UNEP Executive Director praises Morocco's leadership in addressing environmental challenges

The Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Inger Andersen, praised on Wednesday in Rabat Morocco’s leadership and its strong commitment to addressing the many environmental challenges currently facing the world.

“I have had the great pleasure of visiting several Moroccan cities and seeing firsthand Morocco’s true leadership in all areas related to the environment,” Andersen welcomed in an interview granted to MAP on the sidelines of her visit to the Kingdom.

Praising Morocco’s “very open” approach and strong commitment to addressing the environmental challenges facing the world today, the UN official said she was “very impressed” by the efforts and measures taken by the Kingdom to address the climate crises shaking the entire planet.

As a coastal economy and a country exposed to the effects of CO 2 emissions generated by other states, Morocco is convinced of the importance of acting as a climate leader,” she said, referring to her visit to the Noor Ouarzazate complex, a pioneering project resulting from the wise vision of HM King Mohammed VI.

With regard to the loss of biodiversity, another global crisis, Morocco is once again very committed, according to Andersen.

The Kingdom has launched a forestry investment program focused on reforestation, with the aim of achieving 600,000 hectares of additional forest by 2030, the UNEP Executive Director recalled, once again praising the “courage” of Moroccan initiatives to combat forest fires, which are already a reality facing the whole world as a result of climate change.

With regard to pollution and waste, Andersen highlighted the various initiatives launched by the Kingdom in this field, noting that Morocco, like the rest of the world, faces a number of challenges that it has never failed to address.

She stressed that “Morocco does not live on victimhood, but on proactive engagement and the search for solutions. It is truly a leader on three fronts: the climate crisis; the crisis of biodiversity loss, including desertification; and the crisis of pollution and waste.”

The UN official also praised Morocco’s spirit of solidarity on the environment.

The way Morocco engages with its African neighbors and the continent as a whole is very impressive and interesting, she said, citing as an example the opening of the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University of Benguerir to African students to provide support and opportunities for Africa.

Stressing the need to accelerate investments in renewable energy, Andersen recalled that Morocco already has 100% access to energy, but that many African countries are still far from achieving this.

The UNEP Executive Director is visiting Morocco at the head of a large delegation on the occasion of the meeting of the Bureau of the 6th session of the UN Conference on the Environment, chaired by the Kingdom of Morocco.