The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has approved a €200 million loan for Morocco's OCP Group, among the world's biggest manufacturers of phosphate fertilisers, to finance the construction of two seawater desalination plants aimed at addressing water scarcity in the country. 

The facilities, to be located at OCP’s industrial complexes in El Jadida (Jorf Lasfar) and Safi, will collectively provide 35 million cubic metres of desalinated water annually.

The project is expected to reduce OCP’s reliance on freshwater for its operations, safeguarding water resources for local communities in areas facing chronic water stress. 

Morocco’s annual water availability of 790 cubic metres per capita falls below the threshold for chronic water scarcity, and demand in El Jadida and Safi already exceeds 80 percent of available freshwater supply, according to the EBRD.  The loan aligns with the bank’s Green Economy Transition Strategy

The desalination facilities are part of OCP’s Green Investment Programme, which aims to reduce annual water consumption by 3 million cubic metres and transition to sourcing all water needs from non-conventional sources. 

(Editing by SA Kader) (anoop.menon@lseg.com)

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