No negligence, no delay, no mismanagement will be tolerated when dealing with an issue as crucial as water”. In the Speech from the Throne, His Majesty the King highlighted water as one of the main challenges for the coming years. This issue “ is becoming ever more complex as a result of drought, the impact of climate change, and the natural growth in demand”. The Sovereign also pointed to the delay in the completion of certain water policy projects. Today, the authorities are facing up to their responsibilities to take “the urgent and innovative measures needed to prevent water shortages”. The Sovereign stressed the need for optimum implementation of the various components of the National 2020-2027 Program for Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation.
As far as the national water policy is concerned, its levers need to be continually updated. The idea is to meet a strategic goal whatever the circumstances, namely, to guarantee drinking water to all citizens and to cover at least 80% of irrigation needs throughout the country. With this in mind, the Sovereign called for the completion of the dam-building program. Priority should be given to projects in regions with high rainfall.
Priority should be given to projects in regions with high rainfall. Another strategic lever of this policy is the implementation of major water transfer projects between river basins, which must be speeded up. This will make it possible to connect the Oued Laou and Loukkos basins to the Oum Er-Rbia basin, via the Oued Sebou and Bouregreg basins. These projects will enable the exploitation of a billion cubic meters of water that was previously lost to the sea. These projects will also ensure a balanced spatial distribution of national water resources. The construction of desalination plants must be accelerated. HM the King stressed the importance of respecting the timetable set to ensure the annual mobilization of more than 1.7 billion cubic meters.
By 2030, Morocco will be able to cover more than half of its drinking water needs from these plants, irrigate large agricultural areas and boost food security. In addition to the Casablanca plant, the largest in Africa and the second largest in the world, which will be powered 100% by clean energy, the Sovereign called for the implementation of the other planned plants and related renewable energy projects. With this in mind, the Sovereign has provided His guidelines for speeding up completion of the electricity interconnection project to bring renewable energy from the Southern provinces to the Center and the North of the country. This system will be reinforced by the extension of the Dakhla plant and the future increase in the production capacity of other facilities. In this context, the Sovereign has called for the development of a national water desalination industry. This should be coupled with the creation of training courses for specialized engineers and technicians, and the fostering of national companies specialized in the construction and maintenance of these plants.
Citizens asked to act responsibly
“It makes no sense at all to spend tens of billions on mobilizing water resources, when forms of water waste and misuse persist”. His Majesty the King has made his message abundantly clear, calling on the public to become more aware of this strategic challenge. Despite several calls to order, certain behaviors persist. Today, “ water conservation is a national responsibility that involves all institutions and all players. This duty is incumbent on all citizens”, said the Sovereign. The authorities are called upon to take a firmer stance, notably through mechanisms such as the water police and the fight against abusive exploitation and anarchic pumping of water. The Sovereign also called for greater coordination and coherence between water policy and agricultural policy, especially during periods of shortage.
The need for a ceasefire
“Our interest in domestic affairs should not distract us from the tragedy of the brotherly Palestinian people”. HM the King reiterated his support for initiatives aimed at finding practical solutions to achieve a concrete and lasting ceasefire, and redress the humanitarian situation. For Morocco, the search for a definitive solution to this conflict requires a series of conditions. Firstly, “ while achieving a cessation of hostilities in Gaza is an urgent priority, this must be done in parallel with the opening up of a political horizon capable of establishing a just and lasting peace in the region”. Resorting to negotiations to resuscitate the peace process means blocking the way to extremists of all stripes. Security and stability will only be fully established if this process is part of the two-state solution, under which Gaza is an integral part of the territories of the independent Palestinian state.
M.A.M.
