Morocco ready to share its water management experience
Morocco-International, Environment, 9/29/1999

Morocco is ready to share its experience in matters of soft water management with small island countries, part of South-South cooperation.

The statement was made by Morocco's permanent representative to the United Nations, Ahmed Snoussi, during the 20th extraordinary session of the U.N. General Assembly devoted to assessing the sustained development action program for developing island countries.

Snoussi said these countries are facing problems inherent to their geographic location and that these problems cannot be overcome without an efficient international cooperation.

The Moroccan diplomat underlined the role of these countries in preserving the biological diversity of the globe, despite the survival struggle they are constantly waging because of climatic changes and their impact on sea level. These countries are also suffering from soft water resources' scarcity and from the over-exploitation of sea resources, Snoussi said, adding that Morocco is ready to share its experience in matters of soft water management with these countries, part of South-South cooperation.

He also expressed hope that these countries will be helped to have access to the world environment fund and to eco-technologies so that they alleviate greenhouse effects generated by gas emissions, promote renewable energies and struggle against soft water pollution.

Morocco, a country with a semiarid weather, has realized since the early years of independence from France in 1956 the importance of devising an efficient water management policy to spare its growing populations the hazards of the severe drought that hits the country on a cyclic basis.

The water management policy remained, however, shy until 1966. In 1967, a new impetus was given to the dams construction policy, part of an ambitious program geared towards ensuring the irrigation of 1 million hectares in the year 2000.

In addition to irrigating more than 1 million hectares, Morocco's water policy also seeks to produce over 800 million cubic meters annually of drinking and industrial water.

Previous Stories:
  Fisheries professionals oppose renewal of Morocco-EU accord   (9/17/1999)
  Morocco presents water desalination experience in San Diego's international seminar   (9/4/1999)
  Morocco attends US drought commission   (8/9/1999)

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