Casablanca – Morocco is set to receive $200 million in World Bank financing for a large-scale program designed to reinforce the country’s resilience to natural disasters and the accelerating impacts of climate change. The operation, expected to be approved shortly, reflects a growing urgency to protect infrastructure, populations, and economic assets as climate risks intensify across the country’s rapidly expanding urban regions.

The financing will be delivered through a results-based mechanism, linking disbursements directly to progress achieved on the ground. This approach aligns with Morocco’s National Disaster Risk Management Strategy and supports the government’s long-term goal of reducing vulnerabilities that have grown steadily over the past decades.

A nation highly exposed to climate risks

Morocco is considered one of the most climate-exposed countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Natural disasters—especially floods, storms, and coastal hazards—generate annual losses estimated at more than 0.6% of national GDP. Flooding alone accounts for nearly $450 million in yearly damages, making it the single most costly weather-related threat facing the country.

This exposure is closely linked to the country’s demographic transformation. Urbanization has accelerated dramatically, rising from 29% of the population in 1960 to more than 60% in 2024. By 2050, the urban share is expected to reach 75%. Cities generate around three-quarters of Morocco’s GDP and absorb the majority of public and private investment, concentrating people, infrastructure, and economic activities in areas increasingly vulnerable to climate shocks.

Climate projections point to significant risks in the decades ahead. Approximately 65% of the population and 90% of industrial activity are exposed to sea-level rise and coastal flooding. Cities such as Tangier and Casablanca face particularly high threats. In Tangier Bay, a sea-level rise of 86 centimeters could severely damage or eliminate port installations and much of the area’s industrial platform. In Casablanca, a rise of just 40 centimeters could generate yearly economic losses exceeding $1.2 billion.

These projections underscore the need for a national strategy capable of addressing both immediate risks and long-term climate challenges—an effort the new World Bank–supported program is designed to reinforce.

A program built around five strategic pillars

The upcoming operation focuses on five priority areas intended to strengthen Morocco’s capacity to prevent, manage, and adapt to climate-driven risks.

1. Resilience of critical infrastructure.
A central objective is to better protect essential infrastructure—including transport networks, health and education facilities, water systems, and energy assets. The program supports the development of a national directive for critical-infrastructure resilience, setting out governance standards, identification methods, and protection mechanisms. The goal is to reduce service disruption during climate shocks and ensure continuity of essential operations.

2. Integrated flood-risk management.
Floods represent Morocco’s most urgent threat, and the program aims to shift from localized mitigation efforts to an integrated national approach. This includes combining traditional infrastructure (dams, drainage systems, protective barriers) with green-gray solutions and nature-based methods such as wetlands restoration or natural water retention zones. These approaches provide dual benefits: enhanced protection for communities and strengthened ecosystems.

3. Expansion of early-warning systems.
Morocco currently operates a pilot flood-warning system in four provinces. The objective of the new program is to extend early-warning coverage to the entire national territory and to gradually incorporate multiple hazards—including storms, landslides, and other climate-related risks. A fully operational multi-hazard early-warning system would significantly improve response times and reduce loss of life and property.

4. Building climate-resilient cities.
Urban areas face the highest concentration of climate risk, and the program will help local governments integrate climate adaptation into development planning. Initial efforts will focus on implementing resilience strategies developed for Fez and Mohammedia, as well as the Fez Climate Action Plan. Other high-priority cities will be encouraged and supported to adopt similar frameworks.

5. Strengthening risk information and data systems.
Effective climate governance requires reliable, coordinated data. The program will consolidate existing information on disaster and climate risks into a national system that supports decision-making across ministries and local authorities. Improved data governance is considered a foundational element for long-term resilience.

Building on two decades of institutional progress

Morocco has significantly upgraded its disaster-risk management framework over the last twenty years. Reforms include the transformation of the Natural Disaster Fund into a Risk Reduction Fund in 2017, the creation of a dedicated national directorate in 2020, and the launch of the first ten-year strategy covering 2021–2031.

The Fund has already co-financed more than 270 risk-reduction projects totaling $376 million, mainly at the local level. However, the scale of climate challenges requires a more ambitious, coordinated, and well-financed response—precisely what the upcoming World Bank program aims to deliver.

A long-term partnership for a more resilient future

The World Bank has supported Morocco’s risk-management efforts since 2010 through financing tools, technical assistance, and sectoral coordination. The new $200 million program will mobilize global expertise, including innovations in nature-based solutions and artificial intelligence, to strengthen Morocco’s preparedness in the face of intensifying climate pressures.

As climate risks continue to rise, the initiative marks a significant step toward consolidating Morocco’s resilience, safeguarding economic progress, and protecting the millions of people living in areas already affected by extreme weather and environmental change.