His Majesty King Mohammed VI called, on Friday, for taking the issue of water, in all its dimensions, with the necessary seriousness, particularly by putting an end to all forms of waste and the random and irresponsible exploitation of this vital resource.
In a speech delivered while presiding over the opening of the first session of the second legislative year of the 11th legislature, His Majesty the King affirmed that "the current state of water resources challenges us all—government, institutions, and citizens—and requires us to demonstrate frankness and responsibility in dealing with it, and to address the weaknesses it suffers from."
After pointing out that the problem of drought and water scarcity is not limited to Morocco alone, His Majesty highlighted that Morocco is now experiencing a situation of "structural water stress," and that not all problems can be solved merely by building the planned water facilities, despite their necessity and utmost importance.
The Sovereign stressed that the water problem should not be a subject of political outbidding, or a pretext to fuel social tensions, considering that "we, as Moroccans, are all called upon to redouble our efforts for a responsible and rational use of water."
In this regard, His Majesty urged "bringing about a real change in our behavior towards water," noting that public administrations and services must lead by example in this field.
His Majesty stated, "We must work towards optimal demand management, in parallel with what is being achieved in the field of mobilizing water resources," adding that "in the medium term, we must strengthen our proactive water policy and make up for the delay this sector is experiencing."
His Majesty the King stressed that "the duty of responsibility today requires the adoption of sustainable and integrated choices, and a spirit of solidarity and effectiveness, within the framework of the new National Water Plan, whose implementation We call for accelerating."
In this framework, His Majesty the King focused on four main orientations, primarily the need to launch more ambitious programs and initiatives, invest in modern innovations and technologies in the field of water conservation and wastewater reuse, and give special attention to rationalizing the exploitation of groundwater and preserving water tables by combatting illegal pumping and unregulated wells.
The third Royal orientation concerns affirming that water policy is not merely a sectoral policy, but a common matter concerning many sectors. The fourth orientation requires taking into account the real cost of water resources at each stage of their mobilization, and the transparency and awareness required regarding all aspects of this cost.
His Majesty the King recalled, in his Royal speech, that the issue of managing water resources presents itself with urgency, especially since Morocco is going through a difficult drought phase, the most severe in over three decades. This prompted the adoption, since last February, of a series of proactive measures within the framework of the plan to combat the effects of drought, aimed at providing drinking water, assisting farmers, and preserving livestock.
In a related context, His Majesty pointed out that several working sessions were held on this issue, culminating in the development of the 2020-2027 National Priority Program for Water, recalling that efforts have been made to continue building dams and accelerating the completion of projects included in this program across all regions of the Kingdom.
His Majesty King Mohammed VI stated that Morocco is entering a new phase focused on strengthening national sovereignty, supporting economic recovery, and implementing the New Development Model. He also called on the government and Parliament to fully assume their responsibilities.
The United Nations praised His Majesty King Mohammed VI’s forward-looking vision for future generations, highlighting the importance of collective action to build a human-centered and sustainable development model. It also noted that this vision has become even more relevant in light of the challenges exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly social inequalities and the spread of misinformation.
The Council of the League of Arab States praised the efforts of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, to protect Al-Quds Al-Sharif and support the resilience of the Palestinian people. It also highlighted the fieldwork of the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Agency in preserving the city’s Arab and Islamic identity.
