Morocco eu partnership injects 3.7 billion MAD into water strategy

Rabat — A landmark partnership valued at 3.7 billion Moroccan dirhams (348 million euros) has been unveiled to bolster the country’s National Water Plan (PNE). The initiative, launched in Rabat, leverages grants from the European Union alongside concessional loans from three European financial institutions under the “Team Europe” framework.

The program’s launch was jointly officiated by the Ministry of Equipment and Water, the EU, Germany, Italy, and France—leading the co-financing effort. A total EU grant of 514.4 million Moroccan dirhams (48 million euros) forms the backbone, supplemented by three concessional loans amounting to approximately 3.2 billion Moroccan dirhams (300 million euros). These loans are sourced through the JEFIC network via Germany’s Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), Italy’s Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP), and France’s Agence Française de Développement (AFD).

The initiative targets critical objectives: deepening understanding of water resources amid climate change pressures, fortifying resilience against extreme events like droughts and floods, safeguarding groundwater reserves, and enhancing institutional capacities in water management.

Nizar Baraka, Minister of Equipment and Water, highlighted Morocco’s adaptive water strategy in response to drought conditions. He emphasized that this program will reinforce sustainable water resource preservation, addressing both climate variability and extreme weather challenges.

The French Ambassador underscored the pivotal role of AFD in driving this initiative. The EU Ambassador to Morocco, Dimiter Tzantchev, framed the program within the Morocco-EU Green Partnership and the Mediterranean Pact, designed to strengthen collaboration on shared climate challenges.

The German Ambassador, Robert Dölger, spotlighted KfW’s targeted financing for climate adaptation and groundwater protection. Meanwhile, Italy’s representative, Pasquale Salzano, tied Italy’s contributions to the broader commitment to gender equality as a cornerstone for success.

This strategic partnership will directly reinforce the National Water Plan and the National Drinking Water and Irrigation Program (PNAEPI) spanning 2020-2027.