World Bank Supports Water Reforms in Morocco

 

Contacts:

In Washington: Dina El Naggar (202) 473-3245

Delnaggar@worldbank.org

In Morocco: Najat Yamouri (212-37) 63 60 50

Nyamouri@worldbank.org

 

WASHINGTON, May 1st, 2007 — The World Bank’s Board of Directors approved today the Morocco Water Sector Development Policy Loan totaling US$100 million.

 

The Development Policy Loan (DPL) is the first in a programmatic series of DPLs designed to sustain the implementation of a broad program of reforms in Morocco’s water sector.  Challenges faced by the sector include large-scale degradation and depletion of water resources,substantial gaps in water supply and sanitation coverage and inefficient water usage.  These constraints have contributed to limiting economic and social development opportunities across Morocco.

 

Water reforms in Morocco aim at achieving higher efficiency and sustainability to water management and service delivery.  The reform program addresses central issues in sector governance, with strengthened intrasectoral coordination, establishment of medium term expenditure frameworks and contracting of all public operators.  The program also carries subsectoral reforms in the areas of resource management, irrigation and water supply and sanitation. The reform is guided by the principles of integrated resource management, with emphasis on demand management and operator efficiency. It helps river basin agencies enforce water quality and aquifer management strategies. The program spans four reform tracks, namely:

 

• Strengthened sector governance and leadership
• Completion and enactment of integrated water resource management reform
• Improved service, sustainability of assets, and productivity of applications in irrigation
• Better access to water and sanitation services, and increased wastewater treatment capacity

The design of the program was based on extensive consultations that have allowed the Moroccan Government to update and detail a comprehensive sector reform program. The program will afford sustainable and equitable water and sanitation services in poor rural and urban areas while developing pollution control capacity and making opporators more competitive and accountable.