"Morocco's experience in preserving historic urban heritage is pioneering, and we commend HM King Mohammed VI's commitment, which demonstrates that the first commitment to preserving this legacy can only come from the States themselves," said Dia in an interview with MAP, on the sidelines of a regional conference under the theme "Housing rehabilitation in historic settlements in the Arab region: Challenges and opportunities".

He added that institutions such as the IDB, UNESCO and UN-Habitat can support this project, but the fine example set by Morocco has shown that the bedrock of heritage preservation must emanate from the willingness and commitment of the State itself.

Dia said that such an approach can only encourage other partners to join in this effort, and to work within the framework of a collective approach, describing Morocco's investment in this area as "colossal".

He also expressed his delight at having visited the Medina (old town) of Marrakech, to see for himself all the work accomplished and the efforts made by the Moroccan government under the leadership of His Majesty the King in this field. "We're going to continue learning from this great experience, to let other countries know the importance of this commitment at local level," he said.

"This would also enable us to think about the sustainability of solutions," explained Dia, believing that it is no longer appropriate to continue to think that solutions come from abroad. "Morocco's willingness to take action to preserve its heritage is an encouraging factor for us, and shows us the way forward," he added.

Turning to the continent-wide efforts to preserve its cultural, architectural and urban heritage, he pointed out that Africa is a continent of wealth and diversity, with an extremely rich and diverse cultural heritage.

He also welcomed the choice of Marrakech as the venue for the Conference, a thousand-year-old city which, like other Arab cities, has a rich urban heritage of cultural and historical importance that must be preserved.

The September 8 earthquake in Morocco "reminds us of the importance of ensuring that this heritage is preserved for future generations,” he concluded.

Organized by UN-Habitat, the IDB and UNESCO, in collaboration with the Ministry of National Planning, Urban Development and City Policy, and with the support of the Union for the Mediterranean and the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage, the three-day conference brings together over 40 experts from 10 Arab countries.

The meeting aims to exchange international experiences, highlight best practices and define a roadmap for housing rehabilitation in historic urban settlements in the Arab region.

It is part of a project to take stock of the housing situation in historic settlements in selected countries in the Arab region, including Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Bahrain, Egypt, Yemen, Jordan, Tunisia, Lebanon and the Sultanate of Oman.