The Ministry Delegate in charge of the Environment is organising, on 24 January, in partnership with the Ministry of the Interior, a seminar on the role of research institutions in strategic planning. The objective of this seminar is to launch the debate on the role of research institutions in the strategic planning process integrating environmental, local and global issues, at the level of the Tangier-Tetouan region.

In this regard, the two departments had jointly conducted a diagnostic study to assess the situation regarding the integration of the environment into local strategic planning. The said study revealed certain shortcomings, notably a lack of competence in integrating the environment into strategic planning at the level of territorial collectivities, hence the need to carry out priority actions aimed at overcoming the identified shortcomings.

Among the proposed actions, it is worth mentioning the need to strengthen training programmes for executives and technicians of territorial collectivities, by encouraging training aimed at integrating environmental concerns into local planning. The second action consists of developing pools of experts capable of providing the necessary support and technical assistance to territorial actors, in particular territorial collectivities, to best fulfil their mission as a driver of sustainable territorial development.

"In this context, and within the framework of the support of 'Local Environmental Governance through the environmental management and protection programme' (a programme of the Ministry Delegate for the Environment with the support of the German Agency for International Cooperation - GIZ), one is often challenged by the weakness of the integration of the university and research into local management," indicate the organisers.