The Sahara and Sahel Observatory, represented by its Executive Secretary Mr. Khatim Kherraz, participates in the International Summit on Water Security to be held on October 1-3, in Marrakech, under the theme "Participatory and Innovative Management of the Basin", in order to discuss different aspects of the water issue, at the local, regional and global levels, and particularly the challenges related to water insecurity.
Initiated under the High Patronage of King Mohammed VI, by the Ministry of Equipment, Transport, Logistics and Water, jointly with the International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO) and the International Institute for Water, Environment and Health (GIWEH), this summit is part of the process of preparatory events for the 9th World Water Forum to be held in March 2021 in Dakar.
This summit aims to mobilize more than 500 national and international experts from the public and private sectors in the field of water, including Ministers in charge of the water sector, the institutional and financial actors and representatives of civil society. Download the press release.
The agenda of this summit includes a high-level ministerial session on water security in relation to social peace, economic development and the need for coordination of public policies, as well as five working sessions dealing with various topics namely, "Nexus Water-Energy-Food Security", "Water management in the context of climate change", "Knowledge and innovation in the field of water", "Hydro-diplomacy, international and transboundary cooperation for water security" and" Financing ". The 11th INBO General Assembly will also be held during this Summit.
The OSS intervention is scheduled for 2 October 2019, during session 4 on "Hydro-diplomacy, international and transboundary cooperation for water security". The introduction and moderation of the session will be provided by Ms. Sonja Koeppel, Secretary of the Water Convention, Co-Secretary of the Water and Health Protocol, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, around a panel composed of Ms. Alexandra Moreira, Secretary General of the transboundary Amazon river basin organization, Mr. Mazen Ghuneim, Minister of Water, Palestine, Ms. Koeppel, Secretary of the Water Protocol, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, Mr. Mazen Ghuneim, Minister of Water, Palestine; Hannele Pokka, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Finland, Mr. Khatim Kherraz, Executive Secretary, Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS), Dr. Mamadou II Diaby, Secretary General, Organisation for the Development of the Senegal River (OMVS) and Mr. Abdelmajid Naimi, Director General, Tensift Water Basin Agency, Morocco.
INBO is a non-governmental organization based in Paris, working to promote the exchange of experiences and the development of mechanisms for efficient water management at the basin national and local levels.
GIWEH is a Geneva-based institute that brings together scientists and academics and works to strengthen the links between policy and scientists in the fields of water and the environment, to promote positive change in governance patterns and foster knowledge sharing.
Water resources and especially shared groundwater is one of the main lines of intervention of the OSS, which will not fail, during this summit, to reaffirm its role of support to the countries of its zone of action, for a more sustainable management of their water resources through reliable and up-to-date information enabling them to make appropriate decisions and meet the water needs of the populations.