“I would like to come into Morocco, for its very visionary policies” that rely on water conservation and storage, Kőrösi said in an interview with M24, MAP’s 24-hour news channel, on the occasion of the United Nations 2023 Water Conference, to be held on March 22-24 at the headquarters of the international organization.
He said that “water storage is one of the key elements in renewing our water and climate policies,” noting that the storage of this vital source can be done in in many ways, including building reservoirs to store more water in the ecosystem, or to store more water in the aquifers.
This strategy, which includes a rationalized water use water and increasing the number of dams, “will greatly help” Morocco’s economic and social development, added the president of the UN General Assembly, stressing that the Kingdom has a “very wise water policy.”
At the UN conference on water held for the first time in over five decades, Morocco will be represented by the Minister of Equipment and Water Nizar Baraka leading a large delegation. On this occasion, the Kingdom intends to reiterate its constant commitment and to plead with the international community for a better consideration of the water issue in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Morocco also plans to reaffirm its ties with its partners, while expressing its willingness to share its experiences and best practices accumulated in the water field, within the framework of a solidary and active cooperation.
Referring to the challenges of this international conference for Africa, which is struggling with the impact of climate change and a succession of droughts and floods, the President of the UN General Assembly said that the countries of the continent will have the opportunity to propose “their own strategies with their own visions” on how to integrate water and climate policies.
It is also for African countries to discuss how to align finances with projects and how to improve the education system and strengthen cooperation with international partners in water management, he added.
The UN official also called for creating a global voter information system to train more experts, believing that these steps will benefit developing countries, including Africa. “Africa definitely needs to improve its pool of experts,” he said.
He also expressed the hope that the conference would be a “real, historic watershed moment,” similar to the one that led to the Paris climate agreement in 2015.
The UN Water Conference 2023, which will bring together heads of state and government, ministers and stakeholders, will be dedicated to the in-depth mid-term review of the implementation of the goals of the Decade for Action on Water 2018-2028, which was proclaimed by the UN GA, in December 2016.
The program of this event includes plenary meetings, a general debate, high-level interactive dialogues dedicated to water in relation to health, development, climate, resilience, environment and international cooperation, side events as well as exhibitions.
