Water Policy: Royal Speech Identifies Responsibility as Prerequisite to Achieve Major Projects

Beni-Mellal - His Majesty King Mohammed VI's Throne Day Speech identifies responsibility as a prerequisite to lead the major water projects to success, said Oum Er Rbia Water Basin Agency (ABHOER) president, Hassan Maaouni.The Royal Speech presents strong answers to water issues and calls on everyone to act urgently and responsibly to combat water stress," Maaouni told MAP, recalling the importance of coordination not only horizontally but also transversally to complete ongoing projects or those scheduled regardless of the climatic situation or rainfall.The Speech set priorities and pointed out the barriers holding up the implementation of projects, including the lack of coordination between the stakeholders in the water issue and the delay in implementing some projects, as well as the importance of applying good governance in water management and exploitation.Citing the priorities set out in the Royal Speech, Maaouni, former Minister of Water and Forests, stressed the need to tackle these obstacles by speeding up the widespread use of drip systems and completing the water interconnection project called for by the Sovereign in order to lay the foundations for inter-regional solidarity and to implement water projects with set timetables.Maaouni pointed out that this historic speech gives detailed responses in line with the country's water situation, calling for intensified upstream work to collect rainwater through the construction of small basins in homes and on farms, as well as the maintenance of rivers and springs which, under the effect of evaporation, can induce considerable water losses.Source: Agence Marocaine De Presse