The meeting comes in the context of civil society presenting a vision and concept for the event of the Kingdom of Morocco hosting the 2030 World Cup, in partnership with Spain and Portugal, to be an opportunity for investment to achieve an environmental and energy transition for the various cities of the Kingdom to become sustainable cities.
In this context, Aziz El Jannati, National Coordinator of the Moroccan Coalition for Climate and Sustainable Development, considered that the event of organising the 2030 World Cup, in which Morocco is involved, is "a challenge that must be seriously and responsibly contributed to by all segments of society, from official bodies to civil organisations, if we want to make this precious opportunity a societal project in which everyone participates with the same desire for it to be a good beginning for our country".
El Jannati highlighted, in a speech on the occasion, that "the preparations for this sporting event coincide with other projects and initiatives launched by Morocco, requiring the acceleration of the implementation of programmes and commitments covering all environmental, economic, cultural, and social fields".
He stated that "collective engagement is the safety valve for winning this challenge facing Moroccan society at the present time, especially since Morocco is no stranger to organising such global events".
The speaker also called for "the implementation of a participatory approach in rolling out various programmes, whether at the level of infrastructure, or the rehabilitation of cities and public spaces to accommodate future transformations, with the need to benefit from past experiences", recalling in this context the royal directives to the government to engage with civil society, given its role as a partner in shaping, implementing, and monitoring public policies.
For his part, Issam El Ghashi, Vice-President of the Tangier Municipal Council, considered that the city has seen the largest structural project under the wise leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, through what has been achieved within the "Grand Tangier" programme.
After El Ghashi mentioned that the measures taken and the facilities completed have changed the city's landscape, he noted that there is "diligent work despite some public policies that have not been up to par, which will be rectified through solutions under study, particularly concerning the adoption of smart and sustainable transport".
For his part, Abdelrahim El Kessiri, a member of the Moroccan Coalition for Climate and Sustainable Development, stressed the importance of cooperation between the various components of environmental civil society in Morocco to engage in accordance with the high royal directives to make the organisation of the 2030 World Cup "an opportunity for very important investments, and for achieving major and strong transformations in the fields of infrastructure, transport, and sustainable cities".
El Kessiri said in a press statement, "We seek to engage and contribute to this national effort undertaken by governmental and non-governmental institutions to make the hosting of this global event a societal project, and a milestone for developing orientations related to sustainability, resilience, and adaptation to climate change, while implementing infrastructure that aligns with this goal".
Â
Â
