North African water security infrastructure development

North African nations are expanding hydraulic infrastructure and desalination capabilities to combat water scarcity. In Tunisia, the Sidi Abdelhamid seawater desalination plant in Sousse became operational on October 16, 2026. With an initial capacity of 50,000 cubic meters per day, the 133 million dinar facility is designed to eventually reach 100,000 cubic meters daily to support approximately 3.7 million residents in the Sahel region. In Algeria, efforts to secure water include the operation of 82 dams and the development of 18 large-scale water transfer projects, such as a pipeline connecting Tanezrouft to Tizawaten. Desalination currently meets about 40% of Algeria’s national needs through 31 active stations. Morocco is working toward a national storage capacity of 24 billion cubic meters by the end of 2027 through the completion of 14 large dams. The Moroccan government also plans to expand desalination to exceed 1.8 billion cubic meters annually by 2031, potentially covering 60% of drinking water needs. As part of this strategy, the Dakhla seawater desalination plant has been identified as a strategic royal project to strengthen water and food security in the southern provinces. Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests, Khalid Hatiemi, confirmed the facility will have an annual production capacity of approximately 37 million cubic meters, allocating 30 million cubic meters for agricultural irrigation and 7 million cubic meters for drinking water. As of October 30, 2026, the Dakhla project in the Bir Anzarane area is nearing completion, with construction progress reported at approximately 97 to 99 percent. The facility integrates a desalination plant with a 60 megawatt wind power station for sustainable production.