A landmark collaboration valued at 3.7 billion Moroccan dirhams (€348 million) has been unveiled in Rabat to reinforce Morocco’s National Water Plan. This initiative, structured under the Team Europe framework, combines European Union grants with concessional loans from three major European financial institutions.
The program was jointly inaugurated by Morocco’s Ministry of Equipment and Water alongside representatives from the European Union, Germany, Italy, and France—with France leading the co-financing effort. The funding structure includes a €48 million grant from the EU, supplemented by concessional loans totaling approximately €300 million. These loans are being administered through the JEFIC network by KfW (Germany’s development bank), Italy’s Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, and France’s Agence Française de Développement (AFD).
The initiative aims to enhance water resource assessment amid climate change impacts, bolster resilience against extreme weather events like droughts and floods, safeguard groundwater reserves, and strengthen institutional capacities in the water sector.
Nizar Baraka, Morocco’s Minister of Equipment and Water, emphasized how the program will reinforce the country’s revised water strategy, stating it will prioritize sustainable water preservation in the face of climate variability and extreme weather.
Philippe Lalliot, France’s Ambassador to Morocco, highlighted AFD’s pivotal role in driving this initiative forward. Dimiter Tzantchev, the EU Ambassador to Morocco, noted that the program aligns with the EU-Morocco Green Partnership and the Mediterranean Pact, both designed to deepen cooperation on shared climate challenges.
Robert Dölger, Germany’s Ambassador, underscored KfW’s targeted support for climate adaptation and groundwater conservation. Meanwhile, Italy’s Ambassador, Pasquale Salzano, stressed that Italy’s contribution reflects its commitment to gender equality as a cornerstone for success.
This funding will directly benefit Morocco’s National Water Plan and the National Drinking Water and Irrigation Program (2020-2027), reinforcing long-term water security and climate resilience across the country.
