ANEF and the French Development Agency signed a letter of intent aimed at contributing to the reconstruction and sustainable development efforts of the Toubkal National Park area
HIBAPRESS-RABAT
The National Agency for Water and Forests of Morocco (ANEF) and the French Development Agency (AFD) signed, the day before yesterday Monday in Rabat, a letter of intent aimed at contributing to the reconstruction and sustainable development efforts of the area of the Toubkal National Park.
This letter of intent symbolizes the commitment of the two agencies to extend their collaboration, initiated since 2021 in support of the “Forests of Morocco 2020-2030” strategy through the “Ghabati Hayati” program and the “Conservation of the biodiversity of Ifrane National Park”, by extending their partnership to other areas, notably the area of Toubkal National Park which was affected by the Al Haouz earthquake.
This new program, which should be provided with loan financing of 100 million euros and 2 million euros in grants, will help promote local development by creating economic opportunities, while preserving forest ecosystems.
“This partnership with AFD is dynamic and allowed us to innovate during the first Ghabati Hayati program. From now on we see further and will, together, continue to work on the implementation of the Forests of Morocco 2020-2030 strategy and on the reconstruction and Sustainable Development of the Toubkal National Park area,” indicated the Director General. of ANEF, Abderrahim Houmy.
The approach adopted by AFD and ANEF is based on a long-term vision, which integrates the socio-economic and environmental issues of the region, underlined for his part the French Ambassador to Morocco Christophe Lecourtier, adding that By involving local communities in the development process, both agencies aim to build a more resilient and prosperous future for the Toubkal region.
Through this operation affecting mountain territories, AFD and ANEF will implement new approaches focused on promoting ecological tourism by integrating the knowledge and needs of local populations.
To best respond to the challenges of reconstruction and Sustainable Development, the two agencies will work closely together to identify, design and implement projects aimed at preserving and restoring forest ecosystems.
AFD is also committed to supporting ANEF’s capacity building efforts by providing technical and financial assistance for the development of training programs and the exchange of good practices.
Finally, AFD and ANEF will exchange their knowledge and expertise in areas such as integrated water resources management, conservation and enhancement of biodiversity and adaptation to Climate Change.
