Marrakech – Morocco secured re-election as vice-president of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP) for the Arab region on Friday. The country will serve a new mandate from 2025 to 2027.
The permanent delegation of Morocco to UNESCO stated that this re-election demonstrates “renewed confidence in the Kingdom of Morocco’s constant commitment to sustainable water resource management, strengthening scientific cooperation, and promoting water policies based on research and innovation.”
Ambassador Samir Addahre, Morocco’s permanent delegate to UNESCO, said the re-election confirms Morocco’s active role within global governance bodies. He noted the country’s “contribution to capacity building, knowledge sharing, and deepening cooperation between member states in line with the Royal Vision.”
The timing aligns with Morocco’s preparations to host the 19th World Water Congress in Marrakech from December 1-5. The Ministry of Equipment and Water is co-organizing the event with the International Water Resources Association (IWRA).
This congress has been framed as representing Morocco’s continued commitment to water security and its shift toward innovative, science-driven approaches to sustainable water management.
UNESCO created the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme in 1975 as the United Nations’ only intergovernmental initiative entirely dedicated to water.
The program promotes water science and sustainable water resource management by addressing major challenges, including access to drinking water, flood prevention, glacier preservation, and water quality improvement.
The PHI operates through a global network of specialized centers, university chairs, and national committees across 170 UNESCO member states. Scientists and decision-makers collaborate through this network to transform knowledge into concrete actions, stimulate innovation, strengthen governance, and ensure water security for future generations.
Science translated into practice on the ground
Morocco has made measurable progress in water science and sustainable resource management through a combination of advanced research programs and large-scale national projects.
Over the past two decades, the country has shifted from a classic “big dam” approach to a more integrated water governance model that combines large-scale hydraulic infrastructure with advanced research on groundwater, desalination, climate resilience, and demand management.
Universities and research centers, such as those linked to UM6P and IAV Hassan II, are working on hydrology, aquifer recharge, satellite monitoring of drought, remote-sensing drought prediction, and the digitalization of irrigation networks, turning Morocco into a regional laboratory for water innovation.
The National Agency for Water and Forests (ANEF) conducts advanced research on watersheds, soil conservation, and climate resilience through its hydrology and forest research divisions, which develop national strategies for protecting river basins and restoring ecosystems.
At the policy level, successive National Water Plans, the creation of river basin agencies, and the move toward seawater desalination and wastewater reuse reflect an understanding that water security is now a structural pillar of food security, energy transition, and social stability.
The country has built one of Africa’s most ambitious desalination pipelines. Once fully operational at its planned 400,000 m³/day capacity, the Agadir desalination plant could supply drinking water for over a million people (besides irrigation water).
The Casablanca desalination megaproject – slated for commissioning around 2027 – is projected to become one of Africa’s largest desalination plants, potentially supplying drinking water to millions and easing pressure on traditional water resources.
By 2023, Morocco had equipped over 750,000 hectares with water-saving irrigation systems (mostly drip or micro-irrigation) under the Green Morocco Plan and Génération Green strategy.
In regions like Souss-Massa, river-basin management agencies and scientific partners are increasingly relying on remote sensing, hydrological modelling, and water-accounting dashboards to monitor basin-wide water balance and guide resource management.
Morocco is scaling treated-wastewater reuse: for example, Marrakech treats some 33 million m³ per year for irrigation of golf courses and green spaces.
These initiatives, combined with the National Water Plan 2020-2050, position Morocco as one of the few countries in the region actively transforming scientific research into operational solutions for long-term water security.
While structural challenges remain – prolonged droughts, overexploited aquifers, and unequal access between regions – Morocco’s trajectory shows a country that has moved from reacting to water crises to building a long-term, science-based culture of sustainable water stewardship.
