Between 2021 and 2026, the Moroccan Ministry of Equipment and Water managed a series of structural projects, according to an official progress report covering the quinquennium. Drought cycles pushed water security to the forefront of public priorities, leading officials to accelerate major investments across dams, desalination plants, road networks, and port expansions.
Water Security and Desalination Expansion in Morocco
Water dominated the 2021-2026 period as worsening water stress forced authorities to speed up long-term plans, according to the report. The budget for the National Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation Program 2020-2027 rose from 115 to 143 MMDH. Officials completed nine large dams during this timeframe, adding a storage capacity of nearly 2 billion cubic meters. Schedules were shortened for several projects, with the Aït Ziat dam’s filling advanced by 17 months and the Tamri dam’s by 33 months. Fourteen additional large dams remained under construction.
Dessalement capacity shifted dramatically, growing from 45 million cubic meters to 410 million cubic meters annually by 2026 across 17 operating stations, based on the ministry’s figures. Facilities launched in locations such as Agadir-Chtouka, Safi, Jorf Lasfar, Sidi Ifni, Guerguerat, Laâyoune, and Tarfaya. Major new projects began in Casablanca and Dakhla, with a national target to exceed 1.7 billion cubic meters per year by 2030. Interconnection projects also moved quickly, including the Sebou-Bouregreg water transfer which shifted nearly 950 million cubic meters between September 2023 and décembre 2025 to secure supplies for the Rabat-Casablanca axis.
Did You Know? The first phase of the Sebou-Bouregreg water transfer was completed in less than ten months, moving water at an initial debit of 15 cubic meters per second to supply the densely populated Rabat-Casablanca corridor.
Road Infrastructure and Highway Developments
Morocco’s road network expanded significantly between 2021 and avril 2026, reaching 1,800 km of highways and 2,335 km of expressways, according to the official figures. The 1,055 km Tiznit-Dakhla expressway reached completion alongside 16 structures for roughly 8.8 MMDH. Near Casablanca, projects included finishing the Tit Mellil-Berrechid highway in novembre 2025 for 2.5 MMDH and completing the tripling of the Casablanca-Berrechid and bypass routes.
Maintenance and rural roads also received extensive funding. The second National Program for Rural Roads reached a high completion rate by avril 2026, encompassing 15,071 km and raising rural accessibility, which enclaved nearly 2.97 million inhabitants.
Port Modernization and Coastal Protection
The country’s 44 ports saw total traffic rise from 192.1 million tonnes in 2021 to 262.6 million tonnes in 2025, representing an average annual growth of 8.1%, as stated in the sectoral review. Major milestones included completing the Nador West Med infrastructure for 11.59 MMDH. At the southern end of the country, the Dakhla Atlantique project reached a 66% completion rate with a budget of 12.65 MMDH, while the new phosphate port in Laâyoune hit a high completion rate.
Coastal protection efforts spanned multiple regions, including finished works in Jebha, Larache, Agadir, and Foum El Oued. Officials also initiated a major project in Salé to fight marine erosion and submersion. Meanwhile, the administrative framework for public works underwent a complete digital overhaul on February 1, 2025, moving classification and qualification requests entirely online to support small and medium enterprises.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the total budget allocated to the National Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation Program?
The budget for the 2020-2027 program was increased from 115 to 143 MMDH.
How many large dams were completed between 2021 and 2026?
Nine large dams were completed, generating a supplementary capacity close to 2 billion cubic meters.
What is the projected target for national desalination capacity by 2030?
The projected national desalination capacity is expected to exceed 1.7 billion cubic meters per year by 2030.
How will these continued infrastructural investments reshape Morocco’s regional economic corridors through the end of the decade?