Assahafa.com
The Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests, Ahmed El Bouari, held talks on Monday in Marrakech with the Minister of Water Resources of the People’s Republic of China, Li Guoying, on ways to strengthen multidimensional cooperation in the agricultural and water sectors, with a particular focus on water security and food sovereignty.
During this meeting, which took place in the presence of officials from both ministries on the sidelines of the 19th edition of the World Water Congress, the two parties highlighted the countries’ shared commitment to enhancing water resources as a lever of economic stability and sustainable development in the face of climate challenges and increasing pressure on natural resources.
In this regard, El Bouari and Guoying stressed the need to consolidate the exchange of expertise and technologies in irrigation, water management, and desalination in order to ensure an equitable and efficient allocation of resources among the various hydraulic basins.
In this regard, El Bouari welcomed the agricultural cooperation between Morocco and China, particularly in agronomic research, technology transfer, agricultural modernization, and the development of human and institutional capacities.
He also recalled Morocco’s integration into the Chinese “Belt and Road” initiative in 2017 and the ongoing monitoring of the implementation of the joint cooperation plan under this initiative since January 2022, including “Green Belt” projects aimed at combating desertification and promoting the use of renewable energy.
The Minister noted that Morocco aims to benefit from Chinese expertise in drip irrigation technologies, water filtration, and inter-basin water transfer. He further emphasized the importance of investment in renewable energies and modern agriculture, as well as the establishment of public–private partnerships, highlighting the exchange of know-how and best practices to ensure water and food security and support South–South cooperation efforts in the interests of both countries, while offering promising partnership opportunities in Africa.
For his part, Guoying stated that China is working to develop joint solutions with its partner countries, including Morocco, to address the challenges of climate change and ensure water security. He referred to China’s considerable efforts in the agricultural sector, particularly in water filtration and the adoption of drip irrigation, in addition to advanced technologies and measures aimed at preserving water resources and improving agricultural productivity.
The Chinese Minister noted that Morocco and China face similar challenges in terms of water security, such as the need for desalination projects and equitable water distribution. He stressed that the two countries have strong cooperation potential to identify shared priorities and strengthen the exchange of expertise with a view to promoting sustainable development that serves the interests of both peoples and consolidates water and agricultural infrastructure.
In this context, Guoying underscored the importance of knowledge and experience sharing between China and Morocco to develop concrete partnerships capable of addressing environmental challenges and strengthening food and water security in the region.
At the end of the talks, both parties agreed to continue the transfer of expertise and best practices in the management of water and agricultural resources for the benefit of partners, particularly in Africa, while calling for the strengthening of cooperation and knowledge exchange to ensure the sustainability of infrastructure and meet the future needs of agriculture in both countries.
Source: map
