Morocco has taken significant steps to improve its disaster risk management capabilities with the support of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The country has adhered to the OECD's 2014 Recommendation on the Governance of Critical Risks, a framework that aims to help countries prepare for and respond to disasters. This move is part of a broader effort by Morocco to strengthen its institutional tools for coordinating disaster risk management.
The OECD has released a report, Tracking Progress in the Governance of Critical Risks, which assesses the progress made by countries in implementing the 2014 recommendation. The report highlights Morocco's creation of a Chief Risk Officer within the Ministry of Interior to coordinate disaster risk management across government and between different levels of government. This role is supported by expert teams working on critical-risk analysis and investment priorities.
Morocco has also established a team to develop a National Risk Observatory, which collects hazard data from multiple organizations with scientific expertise on different hazards and threats. This observatory is a key component of the country's efforts to improve its risk management capabilities. The Ministry of Interior has also expanded the systems that support early warning and risk monitoring, including the creation of a meteorological network with 433 automatic surface observation stations across 44 regional centers.
The country's meteorological network also includes eight meteorological radars, five radiosonde stations, eight lightning-detection systems, and six maritime surveillance radars. These stations provide real-time weather data used to track dangerous conditions and issue early warnings. In July 2026, Morocco announced plans for a nationwide SMS alert system to warn residents in areas exposed to severe weather, developed in coordination with the Interior Ministry.
The national vigilance network now covers all 1,503 territorial collectivities and uses 243 automatic weather stations, while the early-warning window has expanded from 24 to 36 hours. Authorities have also launched vigilance.ma, which provides public alert bulletins and risk maps. This platform aims to improve public awareness and preparedness for disasters.
The OECD report also links Morocco's current work to an OECD-led peer review of its risk management policies. Morocco, Kazakhstan, and Colombia have each undergone an OECD-led peer review since 2017. The report notes that most countries have made progress in risk governance, but it also identifies continuing gaps in preparedness, coordination, risk anticipation, crisis communication, and learning from past disasters.
The report calls for comprehensive, all-hazards and transboundary risk governance, stronger risk assessments and financing frameworks, public awareness and prevention measures, adaptable crisis management systems, and greater transparency and accountability. For Morocco, the country-specific references in the report focus on institutional coordination, risk analysis, data collection, and the follow-up on OECD recommendations.
Key points
- Morocco has created a Chief Risk Officer and a National Risk Observatory to improve its disaster risk management capabilities.
- The country has expanded its meteorological network and early warning systems, including a nationwide SMS alert system.
- The OECD report calls for comprehensive risk governance, stronger risk assessments, and greater transparency and accountability.
