Beni Mellal – Last Monday, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) was awarded the 8th King Hassan II Great World Water Prize at the 10th World Water Forum held in Bali, Indonesia.
The award, which includes a $500,000 prize, a trophy, and a certificate, recognizes FAO’s outstanding efforts in the protection, preservation, and sustainable management of water resources.
The prize was presented to FAO Director-General QU Dongyu by Aziz Akhannouch, Head of the Moroccan Government, in the presence of Nizar Baraka, Minister of Equipment and Water, and Loïc Fauchon, President of the World Water Council.
The theme of this year’s prize was on “Securing Water Resources for Food Sovereignty and Shared Prosperity,” and it received 84 high-quality entries dedicated to water issues.
In his acceptance speech, QU Dongyu expressed his gratitude for the recognition of FAO’s contributions to global water security. He highlighted the organization’s recent efforts to integrate water into its Strategic Framework 2022-31, Climate Change and Science and Innovation thematic strategies, as well as across all of FAO’s work.
The FAO Director-General also mentioned the organization’s support for member countries in sustainable agriculture development and water management, including the development of National Water Roadmaps, irrigation needs and potential mapping, flood impact assessments, and risk management.
The King Hassan II Great World Water Prize was established in 2002 as a joint initiative between the World Water Council and Morocco to honor the memory of King Hassan II for his actions towards international cooperation and the sustainable management and preservation of water resources.
The prize is awarded every three years during a special ceremony held at the World Water Forum.
The opening ceremony of the 10th World Water Forum also featured the screening of an institutional film on water in Morocco, recalling the Kingdom’s honor of hosting the first edition of the forum in Marrakech in 1997.
The Moroccan delegation at the forum was led by Aziz Akhannouch, Head of Government, accompanied by Nizar Baraka, Minister of Equipment and Water.
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