Morocco participated in the inauguration of the eighth India Water Week (IWW) in New Delhi on Tuesday, which will conclude on Friday, Morocco’s News Agency (MAP) reported.
The event serves as an international platform that brings together over 5,000 participants to discuss and address critical issues such as water security, resource sustainability, and resilience against climate risks.
At the opening of the event, India’s President Droupadi Murmu highlighted her country’s commitment to inclusive water resource development and management.
She noted the importance of partnerships and cooperation as essential means to achieve these objectives.
Murmu highlighted an urgent need to address water scarcity as a global challenge and emphasized local community involvement in water and sanitation management to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
The President also cautioned against ineffective management of water resources and urged the responsible use of water, particularly in agriculture, industry, and energy production.
The four-day conference agenda will cover a range of topics, such as collaboration on integrated water resource management, infrastructure challenges, and innovative approaches to managing water-related disasters.
Morocco and India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on December 14, 2023, to strengthen cooperation in the management of water resources.
The MoU addresses key areas, including the conceptualization, design, and maintenance of hydraulic infrastructure, including major dams and water transfer initiatives.
It also includes integrated water resources management, flood and drought prevention, sustainable development, and groundwater management.
The agreement addresses rainwater harvesting, and climate change adaptation, and encourages cooperation between the hydraulic basin agencies of both countries.
The Moroccan-Indian cooperation led to the creation of a joint working group on water resources.
Omar Chafki, Director of the Bouregreg and Chaouia Hydraulic Basin Agency, headed the delegation at the event which included Salaheddine Dahbi, Director of the Oum Er-Rbia Basin Agency; Moulay Driss Hasnaoui, Mission Officer at the Water Research and Planning Directorate; and Moulay Aziz Drissi Yahyaoui, Head of the Cooperation Service.
The group of Moroccan officials joined global experts, decision-makers, and other stakeholders to address principal issues related to the management of water resources.