APA-Rabat (Morocco) – In 2023, Morocco completed the adoption of integrated water resources development masterplans (PDAIRE) for its 10 water basin agencies.
At the 10th World Water Forum in Bali, Indonesia, Morocco’s Minister of Public Works and Water, Nizar Baraka, highlighted the country’s progress in integrated water resources management.
Opening the high-level political segment dedicated to water basins, Mr. Baraka presented the National Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation Programme (2020-2027), which devotes $14 billion to water and food security, and mentioned plans to build seawater desalination plants to multiply the kingdom’s water reserves by a factor of 7.
By 2023, Morocco completed the adoption of master plans for the integrated development of water resources (PDAIRE) for its 10 water basin agencies, said Baraka.
He also highlighted the introduction of groundwater contracts to conserve groundwater and ensure fair sharing between users.
Speaking on behalf of the International Network of Basin Organisations (INBO), which he chairs, Baraka stressed the importance of basin management in ensuring water and food security and achieving sustainable development goals. He recalled the recommendations of the Fez Call to Action, resulting from the 3rd International Conference on Water and Climate in July 2023, which aims to promote the exchange of best practices in water resources management.
He also stressed the need to improve cross-sectoral management, in particular between the water, energy and food sectors. The high-level political segment panels produced recommendations on governance, planning, financing, trans-boundary cooperation, information systems and ecological security at the basin level. These recommendations will be included in the INBO Action Plan for 2024-27.
The High-Level Political Segment also launched the ‘Twin Basin’ initiative, a programme for the exchange of experience and capacity building among experts in water resources management in the basin.
The event concluded with the signing of two Memoranda of Understanding, one between the Network of Asian River Basin Organisations (NARBO) and INBO, and the other between the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources and INBO.
Loïc Fauchon, President of the World Water Council, Basuki Hadimuljono, Indonesian Minister of Public Works and Housing, LI Guoying, Chinese Minister of Water Resources, and Hani Sweilam, Egyptian Minister of Water and Sanitation, were among the personalities who attended the event.
RT/ac/lb/as/APA