In a context of increasing tensions over water resources, Morocco is strengthening its water policy by focusing on innovative solutions and sustainable financing. During the Sustainable Finance Forum, organized by BMCI, the Minister of Equipment and Water, Nizar Baraka, announced an increase in the budget allocated to the hydraulic program for 2020-2027, raised to 145 billion dirhams, which is an increase of 30 billion compared to initial forecasts.
**Desalination, dams, and interconnection: the response to scarcity**
The climate emergency requires proactive water management. To ensure the supply of drinking water and support agricultural and industrial needs, the government is accelerating the construction of dams – 154 large structures are already operational and 127 others are under construction – and strengthening the interconnection of hydraulic basins to balance the distribution of resources across the territory. This system has, for example, helped avoid shortages in Casablanca last summer.
**Non-conventional water** is also a strategic focus: **desalination** will take on unprecedented scale with a goal of **one billion cubic meters of desalinated water by 2030**, of which **500 million is intended for agricultural irrigation**. At the same time, the government emphasizes **water efficiency** by optimizing distribution networks and encouraging more responsible usage in key sectors.
**Mobilizing green capital to finance the transition**
Beyond public financing, Morocco aims to attract **new private investors** to support this transformation. The development of **public-private partnerships** is at the heart of the economic model for future **desalination plants** (Agadir, Dakhla, Casablanca…). Furthermore, the minister highlighted the importance of **issuing green and blue bonds**, financial instruments dedicated to financing environmentally friendly projects, involving the banking sector, pension funds, and retirement funds.
**Greener infrastructures and a key role for the financial sector**
Innovation does not stop at water resources. Morocco aims to **green its port infrastructures** by developing sustainable energy solutions. Projects like **floating solar farms**, designed to supply ports with clean electricity, or logistics platforms dedicated to **green hydrogen** (Tarfaya Atlantique, Nador Ouest), are part of this vision.
In this dynamic, **BMCI** and its parent company **BNP Paribas** confirm their commitment to **sustainable finance**. Through **new financing agreements**, the bank strengthens its support for Moroccan companies engaged in ecological projects, thus contributing to the emergence of a **resilient and low-carbon economy**.
