Morocco and European partners have taken a decisive step in strengthening cooperation to manage water resources. On June 2, 2026, in Rabat, the Ministry of Equipment and Water, alongside the European Union, Germany, Italy, and France, launched a comprehensive support program for the National Water Plan (PNE) with a total funding package of 3.7 billion Moroccan dirhams—approximately €348 million.

The launch ceremony brought together representatives from the Ministry of Economy and Finance and European partners. This groundbreaking initiative aligns with the ‘Team Europe’ approach, designed to unite EU efforts and member states around strategic projects.

The funding structure includes a €128 million grant from the European Union, supplemented by €2.9 billion in concessionary loans from three major European financial institutions: Germany’s KfW development bank, Italy’s Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP), and France’s AFD, which leads the initiative.

The program is structured around four key pillars: enhancing knowledge of water resources amid climate change impacts, strengthening management of extreme events like droughts and floods, preserving groundwater, and building institutional capacity within the sector.

A robust technical assistance component will support these goals while fostering knowledge exchange between European and Moroccan partners.

During the event, Nizar Baraka, Morocco’s Minister of Equipment and Water, emphasized that water is both a heritage to preserve for future generations and a strategic national sovereignty issue at the highest levels of government.

Highlighting recurring drought episodes in the Kingdom, the minister noted Morocco’s proactive approach to water management, transforming its model to address climate challenges. He stressed that this program will bolster the country’s resilience and ensure sustainable water resource management.

For the European Union, this initiative reflects its commitment to supporting Morocco in sustainably managing its natural resources. The EU Ambassador to Morocco, Dimiter Tzantchev, underscored that the program aligns with the Morocco-EU Green Partnership and the Mediterranean Pact, prioritizing climate resilience and water management in Euro-Mediterranean cooperation. He highlighted how the ‘Team Europe’ approach mobilizes complementary financial and technical resources to deliver concrete solutions to shared climate challenges.

Like much of the Mediterranean basin, Morocco faces growing pressure on its water resources. Between 2017 and 2025, the country experienced multiple severe droughts amid rising water demand driven by population growth and economic development.

This new program reinforces ongoing efforts under the National Water Plan and the National Drinking Water and Irrigation Program (PNAEPI) 2020-2027.

The ambassadors of Germany, Italy, and France unanimously praised the initiative, hailing it as a potential model for regional cooperation.

Germany’s KfW will focus on climate adaptation and groundwater protection, Italy will leverage its expertise in water resource management and promote gender equality in the sector, while France’s AFD will ensure program implementation with a strong emphasis on climate resilience and gender equality.