The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has approved a €250 million sovereign loan to Morocco's National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE) to bolster the country's water security. The loan, signed on July 29, 2026, aims to support the construction of a seawater desalination plant in the Casablanca-Settat region, a project aligned with Morocco's National Water Plan 2020-2050.
The desalination plant, with a planned capacity of 300 million cubic meters per year, will be one of the largest in Africa. It is designed to address chronic water shortages exacerbated by six consecutive years of drought. The project includes a 200-kilometer pipeline to transport water to inland areas, benefiting over 10 million people.
This initiative is part of a broader €1.5 billion investment program by the EBRD in Morocco's water sector. The loan carries a 20-year maturity and is guaranteed by the Moroccan government. The EBRD has been active in Morocco since 2012, investing over €4 billion in various sectors.
