For the most part, African cities are evolving at the pace of water shortages. They owe this situation in particular to drought, which leads to a significant reduction in rainfall, despite the fact that this is necessary to recharge water reserves. The Moroccan city of Fez, which is hosting the Third International Conference on Water and Climate (ICCS 3) from 6 to 7 July 2023, is no exception. According to the United Nations (UN), its annual per capita volume of freshwater is barely 500 cubic metres, compared with 2,500 m3 in 1960, and the same is true throughout Morocco.
One way of avoiding the complete disappearance of water resources in Morocco and other drought-stricken countries is to improve the management of water basins. This resilience solution was also the reason for choosing the theme of ICCS 3, entitled “Basin management, the key to adaptation and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”. For the record, river basins or catchment areas collect and store water resources, making them important reservoirs. They also allow water to circulate beneath the surface of the ground, draining off and joining other watercourses.
During the two-day meeting organised by the Moroccan Ministry of Public Works and Water, in collaboration with the International Network of Basin Organisations (INBO) and the World Water Council (WWC), leaders from around the world, international organisations, donors and basin organisations (national and transboundary) will be invited to share their experiences in managing water basins.
In all, five sessions are planned to discuss this crucial issue of water security in the face of climate change. They are entitled “Innovation and technologies for water saving”, “Groundwater management: challenges and prospects”, “Water governance: for greater cross-sectoral coherence”, “Mobilisation of water resources: what account should be taken of the real cost of water? and “Commitments by and for the basins: for the establishment of the 2030 Water Agency”.
“ICCS 3 will also be an opportunity to make new commitments to complete and enrich the Dakar Action Plan for the basins of lakes, rivers and aquifers, which emerged from the High-Level Segment devoted to basins and their management at the Dakar World Water Forum, in order to come up with useful and concrete solutions”, says the International Office for Water (OiEau), which will also be taking part in the Third International Conference on Water and Climate in the city of Fez.
Inès Magoum