Rabat – French President Emmanuel Macron commended Morocco’s achievements in water resource management during the One Water Summit held on Tuesday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Macron spoke of Morocco’s innovative “water highway” project as a remarkable feat.
“What Morocco has achieved with the water highway project is a resounding success, as it mobilized advanced technologies to address challenges in rural and urban areas,” said Macron in his address. He noted the need for global collaboration to tackle water issues, building on Morocco’s example.
Representing King Mohammed VI at the summit, Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch outlined the country’s ambitious $14 billion National Water Program aimed at ensuring access to drinking water and irrigation. This program incorporates a comprehensive and innovative approach to secure Morocco’s strategic water reserves.
Key elements of Morocco’s strategy include connecting hydraulic basins. Akhannouch announced the completion of the first phase of a water highway linking the Sebou and Bouregreg basins, capable of transporting an average of one million cubic meters of water daily. This infrastructure project connects northern and central Morocco and aims to help mitigate water shortages and ensure sustainable water supply.
According to the organizers, the One Water Summit aims to enhance global water governance and accelerate progress on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG6), which focuses on clean water and sanitation for all. The summit builds on the momentum of the 2023 UN Water Conference and seeks to develop solutions for the next UN Water Conference in 2026.
The summit integrated its agenda with other key water initiatives such as the World Water Forum, the Dushanbe Conference in Tajikistan, and the World Water Week. Its focus lies in fostering solutions and incorporating water management into broader policies.
Key priorities of the summit include strengthening international cooperation on transboundary waters and freshwater ecosystems, promoting technical solutions for water access, including nature-based solutions and innovative technologies, and bridging the global financing gap in water and sanitation sectors.
The event comes at a time when several countries, including Morocco, are facing unprecedented water crises due to consecutive years of drought. Rainfall is at alarmingly low levels throughout the North African country – down by over 40% compared to usual levels. Even worse, water reserves have plummeted to a staggering 75%, while underground water levels are depleting fast.
