Join on WhatsApp
Join on Telegram
Rabat – As part of the ongoing UN Water Conference Morocco’s Minister of equipment and water, Nizar Baraka met today Israeli Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology Ofir Akunis, to discuss deepening the cooperation between the two countries.
The officials’ meeting is the first since Israel’s new government, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, took office.
“This is the first meeting between ministers of the two governments since the establishment of the [new Israeli] government,” Israeli outlet i24 quoted an official statement as saying.
The ongoing UN Water Conference–the first to take place in five decades– is taking place in New York between 22-24 March.
Co-hosted by the Netherlands and Tajikistan, the UN 2023 Water Conference brought together international stakeholders and global actors from all sectors.
According to the World Economic Forum, the conference aims to fast-track action on water security, highlight game-changing initiatives, and set commitments for governments and businesses around the world.
Read Also: King Mohammed VI Calls for Fresh Approaches to Tackle Water Scarcity
During the conference, Morocco shared the experiences and best practices it has accumulated in the field of water management.
على هامش مؤتمر الأمم المتحدة للمياه 2023 @UN_Water، المنظم بمدينة نيويورك، شارك السيد نزار بركة @nizar_baraka، وزير التجهيز والماء، عشية يومه الأربعاء، في الحوار التفاعلي 2 pic.twitter.com/xDslm0ZNJV
— Ministère de l’Equipement et de l’Eau (@Equipement_Eau) March 23, 2023
Baraka shed light on the country’s national policy and strategy in the field of Water Resources Management (WRM), stressing that such policies have enabled Morocco to meet its water needs.
بمدينة نيويورك، في افتتاح مؤتمر الأمم المتحدة للمياه 2023، حيث حظيت بشرف ترأس الوفد المغربي.
كما شاركت بصفتي رئيس الشبكة الدولية لمنظمة الأحواض في لقاء هامشي حول الاستدامة في الإدارة الرشيدة لموارد المياه الجوفية.#WaterAction#نبقاو_متواصلين#المغرب pic.twitter.com/8miQEZ3NXs— Nizar Baraka (@nizar_baraka) March 22, 2023
Baraka also emphasized Morocco’s experience in dam construction, noting that the country has 152 large dams with a total storage capacity of more than 19 billion cubic meters.
Morocco has in recent years launched many projects to address the water crisis that had been affecting all sectors of the country’s economic growth.
In January 2020, the kingdom launched its 2020-2027 National Priority Program for Water, which includes, among other projects, the construction of seawater desalination plants and the implementation of a stronger water efficiency policy.
During the opening of the legislative year in 2022, King Mohammed VI called for shared responsibility and “diligent handling” of water, as well as “greater efforts to ensure rational, responsible use of water.”
