Water Governance, Relevant Choice for Security Supply of African Cities -Official

The governance of water is a relevant choice to ensure the security of supply of African cities, said Wednesday, Minister of Equipment, Transport, Logistics and Water Abdelkader Amara.

Speaking at a high-level session on water governance in African cities held through video conference by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Amara noted that “the governance of water in African cities is a relevant choice to recall the importance of mobilizing water resources and ensure the security of water supply in African cities.”

The Kingdom has been committed for decades to the mobilization of its water resources, through an approach of anticipatory planning and integrated management, he said.

Besides developing its hydraulic infrastructures including dams, Morocco has built a model of water governance based on a regulatory framework and an institutional organization consisting of a multitude of stakeholders, the Minister explained, highlighting the Kingdom’s integrated, decentralized and participatory management of water resources, which emanates from a specific legislative base.

The Moroccan experience, rich in lessons, shows that water security is the responsibility of a central, regional and local stakeholders, Amara noted.

The Secretary General of the OECD, Angel Gurria noted that the Covid-19 pandemic has underlined the existing challenges in water and sanitation in Africa. 56% of the urban population live in informal areas and do not have access to satisfactory hygiene conditions, he explained.

Climate change, urbanization and population growth will only increase the pressure on water resources, by 2050, nearly 166 million Africans will face water shortages, the official said.

The President of the World Water Council, Loïc Fauchon welcomed Morocco’s progress in the field of water, noting that the Kingdom is “a model” in terms of water resources management.

This high-level session is a contribution to the 9th World Water Forum (Dakar, March 2022) preparatory process. It raises several issues such as the profile of Mayors and City leaders in enhancing water security in Africa and building on the evidence and guidance from two new OECD reports on Water Governance in African Cities and Water Governance in Cape Town, South Africa, prepared as part of the OECD Program on Water Security for sustainable development in Africa.