On Monday 5 November 2018, the Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group approved a €117 million loan to finance a Project to Ensure the Sustainability and Security of Access to Drinking Water in Morocco.

The project aims to secure access to drinking water through new investments in treatment processes and drinking water supply networks in the provinces of Guercif, Zagora, Al Hoceima, Tanger and Beni Mellal, which have a combined population of 2.5 million people.

"Guaranteeing access for all to high-quality drinking water is the prerequisite for any form of sustainable development. For us, this is a strategic contribution," said Mohamed El Azizi, the Bank's Director-General for the North Africa region, following approval of the project.

By providing sustainable access to drinking water to meet the needs of people and industry, the programme is meeting two of the Bank's High 5 priorities: "Improve the quality of life for the people of Africa" and "Industrialize Africa".

In addition to contributing to achieving the objectives of the National Emergency Water Sector Programme and, more broadly, achieving the relevant Sustainable Development Goals, this project is aligned with the priorities in the ONEE (Moroccan National Electricity and Drinking Water Agency) 2016-2020 investment plan.

"This project will contribute to further improving the quality of life of millions of Moroccans," said the Bank's Morocco Country Manager, Leila Farah Mokaddem. "Taken together with our investments in education, agriculture and energy, it will facilitate the emergence of new poles of development," Mokaddem added

The partnership between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Bank, which dates back half a century, includes more than 160 projects and programmes totalling a funding commitment in excess of US$10 billion.

This funding, more than 80% of which is devoted to basic infrastructure, covers a range of sectors including energy, water, transport, agriculture and social development.