Drought, Desertification Fighting Observatory to be Set up in Maghreb

A Maghreban drought and desertification fighting observatory will be set up shortly.

The announcement was made by a workgroup that was meeting Wednesday at the headquarters of the Rabat-based secretariat general of the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA).

The observatory will follow up in a scientific way the environment in the Maghreb, scrutinize the effects of drought and propose measures to reduce the consequences of drought and desertification.

The experts also probed means of fostering coordination between Maghreban states to draw maximum benefits from national, regional and international experiences in the field.

The specialized inter-ministerial commission in charge of food security had called at its 11th session, held in Algiers last January, to set up the observatory.