Morocco’s flood system saves lives and expands coverage
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Abdellah Nassif of Morocco’s Ministry of the Interior explained how his country’s flood warning system has worked since its launch in 2003, and he detailed plans to expand it nationwide.
Morocco began developing the system after deadly floods in 1995, bringing together its national meteorological service, river basin agencies, and local authorities to monitor conditions and issue alerts. Since the system’s implementation, Morocco has experienced similar floods without fatalities, demonstrating the effectiveness of early warnings.
Nassif described Morocco’s approach to natural disaster risk reduction as built on three parts: a legal framework prioritizing proactive risk management, investment in prevention through a Natural Disaster Risk Reduction Fund, and a compensation system for all citizens, using insurance or a solidarity fund. Recently, Morocco evaluated ten years of work on early warnings and disaster response, from 2016 to 2026, to refine its strategies and adapt to changing conditions.
The Moroccan delegation presented this system at a regional disaster preparedness forum in Tunis, hosted by the Arab States Broadcasting Union and organized by the League of Arab States with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. Discussions at the forum centered on moving from warnings to proactive action, and leveraging technology and partnerships. Data presented at the forum showed that Arab countries experienced an average of 1.99 disaster-related deaths per 100,000 people annually between 2015 and 2024.
