Discover Morocco
The Kingdom of Morocco and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development have signed, in Rabat, a financing agreement amounting to 150 million euros, intended for the project “Preservation of water resources of the Saïss plain – Saïss 3 »

This financial support is supplemented by donations totaling 11.5 million euros, illustrating the strategic importance given to this program in a context marked by water stress and climate challenges. The agreement was signed by the Minister Delegate in charge of the Budget, Fouzi Lekjaa, and the first vice-president of the EBRD, Grégoire Guérin, in the presence of the ambassador of the United Kingdom in Morocco, partner of the program through the Climate Action Fund for high-impact partnerships

This step marks the culmination of the Saïss program, designed to sustainably protect the region’s water table and secure the irrigation of nearly 20,000 hectares thanks to a gradual transfer of groundwater withdrawals to surface resources from the dam. M’Dez

90 to 120 million cubic meters of water for irrigation, thus helping to reduce pressure on the water table and strengthen the region’s climate resilience. Beyond infrastructure, “Saïss 3” includes a major technical assistance component targeting young people, women and small farmers, in order to strengthen their skills and promote sustainable agricultural practices.

For the authorities Moroccans, this project is one of the flagship initiatives chosen to respond to the water emergency and support the agricultural transition in the face of climate change. On this occasion, Fouzi Lekjaa underlined the role of the EBRD as a reliable and sustainable partner of Morocco, both in the design and effective implementation of development projects. For its part, the EBRD insisted on the structuring impact of the project in terms of preserving water resources and improving living conditions in rural areas, highlighting its contribution to climate adaptation in a strategic agricultural zone of the Kingdom water. Since the start of its operations in Morocco, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has financed more than 120 projects for a total amount exceeding 5.6 billion euros, covering in particular the sectors of water, energy, infrastructure and support for the private sector, with a particular emphasis on the green transition and inclusive development.