This article was automatically translated from HIBAPRESS, the Arabic version:
Hibapress
Mehdia was labeled “City of wetlands” by the Ramsar Convention, marking an important step in the recognition of the efforts made in terms of conservation, involvement of local actors and balanced management of natural resources, announced on Wednesday, Managing Director of the National Agency for Water and Forests (ANEF), Abderrahim Houmy.
After Ifrane in 2022, Mehdia became the second Moroccan city to receive this prestigious label, said Houmy, during a meeting held in Salé under the theme “Protect wetlands for our common future”, on the initiative of The National Agency for Water and Forests (ANEF), in partnership with the Global Fund for Nature (WWF).
This distinction is part of the national strategy “Forests of Morocco 2020-2030” which aims to protect wetlands and strengthen their resilience to increasing pressures, including climate change and urbanization, added Mr. Houmy.
It has also highlighted the essential role of wetlands in water safety, regulation of natural disasters and preserving biodiversity, stressing that 38 Moroccan sites are now registered on the list of wetlands of importance international, testifying to the kingdom’s commitment to these vital ecosystems.
For its part, the director of the Europe and North Africa region at WWF International, Ajay Barai, stressed the importance of a solid partnership and a common vision between the ANEF and WWF to meet environmental challenges and climatic in Morocco.
Recalling the commitment of the fund across 100 countries, he indicated that WWF aspires to strengthen its presence in the kingdom by opening an office, mobilizing local experts and international resources. This ambition aims to amplify projects in the field and to support public policies for a lasting impact for the benefit of biodiversity and local communities, he said.
“Based on inclusive approaches, WWF undertakes to support conservation efforts in Morocco, aligned on the global objectives of the Paris Agreement and the World Cadre for Biodiversity,” continued Mr. Barai.
The director of the French Development Agency (AFD) in Morocco, Quoterie Pincant, arrested on the historic partnership of over 20 years between her agency and the ANEF, who embodies an “exemplary collaboration and multidimensional “in particular in the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable management of ecosystems and the involvement of local actors.
She praised the implementation of structuring programs such as the “Forests of Morocco 2020-2030” strategy and notorious initiatives including the promotion of female forest cooperatives and reforestation. These projects reflect a common ambition to support a harmonious development with nature, she continued.
The AFD director has also considered international dialogue and cooperation to meet environmental challenges, sharing the agency’s commitment to support the ANEF in its future actions.
On the sidelines of this day, several partnership agreements have been signed to preserve and enhance the wetlands of the kingdom.
This is an agreement between the ANEF and WWF to strengthen the conservation of wetlands and implement the global framework for biodiversity at the national level, of a partnership with the Moroccan Federation of Ecological Fisheries to promote The sustainable management of wetlands through recreational fishing, in addition to an agreement with the company protective of animals and nature in Morocco (Spana) and the Chabab Sidi Boughaba cooperative for the ecological catering of Lake Sidi Boughaba.
