EU backs Morocco national water plan with 3.7 billion dirhams

A MAD 3.7 billion (€348 million) program to support Morocco’s National Water Plan was launched Tuesday in Rabat. The initiative combines European Union grants and concessional loans from three European financial institutions under a «Team Europe» approach, according to a statement.

The launch was led jointly by Morocco’s Ministry of Equipment and Water, the European Union, Germany, Italy and France, which is coordinating the co-financing effort. The program includes an EU grant package worth MAD 514.4 million (€48 million), complemented by three concessional loans totaling approximately MAD 3.2 billion (€300 million). The financing is being mobilized through the JEFIC network by Germany’s development bank KfW, Italy’s Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP), and the French Development Agency (AFD).

The initiative aims to improve knowledge and monitoring of water resources in the face of climate change, strengthen the management of extreme events such as droughts and floods, protect groundwater reserves, and enhance the capacities of institutions responsible for the sector.

Minister of Equipment and Water Nizar Baraka said Morocco has rethought its water management model in response to recurring droughts, adding that the new program will reinforce those efforts through the sustainable preservation of water resources and improved resilience to climate-related challenges.

French Ambassador Philippe Lalliot highlighted the AFD’s role in supporting the initiative. EU Ambassador to Morocco Dimiter Tzantchev said the program aligns with the priorities of the Morocco-EU Green Partnership and the Pact for the Mediterranean, both of which seek to strengthen cooperation in addressing shared climate challenges.

German Ambassador Robert Dölger underscored KfW’s contribution through financing focused on climate adaptation and groundwater preservation. Italian Ambassador Pasquale Salzano said Italy’s participation reflects a commitment to promoting gender equality as a key factor in the program’s success.

The initiative will support the implementation of both the National Water Plan and the 2020-2027 National Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation Program (PNAEPI).