者来说，这座新落成的塔楼是摩洛哥在非洲和中东日益增长的软实力的象征。 它反映了该国通过旨在扩大其影响力的高调开发项目，将自己定位为地区主要参与者的雄心。

Critics say development is concentrated along Morocco's Atlantic corridor, while other areas remain underdeveloped. Gen Z-led protests last year highlighted grievances over high unemployment and struggling public services.

批评人士表示，发展集中在摩洛哥的大西洋走廊沿线，而其他地区仍然不发达。 由Z世代领导的抗议活动去年凸显了人们对高失业率和公共服务艰难的抱怨。

The tower, with a total area of more than 102,800 square meters (about 1.1 million square feet), was conceived by Othmane Benjelloun, a 93-year-old billionaire who owns Bank of Africa, a Moroccan bank once state-owned and now highly influential across the continent.

这座塔总面积超过10.28万平方米（约110万平方英尺），由现年93岁的亿万富翁奥斯曼·本杰隆构思设计，他拥有非洲银行，这家摩洛哥银行曾为国有，如今在整个非洲大陆具有高度影响力。

The magnate was invited by NASA in 1969 to a spaceflight simulation ahead of the Apollo 12 mission to the moon, and the idea for the skyscraper was born from that visit, according to a statement by tower management.

根据塔楼管理部门的一份声明，这位大亨曾于1969年应美国国家航空航天局的邀请，在阿波罗12号登月任务之前参加了一次航天飞行模拟，而这座摩天大楼的想法就源于那次参观。

素材来源：iYuba

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