A landmark initiative valued at 3.7 billion Moroccan dirhams (348 million euros) has been unveiled in Rabat to reinforce the country’s National Water Plan (PNE). This collaborative effort, structured under the «Team Europe» approach, draws on subsidies from the European Union alongside concessionary loans from three leading European financial institutions.
The launch ceremony brought together key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Equipment and Water, the European Union, and representatives from Germany, Italy, and France—who spearheaded the co-financing effort. The program leverages a 514.4 million Moroccan dirhams (48 million euros) grant from the EU, supplemented by approximately 3.2 billion Moroccan dirhams (300 million euros) in concessionary loans arranged through the JEFIC network. These funds are being mobilized by Germany’s Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), Italy’s Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP), and France’s Agence française de développement (AFD).
The initiative is designed to enhance understanding of water resources amid escalating climate pressures, strengthen management of extreme events such as droughts and floods, safeguard groundwater reserves, and build institutional capacity within the water sector.
Nizar Baraka, Minister of Equipment and Water, emphasized the program’s alignment with Morocco’s revised water strategy, stating it will reinforce «sustainable preservation of water resources in the face of climate change and extreme weather patterns.»
The French Ambassador, Philippe Lalliot, highlighted the pivotal role of the AFD in driving this initiative. Dimiter Tzantchev, EU Ambassador to Morocco, noted that the program aligns with the Morocco-EU Green Partnership and the Mediterranean Pact, both aimed at intensifying cooperation on shared climate challenges.
Robert Dölger, Germany’s Ambassador, underscored KfW’s targeted funding for climate adaptation and groundwater conservation. Meanwhile, Italy’s Ambassador, Pasquale Salzano, stressed his country’s commitment, emphasizing gender equality as a cornerstone for the program’s success.
This investment will directly support the National Water Plan and the National Program for Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation (PNAEPI) 2020–2027.