French Agency Extends Morocco €50 million Loan to improve Water Supply

The French Development Agency (AFD) will extend the Moroccan Electricity and Drinking Water facility (ONEE) a €50 million loan to help it implement a program on the improvement of the performance and resilience of drinking water services in Morocco’s Northern provinces.

Under the loan agreement, signed last week in Rabat, the ONEE will enlarge access to drinking water in the rural areas of Al-Hoceima, Driouch, Nador and Taounate provinces.

This loan will also help strengthen water production in urban areas, increase storage autonomy in the four provinces and improve the performance of drinking water supply facilities, the ONEE said in a statement on Monday. The AFD funds will also help mitigate climate change in the four provinces and mobilize surface resources, it added.

This program will benefit a population of about 300,000 people, nearly half of them living in rural areas.

Earlier this Month, the French development agency concluded with Morocco another grant agreement worth €20 million destined to finance agricultural and irrigation projects at the Kaddoussa dam in the province of Errashidia.

The aim of this project is to adapt and improve the resilience of farming to climate change in the Boudnib plain by promoting a productive and sustainable irrigated agriculture, preserving groundwater resources, promoting oases farming and fighting desertification.

The grant is extended to Morocco through the AFD by the Green Climate Fund.