From SIAM Meknes to the World: Morocco Marks a Major Shift in Water Desalination and Leads the Path Toward Sustainable Water Security
In a step that reaffirms the Kingdom of Morocco’s leadership in confronting climate and water-related challenges, the President of the World Water Council, Mr. Loïc Fauchon, praised the remarkable progress achieved by Morocco under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God protect him, in the field of water desalination. He highlighted that the seawater desalination plant in the city of Dakhla represents a significant technological breakthrough, managed efficiently by Moroccan expertise and smartly powered by renewable energies.
During the opening of a high-level international symposium held on the sidelines of the 17th edition of the International Agricultural Exhibition in Morocco (SIAM) in Meknes, Mr. Fauchon emphasized that this plant serves as a global model, particularly because it has succeeded in reducing the cost of desalinated water per cubic meter by more than half — a development that could mark a turning point for many countries suffering from water stress.
Reflecting growing international trust in the Moroccan model, Fauchon announced that the World Water Council has decided to formally propose to the Moroccan government the establishment of a global center dedicated to unconventional water resources and renewable energies, to be headquartered in Morocco — further strengthening the Kingdom’s pioneering role in this field.
Fauchon also underscored the challenges associated with water resources, stressing that effectively addressing them requires three key pillars: knowledge, governance, and financing. He explained that harnessing artificial intelligence and scientific innovation has become essential for the sustainable exploitation of resources through innovative solutions such as water desalination and the reuse of wastewater. At the same time, he emphasized the need for sound governance and creative financing mechanisms to ensure the continuity of these efforts.
On the financial front, Fauchon called for the cancellation of water-related debts for the poorest countries, the encouragement of blended financing models, and the establishment of international guarantees to support water-related projects. He further stressed the importance of valuing the experiences of Global South countries in shaping future solutions to water issues.
The symposium’s official session was opened in the presence of Morocco’s Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests, Mr. Ahmed Bouri, alongside the Minister of Equipment and Water, Mr. Nizar Baraka, as well as ministers from France and Italy — highlighting the international scope of the event.
The 2025 edition of the International Agricultural Exhibition in Morocco is being held from April 21 to 27 in the historic imperial city of Meknes, under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, with the participation of 1,500 exhibitors from 70 countries. It is held under the theme: “Agriculture and Rural World: Water at the Heart of Sustainable Development,” underscoring the importance of water resources in the future of agricultural development.
This landmark event continues to serve as a central pillar in the Kingdom’s agricultural agenda, a platform for the exchange of expertise and the strengthening of partnerships, and a space for showcasing practical solutions to the challenges facing the agricultural sector both locally and globally.
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