As the drought continues in Morocco, King Mohammed VI, the monarch of the Cherifian kingdom, is taking new measures to alleviate water stress. These include the installation of emergency equipment to transport and distribute the freshwater resources still available.
Morocco’s critical water situation was on the agenda of the working session initiated on January 16, 2024 by Mohammed VI, King of the Cherifian Kingdom. During the meeting, Mohammed VI deplored the 70% rainfall deficit recorded by Morocco between September 2023 and January 2024, as well as the drop in the filling rate of dams (23.2% in 2024 versus 31.5% in 2023), before taking a range of measures to meet the challenge of water security over the course of this year, and the years to come.
As a first step, the monarch of the North African kingdom recommends the optimal mobilization of resources at Morocco’s existing dams, wells and desalination plants, the installation of emergency equipment for water transport and supply, the restriction of irrigation water use, and the reduction of distribution flows whenever the situation so requires.
Accelerating ongoing water projects and programs
These measures are designed to meet the challenge of water security, in particular by ensuring the supply of drinking water and irrigation water in all regions of the kingdom.
In line with royal directives, a number of water supply projects and programs in Morocco are also set to receive a boost in 2024. These include the National Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation Program 2020-2027, which will accelerate investments to boost drinking water supply and irrigation, and thus strengthen Morocco’s resilience in the face of falling rainfall that is impacting the water table, the project to connect the Sebou and Bouregreg basins, and the operation of desalination plants in Agadir, Safi and Jorf Lasfar.
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At the working meeting on January 16, 2024, the King of Morocco also called for transparent and regular communication with Moroccans on developments in the water situation and the new urgent measures to be implemented, while raising public awareness of the importance of saving and combating all forms of pollution and wastage of freshwater resources.
Inès Magoum
