On December 12, 2025, in Rabat, Mr. Fouzi LEKJAA, Minister Delegate in charge of the Budget of the Kingdom of Morocco, and Mr. Greg GUYETT, First Vice-President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), proceeded with the signing of a financing agreement for the project “Conservation of Water Resources in the Saïss Plain – SAISS III,” amounting to 150 million euros (approximately 1.617 billion dirhams), accompanied by grants totaling 11.5 million euros (approximately 124 million dirhams). The ceremony took place in the presence of His Excellency Mr. Alex PINFIELD, Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Morocco, a partner of the program through the HIPCA UK mechanism.
This signing marks the final phase of the SAISS program, aimed at protecting the Saïss aquifer and securing irrigation over 20,000 hectares, by gradually substituting unsustainable groundwater with surface water from the M’DEZ dam. The project also benefits from targeted technical assistance, including young people, women, and small farmers, in order to strengthen their skills and promote the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices.
The SAISS III project will make it possible to directly secure 7,300 agricultural holdings, while generating positive spillover effects on rural employment, farmers’ income, youth settlement, and the development of rural cooperatives and SMEs. Between 90 and 120 million cubic meters of water will be mobilized annually for irrigation, helping to reduce pressure on the groundwater table and to strengthen the region’s climate resilience.
Since the beginning of its intervention in Morocco, the EBRD has financed more than 120 projects for an amount exceeding 5.6 billion euros (approximately 60.4 billion dirhams), covering the water, energy, infrastructure, and private sector support sectors, with a particular focus on the green transition and inclusive development.
At the conclusion of this ceremony, Mr. Fouzi LEKJAA and Mr. Greg GUYETT welcomed the level of cooperative ties between the Kingdom of Morocco and the EBRD, as well as their constant commitment to the success of this strategic project.
This initiative contributes to strengthening climate resilience and agricultural sustainability in the Saïss Plain and to supporting the rural economy, in line with the national vision and the sustainable development priorities of the Kingdom.