The speakers at this session, under the theme “Regional Governments, Climate Challenges and Resilience”, underlined the need to equip ourselves with the human and financial resources necessary to fight against climate change, cope with natural hazards and reduce risks for people. companies.
Other levers were mentioned by the panelists to promote this resilience, including the imperative to expand climate education, knowing that only 23 to 66% of the population has heard of climate change, knows its causes and its consequences .
In this context, the secretary general of the International Group of Climate Experts (Switzerland), Abdallah Moksitt, focused on the challenges of the climate crisis and its health and migration consequences, emphasizing that good governance and the effectiveness of institutions are two essential pillars for the effectiveness of any policy to combat climate change.
The international expert also called for adopting a favorable legislative framework and an inclusive, equitable and integrated strategy, strengthening cross-border cooperation and consultation within public authorities for adaptation to climate change based on ecosystems and financing knowledge, research, management, noting that only 3.8% of global research funds are devoted to Africa.
Same story for the president of the Council of the Draa-Tafilalet Region, Hro Abrou, who focused on the experience of Morocco, based on the capitalization of know-how in the matter of populations, the institutionalization of climate governance and convergence, collective awareness, synergy and federation of stakeholders at regional and local level.
The Kingdom has an ambitious perspective for the fight against climate change which has materialized through several strategies, national plans and policies including the Climate Change Policy in Morocco (PCCM), he noted, estimating that the actions in the fight against Climate Change are only effective if they are in line with local specificities.
According to the local manager, it proved necessary in a context of advanced regionalization to launch a territorial dynamic to fight against climate change.
Other African experiences in the fight against climate change were presented during this panel, including the experience of the council of the Nouakchott Region in the management of natural and human risks aggravated by climatic hazards and that of governments of States in Nigeria in the area of climate resilient planning and development, taking into account health, climate and migration issues.
Organized from September 8 to 10 under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, by the Association of Regions of Morocco (ARM), in collaboration with the United City and Local Government of Africa Organization (UCLG Africa), and the Oriental Regional Council, with the support of the Ministry of the Interior (Directorate General of Territorial Communities -DGCT-), this first FORAF meeting sees the participation of more than 20 African countries adopting a decentralized system, with the presence of around 85 presidents of African regions.