Abd al-Fattah al-Auni, a member of the Panel on Authenticity and Modernity in the House of Representatives, criticized previous governments that failed to address the water shortage due to their inability to build previously built dams and divert water from the north of the Kingdom to areas affected from water scarcity, and for their failure to diversify water resources, especially at the level of desalination.
He said on Monday during a plenary session of monthly oral questions to the prime minister on public policy that “water policy in Morocco cannot be the subject of any political upheaval or political haggling.”
He stated that the overall report of the Development Model Committee, released in April 2021, states that the environment and natural resources are under strong pressure due to climate change, with the current financial cost of degrading water resources estimated at three percent of gross domestic product.
He also mentioned the means used by the Moroccans in the past to conserve water, including the Khitarat, through the construction of dams and ending with a seawater desalination project and the reuse of waste and used water.
He said: “International reports say that there is a downward trend in water resources in Morocco due to the deterioration of their quality due to various types of solid and liquid pollutants, as well as their domestic and industrial types.”
He explained that the water problem is not limited to Morocco, as international reports say that by 2035 thirst, fragility and hunger will threaten two-thirds of African countries.
