Morocco has announced a new national program to accelerate waste-water treatment and liquid sanitation projects across the country.
Officials said the initiative, which will see an investment of 5.6 billion U.S. dollars, reflects the North African country's commitment to addressing water scarcity and environmental protection while supporting economic development across urban and rural areas.
Morocco has always had issues with water management, but climate change and a recent drought brought home to many just how serious the problem was becoming. Now the government is looking to get ahead of it with an ambitious and expensive project that will equip 223 cities and urban centers with sanitation networks and waste-water treatment plants.
Morocco's Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit said the program will make it possible to reuse 100 million cubic meters of wastewater annually by 2027 and 537 million cubic meters by 2040.
The Moroccan government has been criticized in the past for serving some areas better than others. However, the scope of this plan aims to allow both affluent urban areas and less developed rural areas to benefit.
"Morocco has opted for proactive strategies to cope with growing water scarcity challenges and to achieve the equality for which his Majesty the King has called for. So, there is no place for Morocco moving at two speeds. There must be equal speed in developing rural areas as well as modernizing city infrastructure," said Mustafa Al Issat, a Moroccan environmental expert.
This plan aims to reduce pressure on conventional water resources by meeting the growing water demand. The treated wastewater is viewed as a strategy for water security.
It is also intended to play a crucial role in supporting the agricultural sector, which accounts for 85 percent of the North African country's water consumption.
Moroccan government launches 5.6-bln USD wastewater treatment program
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for efforts to effectively safeguard and improve people's livelihoods, so that the fruits of Chinese modernization benefit all people more fairly.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has made a series of major decisions and plans since the beginning of this year, with 2026 marking the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030).
So far this year, Xi has visited ordinary people's homes on numerous occasions during his inspection tours across the country, engaging in friendly exchanges with them and showing concern for their living conditions.
On July 15, Xi visited a residential community in Shanghai's Huangpu District, where four buildings originally built in the 1950s have been renovated and upgraded, significantly improving residents' living conditions.
He called for sustained efforts to address the public concerns step by step and to continuously improve people's well-being.
On June 24, President Xi made an inspection tour to the city of Dezhou in east China's Shandong Province.
At the home of villager Yu Xinhui, Xi sat down with the family and asked about their daily lives, including their jobs, income, the health of elderly family members, and the children's education.
On Feb 10, ahead of the 2026 Spring Festival, Xi visited an elderly care service community in Beijing's Xicheng District.
Xi said caring for and supporting the elderly is a shared responsibility of the whole society, urging efforts to create better conditions for the elderly to enjoy happy and fulfilling twilight years.
Xi also laid great emphasis to employment. During the visit to Beijing's Xicheng District, Xi also talked with three delivery workers who were taking a break in the canteen, asking about their work and life.
Among the 20 major indicators set in the 15th Five-Year Plan, those related to people's livelihood and well-being account for the highest proportion, covering the most pressing and realistic issues that the people care about, such as employment, income, education, health, elderly care, and childcare.
On March 23, during his inspection tour of the Xiong'an New Area in northern China's Hebei Province, Xi visited Beijing No. 4 High School at its Xiong'an campus, where he encouraged the students to stay motivated and grow alongside the development of the Xiong'an New Area and Chinese modernization.
Xi also emphasized the importance of facilitating the channels for realizing the value of ecological products and advancing urban and rural greening in a coordinated manner.
On March 30, Xi took part in a voluntary tree-planting activity in Beijing's Changping District, where he called for mobilizing the whole society to actively participate in afforestation, stressing that a sound ecological environment is shared by all and requires the joint efforts of all.
People’s health is a key indicator of socialist modernization. During China's annual "two sessions" this year, Xi emphasized that building a Healthy China requires adhering to the national conditions, unswervingly following the path of health and wellness development with Chinese characteristics, and resolutely implementing the health and wellness work guidelines for the new era.
China's annual "two sessions" convene the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's highest legislative and advisory organs.
In April, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee held a group study session on enhancing the capacity to prevent and respond to natural disasters.
So far this year, Xi has repeatedly emphasized the need to earnestly carry out all aspects of disaster prevention and relief work to ensure the safety of people's lives and property.
In the first half of this year, China's employment situation remained generally stable, residents' income grew steadily, rural revitalization was steadily promoted, the coverage of basic public services continued to expand, and people's livelihood was effectively guaranteed.
Xi calls for efforts to safeguard, improve people's livelihoods
