By Abdullahi Lukman
Morocco has been re-elected as vice-president of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP) for the Arab region, securing a new mandate from 2025 to 2027.
The country’s UNESCO delegation said the vote reflects renewed confidence in Morocco’s commitment to sustainable water management, scientific cooperation and innovation-driven water policies.
Morocco’s permanent delegate to UNESCO, Ambassador Samir Addahre, said the re-election affirms the nation’s active role in global water governance and its contributions to capacity building and knowledge sharing among member states.
The announcement comes as Morocco prepares to host the 19th World Water Congress in Marrakech from December 1–5, co-organised with the International Water Resources Association.
The congress will highlight Morocco’s expanding focus on science-based water security and advanced resource management.
Created in 1975, the UNESCO IHP is the UN’s only intergovernmental programme dedicated entirely to water, supporting scientific research, improved water governance and global cooperation across 170 member states.
Morocco has advanced in hydrological research and integrated water management through investments in groundwater studies, desalination, drought monitoring, irrigation digitalisation and watershed conservation.
Major national projects—including the expanding desalination network in Agadir and Casablanca, large-scale drip irrigation systems and wastewater reuse initiatives—form part of long-term strategies under the National Water Plan 2020–2050.
Despite ongoing challenges such as drought and aquifer depletion, Morocco’s shift toward science-driven, sustainable water stewardship has positioned it as a regional leader in water innovation and climate resilience.
