Preserving the environment and improving the living environment of the inhabitants of Kenitra now constitute one of the major priorities. On the occasion of World Environment Day, and as part of the implementation of the pilot programme for the promotion of the ecological canvas bag, Zineb El Adaoui, Wali of Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen and Governor of the province, presided last Friday over the launch ceremony of the second campaign for the distribution of canvas bags in the city.

On this occasion, she gave a speech during which she emphasised the need to consolidate the values linked to the preservation of the environment and sustainable development in accordance with the clauses of the National Charter for the Environment launched by HM King Mohammed VI in 2009. "This meeting is part of a process of concrete measures inspired by constitutional provisions regarding good local governance and approaches linked to sustainable development, making the preservation of the environment a major concern with economic and social dimensions", she stressed. Addressing representatives of civil society and the stakeholders concerned, Zineb El Adaoui wished to recall that this campaign constitutes an extension of the global programme for the preservation of the environment and the cleanliness of the city launched by the Wilaya on 13 May 2014, around the theme "Together for the preservation of the cleanliness of our city". It should be noted that the pilot programme for the promotion of the ecological canvas bag, developed by the Minister Delegate in charge of the Environment and the Minister Delegate in charge of General Affairs and Governance, aims to promote viable alternative solutions aimed at acting on consumer behaviour, by reducing the use of plastic bags. It has set itself the objectives of encouraging the production and use of canvas bags that are not harmful to the environment and health, strengthening the production capacities of cooperatives through support for self-employment and improving the income of cooperative members, consolidating the capacities of local associations and raising public awareness regarding the dangers of using plastic bags and modes of consumption that respect the environment. This programme, which is part of sustainable development, harmoniously associating social economy and preservation of the environment through the production of approximately 3 million ecological canvas bags, will necessarily allow for the improvement of the income of nearly 150 cooperatives.

At the level of the city of Kenitra, this large-scale operation involved 4 regional cooperatives and 3 local associations.

In this regard, 22,000 ecological bags will be distributed to the inhabitants of the various neighbourhoods of the capital of Gharb. In order to guarantee every chance of success for this programme, all the actors concerned have been associated with it. Don't we say that our environment and our attitude are the result of our choices?

War declared on plastic bags: The national pilot programme to support the production and distribution of fabric bags was the subject of an agreement in 2013 between the Ministries of Energy, Mines, Water and Environment and General Affairs and Governance on the one hand, and cooperatives working in the field of sewing on the other. With a budget of 70 million dirhams jointly financed by the Ministry in charge of General Affairs (50 million dirhams) and the Ministry of Energy (20 million dirhams), the programme will make it possible to mobilise local associations in the free distribution of fabric bags to families in 26 cities of the Kingdom, as well as to raise awareness among these households about the sustainable use of these bags. As an indication, the national programme for the collection and elimination of plastic bags required a budget of 80 million dirhams during the 2011-2012 period. More than 1,200 and 1,000 tonnes of bags were collected respectively during the first and second year.