Water-related issues and uncertainties like climate change constitute a major challenge for the Mediterranean countries, zones of geographical and climatic transition prone to a lot of problems mainly water shortage, Princess Lalla Hasna said at the opening of the International Symposium on Water and Wetlands in the Mediterranean.

Before around 200 participants at the conference held under the patronage of HM King Mohammed VI, Princess Lalla Hasna called for finding innovative and smart solutions to the pressing need of providing water resources necessary to meet the requirements of development, especially regarding urban extension, demographic development, climate change and pollution.

 HRH deemed that the countries in the Mediterranean region are responsible for promoting cooperation and partnership to ensure the conservation and durability of water resources.

Concerning wetlands, which are fragile and over-exploited ecosystems, Princess Lalla Hasna underlined that the challenge resides in the fact of ensuring coherence between the strategic choices of these resources’ conservation and development, and the daily needs and interests.

 Morocco is continuously striving to reconcile economic and human development with the concern of safeguarding and protecting its biodiversity, affirmed the chairwoman of the Mohammed VI Foundation for the Protection of the Environment.
 
“Environment issues are a main concern for us and are integrated into our development programs,” she said, recalling the Kingdom’s pioneer policy in relation with the mobilization of water resources with a reservoir capacity of 18 billion m3 and over 130 dams.

Morocco is also rich with wetlands, including 84 ones classified as sites of biological and ecological interest, and 24 as Ramsar sites. Stretching over 200,000 hectares, these zones hosts over 700 species of vascular plants and over 1400 vertebrate species.
 
HRH hoped that the symposium comes up with tools and mechanisms for the implementation of action programs and for regional and international cooperation to ensure the durability of these ecosystems.