The Kingdom of Morocco has made significant advances in water desalination, affirmed the president of the World Water Council, Loïc Fauchon, on Tuesday in Meknès.
“The Dakhla desalination plant aims to be a true technological revolution led by Moroccans, which, thanks to renewable energies, reduces the cost of desalinated water by more than half,” Mr. Fauchon said during the opening of a high-level international conference organized on the occasion of the 17th edition of the International Agricultural Show in Morocco (SIAM), which continues until April 27 in Meknès.
This technical evolution could mark a turning point for many countries facing water stress, making desalination more accessible and sustainable, he noted.
To this end, he announced the council’s decision to propose to the Moroccan government the creation of a global center dedicated to unconventional water and renewable energies, which would be headquartered in Morocco.
Returning to the challenges of water, he explained that to respond effectively, three fundamental levers must be activated: knowledge, governance, and finance.
Thus, knowledge, supported by innovation and artificial intelligence, would allow for the sustainable exploitation of resources through solutions such as desalination and the reuse of wastewater, while appropriate governance and innovative financing are essential, Mr. Fauchon explained.
On the financial front, he called for the cancellation of water-related debt for the poorest countries, encouraged mixed financing, and proposed the creation of international public guarantees to support water projects, emphasizing the need to leverage the expertise of Southern countries regarding future water-related solutions.
The inaugural session was opened by the Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests, Ahmed El Bouari, and featured interventions from the Minister of Equipment and Water, Nizar Baraka, the Minister Delegate to the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, responsible for Europe in the French government, Benjamin Haddad, as well as the Italian Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Forests, Francesco Lollobrigida.
Under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, SIAM 2025, which sees the participation of 1,500 exhibitors from 70 countries, is organized from April 21 to 27 under the theme “Agriculture and the Rural World: Water at the Heart of Sustainable Development.”
A true crossroads of agricultural policies, this show serves as a significant moment to promote exchanges, strengthen international partnerships, and highlight concrete responses to the challenges faced by the agricultural sector.