Strengthening Water Skills and Partnerships in Morocco

In December, World Water Academy participated in a strategic visit to Morocco, combining international policy dialogue, sector innovation, and capacity-building exchange. The visit consisted of two complementary parts: participation in the Dutch Trade Mission on Water and the World Water Congress in Marrakech, followed by two days of Dutch–Moroccan Water Days focused on innovation in the water sector. 

Across all activities, one message stood out clearly: Morocco’s water resilience depends not only on innovation and research excellence, but on the systematic translation of knowledge into operational capability across the entire water sector. Skills development, workforce readiness, and continuous training are essential to turn solutions into impact.

The first part of the visit took place in Marrakech, where the Dutch delegation met representatives from government, knowledge institutes, and the private sector. Participation in the World Water Congress provided valuable insight into Morocco’s national water challenges, including water scarcity, climate adaptation, reuse, and digitalisation.

These high-level discussions highlighted Morocco’s strong ambition to modernise its water sector. At the same time, they underlined the growing need for skilled professionals who can implement, operate, and maintain new technologies in practice—a domain where World Water Academy brings long-standing expertise.

Dutch–Moroccan Water Days: Innovation Meets Capacity Building

The second part of the visit consisted of two days of Dutch–Moroccan Water Days, dedicated to innovation in water. The programme included B2B matchmaking sessions, enabling Dutch and Moroccan organisations to connect with new and potential business partners and explore opportunities for collaboration.

Water Action Plan: From Vision to Implementation

A significant milestone during the mission was the signing of the Water Action Plan between Morocco and the Netherlands, by Mr. Abdelfetah Sahibi, Secretary General of the Moroccan Ministry of Equipment and Water, and Mrs. Meike van Ginneken, Water Envoy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

This Water Action Plan represents a major step in operationalising the Memorandum of Understanding signed at the UN Water Conference in 2023. It reflects a shared commitment to move from vision to implementation and provides a structured framework for collaboration in water management, innovation, and capacity development. The emphasis on capacity development strongly reinforces the importance of skills, training, and institutional learning as integral components of long-term cooperation.

A central moment was the panel discussion on Capacity Building, where Gabrielle Knufman spoke on behalf of World Water Academy. The discussion emphasised that innovation alone is insufficient without structured training pathways, institutional learning, and long-term investment in human capital. Capacity building was positioned as a strategic enabler for sustainable water management, bridging the gap between research, policy, and day-to-day operations.

Field Visits: From Infrastructure to Education

The delegation also visited key Moroccan water institutions to gain deeper insight into both operational practice and academic excellence.

• Marrakech Wastewater Treatment Plant: Africa’s largest and most sustainable municipal wastewater treatment plant, where a full primary–secondary–tertiary biological process prepares water for reuse, sludge digestion generates biogas, and dehydrated sludge is treated in greenhouses using solar thermal power—a compelling example of circular, climate-smart operations at scale.
• Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in Benguerir: the delegation explored the strong link between research, innovation, and real-world application. The visit reinforced the importance of connecting academic knowledge with vocational and professional training to support sector-wide implementation.

Skills as the Foundation for Water Resilience

For World Water Academy, the visit reaffirmed their shared mission: strengthening the water sector through high-quality education, training, and lifelong learning. As Morocco accelerates investment in water infrastructure, reuse, and innovation, the demand for skilled professionals at all levels continues to grow.
By working with local and international partners, World Water Academy aims to support Morocco in translating knowledge into practice—ensuring that innovation is matched by competence, and ambition by capability.

The Morocco visit marks an important step in building long-term partnerships around skills development, training programmes, and capacity building, contributing to a resilient and future-proof water sector.