🇲🇦MoroccoNorth Africa
Morocco increases annual desalination capacity to 420 million m³
via Le Matin1 min read
Morocco has increased its annual desalination capacity to 420 million cubic meters, according to Nizar Baraka, in response to an oral question in the House of Councillors regarding the country's water situation. This initiative is part of a clear roadmap, driven by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, to diversify water supply sources and lessen reliance on dams and groundwater. Baraka mentioned the Tiznit desalination plant project, expected to begin construction by the end of next year, with a capacity of up to 350 million cubic meters, which will positively impact drinking water supply and agricultural activity. The minister also highlighted measures to enhance water security, including inter-basin interconnection projects. Works to link the Bouregreg and Oum Er-Rbia basins are set to start next December, with plans to extend this project to connect Oued Laou to the Sebou basin. These projects are projected to transfer between 1 and 1.2 billion cubic meters annually to deficit-stricken provinces, crucial for ensuring drinking water supply and irrigating the Doukkala and Chaouia regions, thereby strengthening the Kingdom's food security.
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Moroccan referee Jalal Jiyed, assisted by compatriots Zakaria Brinsi and Mustapha Akerkad, has been appointed by FIFA to officiate the World Cup 2026 group stage match between Portugal and Uzbekistan. South African Tom Abongile will serve as the fourth official, assisted by Zakhele Siwela. This marks the second assignment for the Moroccan trio, who previously officiated the Germany vs. Curaçao match. Portugal drew their first match against the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-1, while Uzbekistan lost 3-1 to Colombia. The upcoming match is crucial for both Portugal and Uzbekistan's qualification hopes. Notably, an Uzbek referee, Ilgiz Tantashov, recently officiated a match involving Morocco's Atlas Lions against Scotland.
Following Morocco's 1-0 victory over Scotland, coach Mohamed Ouahbi assessed the team's performance in the 2026 World Cup, where they have accumulated four points from two matches against Brazil and Scotland. Ouahbi highlighted the team's collective control and improved offensive intentions compared to their draw against Brazil. He noted that while Scotland played more directly with long balls, Morocco effectively countered their strategy. Despite their strong position, Ouahbi emphasized that qualification is not yet secured and the team's objective is to defeat Haiti in the final group match to ensure qualification and potentially secure first place. He also stated that he would field the best possible team against Haiti, considering player freshness, opponent profile, and match context, rather than systematically rotating the squad. Ouahbi also publicly supported captain Achraf Hakimi, who is facing legal proceedings, stating that Hakimi was focused, motivated the team, and played an excellent match. Ouahbi praised the team's mental fortitude and expressed confidence in their ability to advance to the round of sixteen as group leaders.
Bank Al-Maghrib has issued a warning to all banks regarding a global surge in cybercrime campaigns exploiting public interest in the 2026 World Cup. The central bank notes that these threats include the distribution of malware via fake applications or match streaming platforms, as well as phishing campaigns designed to trick users into revealing sensitive information, such as login credentials and banking details. Bank Al-Maghrib urges banks to enhance customer awareness efforts and emphasize key vigilance rules. These include exercising caution before installing match-streaming applications, avoiding links received via email, SMS, or social media that offer broadcasts or promotional deals, verifying website authenticity before entering personal or banking data, and immediately reporting any suspicious activity or unauthorized transactions to the bank. The central bank also instructs banking institutions to relay these vigilance messages to their customers through appropriate communication channels.