Morocco, Spain to bolster environment protection through debt reconversion

Morocco and Spain have voiced determination to bolster cooperation in matters of environment protection in a decentralized frame and to use the mechanisms of Moroccan debt reconversion to carry out environment protection and lasting development projects.

A joint statement made public Tuesday at a press conference in Rabat on the occasion of the visit to Morocco by Spanish minister of environment, Ms Isabel Tocino, said the two sides convened to focus their cooperation on improvement of urban environment and reducing industry-generated pollution.

The two sides also pledged to implement the conventions related to biodiversity, humid zones, climatic changes and struggle against desert encroachment.

Moroccan-Spanish cooperation will also include campaigns to promote public awareness and education through backing the two countries' NGOs dealing with environment protection and the setting up of environmental education centers.

Ms Tocino and Moroccan minister of territory development, environment, urbanism and housing, Mohamed El Yazghi, agreed to examine the possibility to set up a regional observatory that will provide environment-related information in real time to the two countries as well as to other countries in the region.

The two sides also discussed the possibility to set up a Mediterranean observatory to monitor the quality of sea waters in Mediterranean and a Moroccan-Spanish joint body that will be in charge of monitoring and preventing environment and major hazards.

Besides her talks with El Yazghi, the Spanish official conferred with several members of the Moroccan government, including minister of foreign affairs and cooperation and minister in charge of water and forests.