Morocco secures funding to ease water scarcity
Morocco has secured funding from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to expand irrigation and protect one of its most distressed water basins, as part of a long-term plan to improve water security and support agriculture, according to an official release by EBRD on December 12th.
The EBRD is providing a sovereign loan of up to €150 million to help finance a large water distribution network in the Saïss plain, located in the Fès-Meknès region.
The project aims to irrigate approximately 20,000 hectares of land, marking the third and final phase of the Saïss Water Conservation Programme, a national initiative to preserve the Saïss aquifer and relieve pressure on groundwater.
The Saïss Water Conservation Programme is designed to replace heavy reliance on groundwater with surface water from the M’Dez dam. Once complete, the system is expected to transfer between 90 and 120 million cubic metres of water each year to the Saïss plain. Around 5,000 farms and an estimated 1.8 million people are expected to benefit, while pressure on the Saïss aquifer is reduced.
Including this phase, the total cost of the programme totals to €252 million, with previous stages receiving funding in 2017 and 2020 and support from the European Union and the Green Climate Fund.
Interestingly, Morocco has also announced investments for tech startups and secured funding to upgrade airports in the country.
Along with the sovereign loan, it also includes grants supporting the project. The United Kingdom is contributing about €6.5 million through a climate-action-focused multi-donor fund managed by the EBRD, while the bank itself is providing an additional €5 million investment grant and €500,000 for technical support.
The funding agreement was signed by EBRD First Vice President Greg Guyett during his first official visit to Morocco in the role, alongside Fouzi Lekjaa, Minister Delegate for the Budget, in the presence of Morocco Agriculture Minister Ahmed El Bouari.
Vice President Greg Guyett said, “This long-term engagement reflects the strength of our partnership with Morocco and our shared goal to advance sustainable, climate-resilient water management. As the programme nears completion, the EBRD will continue supporting the country’s priorities to modernise water infrastructure, promote efficient use of resources and improve rural livelihoods.”
Fouzi Lekjaa added, “The EBRD plays a key role in the development of sustainable infrastructure in the kingdom by promoting green and inclusive investments.”
Since starting projects in Morocco in 2012, the EBRD has invested nearly €5.9 billion across 125 programmes, making it one of the country’s key international development partners.
EBRD, Maghrebi.org
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