Fez– Morocco’s approach to water management is gaining increasing international recognition as the country expands efforts to address water scarcity through a combination of large-scale infrastructure, long-term planning, and policy reforms.
According to a recent report published by CNN, Morocco’s strategy is part of the National Program for Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation 2020-2027, a major initiative backed by an investment of $14.5 billion.
The program goes beyond desalination projects and includes the construction of dams, the reuse of treated wastewater, and the development of water transfer networks connecting different regions of the country.
Speaking at the World Water Congress in Marrakech, Minister of Equipment and Water Nizar Baraka stressed that Morocco does not seek to offer a single model for other countries to replicate.
Instead, he said the country aims to share its experience, expertise, and practical solutions that can be adapted to the specific needs of each nation.
The report also quoted Youssef Brouziyne, regional representative for the Middle East and North Africa at the International Water Management Institute, who said Morocco’s water strategy should not be viewed only through the lens of major desalination projects.
According to Brouziyne, the Moroccan model includes a wider ecosystem of measures that support these projects, ranging from an appropriate legal framework to long-term planning and governance.
He argued that achieving long-term water security is not simply a matter of producing more cubic meters of water.
Rather, it requires building greater resilience, creating more value, and ensuring fairer distribution of water resources.
As climate change and recurring droughts continue to put pressure on water resources across many regions, Morocco’s experience is increasingly being cited as an example of how countries can combine infrastructure, policy, and innovation to strengthen water security over the long term.
