Laila Benali: Morocco Enters a New Era of Environmental Sovereignty Through the 2035 Strategy
Morocco has entered a new phase in its sustainable development journey with the launch of an updated environmental strategy that extends to 2035. Laila Benali, the Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, presented the key aspects of this document to a parliamentary committee, emphasizing that the kingdom is engaging in a new dynamic to achieve a balance between economic growth and the preservation of natural resources.
The new version follows a comprehensive review of the previous strategy adopted in 2017. The evaluation revealed clear progress in coordination among sectors, prioritization, and the establishment of a digital platform to track implementation. However, it also highlighted gaps, such as the absence of local monitoring tools, challenges in measuring certain indicators, and the inadequacy of some measures in light of the rapid transformations in public policies.
The new strategy is based on six transformation areas: protecting environmental resources, ensuring equitable access to services, accelerating the transition to a green economy, enhancing energy, water, and food security, reducing regional disparities, and safeguarding cultural heritage. These areas are activated through five levers: developing human capital, accelerating digital transformation, supporting innovation, reforming the legal and tax systems, and mobilizing green finance.
The minister clarified that this document is not merely an administrative plan but a result of extensive national consultations. Regional forums included various areas of the kingdom, and input was gathered from civil society, the private sector, and Moroccans abroad through an open digital platform.
The strategy establishes a multi-level governance system. A national committee chaired by the Prime Minister oversees the implementation, alongside regional and sectoral committees, with a financial programming model updated every three years and periodic updates of performance indicators every two years. This structure aims to ensure the continuity and effectiveness of implementation.
In the waste management sector, Benali revealed the results of the 2008-2022 program, which achieved a waste collection rate of 96%, rehabilitated 67 landfills, and executed dozens of regional plans. The program’s investments amounted to 21 billion dirhams, with the ministry contributing 3.1 billion dirhams of that total.
The new vision for waste management extends to 2034, focusing on reducing landfill rates, enhancing recycling, and utilizing waste for energy production. An agreement with the cement sector to produce alternative fuel (RDF) is a cornerstone of this approach, supported by technical assistance from the World Bank, with investments exceeding 21 billion dirhams.
The minister stressed that the import of recyclable waste is subject to strict legal regulations under Law No. 28.00. Between 2021 and 2025, the ministry granted 136 licenses, mostly for importing tires, with the remainder for plastics, textiles, and other materials.
Benali’s message was clear: the environmental transition is not a sector-specific task assigned to a single ministry but a shared national endeavor that requires collective engagement from government institutions, civil society, and the private sector. Morocco, she stated, is strengthening its leadership in the environmental field at both regional and international levels, drawing on royal directives, the new development model, and the United Nations’ principles of sustainable development.
