MedWet Project Dialogue on water in the MENA region: upcoming signing of the Menasra Agreement

A mission was undertaken by MedWet Policy Advisor Nejib Benessaiah to Menasra, Morroco o­n 13-19 April 2008 in the framework of the MedWet project Dialogue o­n water governance in agriculture and the interaction with wetlands.

During the mission a number of activities were carried out including among others : the Menasra Agreement and Action Plan were amended according to comments provided by the team working to moderate the process of the dialogue, the project staff, local stakeholders and the legal expert of the project; preparatory work was undertaken to produce a short promotional video of the project.

In addition the mission served as a preparatory meeting towards the National dialogue o­n water where results from the process of the local dialogue in the region of Mnasra will be reported to the national administrations in charge of the water and agriculture sector as well to the authorities of other basins in Morocco.

In the National meeting of the Menasra dialogue an Agreement will be signed representing the key stakeholders in the management of the basin. This legally binding Agreement will provide a framework for the wise use of water resources in the area of Menasra.

 The Menasra Agreement is o­ne of the main outcomes of the dialogue undertaken by the project. Focusing o­n practices of water use the Agreement is the result of a participatory process that will help to put into pratice and support future efforts for good water management. The Agreement of Menasra as well as the participatory diagnosis studies and Action Plan will become available o­nline o­n the website of the project shortly.

The operation of the Menasra Agreement is also expected to support efforts for the conservation of the nearby Ramsar site of Merja Zerga. A number of drives of pressure for the ecosystem of Merja Zerga relate to water practices in Menasra including water quality aspects, soils salinization, pollution by nitrates and pesticides. These concerns were among the hottest issues discussed during the the project that have a direct impact o­n the conservation of the fragile wetlands of the region. 

Among others issues discussed between the MedWet Policy advisor the national facilitation team and staff  of Agence Hydraulique du Bassin du Sebou were the preparation of the National meeting of the Menasra dialogue including working documents, the agenda of the meeting as well as the program for the visit of the Jordanian delegation. Under the project a  dialogue o­n water use focusing in the wetland Al Azraq, Jordan was launched at the same time as the dialogue in Morocco.

 You can read more about the project of Dialogue o­n water governance in agriculture and the interaction with wetlands in the MENA region here

The project is funded by INWENT (German Cooperation).