UN: MINISTER BARAKA POINTS UP MOROCCO’S WATER MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

United Nations (New York) – Equipment and Water Minister Nizar Baraka on Wednesday highlighted the main outlines of the strategy implemented by Morocco with regard to the integrated management of water resources.

Speaking at the plenary session of the United Nations Conference on Water (22-24 March), Baraka stressed that Morocco, under the leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, has been able to meet its water needs through its national policy, thanks in particular to the development of dedicated infrastructure.

The Kingdom now has 152 large dams with a storage capacity of over 19 billion m³, in addition to 16 others under construction with a storage capacity of nearly 4.8 billion m³, he said, adding that Morocco also has 136 small dams.

In line with the roadmap outlined by HM the King in his royal address to Parliament on the occasion of the opening of the first session of the second year of the 11th National Assembly, Morocco is committed to continuing its efforts at all levels, the Minister said.

He mentioned in this regard the mobilization of conventional and non-conventional water resources, the management of water demand and its development through structuring projects, including the continued construction of small and large dams to support the dynamics of local development.

It is also intended to strengthen the spatial solidarity between the basins in the form of a project to connect the Sebou and Bouregreg basins with a flow of 15m3 / s and which will make it possible to supply water to Rabat and the urban pole of Greater Casablanca.

Baraka, who heads the Moroccan delegation at this international conference, also mentioned the use of non-conventional water resources, including seawater desalination and the reuse of treated wastewater.

The measures taken by Morocco in this field also include the rationalization of water management, including the modernization of drinking water distribution networks, in addition to the desalination of seawater using renewable energy to reduce its cost.

The minister cited in this context the desalination plant in Dakhla, which has reduced the cost of water production ($0.29/m³) tavers wind energy.

He also mentioned the continued implementation of the National Program for Water Saving in Irrigation (PNEEI), through the modernization of irrigation networks and the use of localized irrigation to cover one million hectares by 2030.

It will also improve the production of hydroelectric energy, with the goal of achieving 14% of renewable energy, which will represent 52% of the total energy produced at the national level in 2030, before reaching 70% in 2040 and 80% in 2050.

Baraka also called for increased cooperation at all levels between countries, departments and water users to achieve successful partnerships in this key sector.

Co-organized by Tajikistan and the Netherlands with the support of the United Nations, the international water conference is dedicated to the mid-term review of the implementation of the goals of the Water Action Decade 2018-2028, which was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly, in December 2016.