Morocco and the Republic of Congo have taken a major step forward in deepening their collaboration on environmental protection and sustainable development. On Tuesday, officials from both nations signed a memorandum of understanding in Rabat, aiming to work together on critical issues such as climate change, biodiversity, and the development of green and blue economies.
This agreement was signed during an official visit by the Congo’s Minister of Environment, Sustainable Development, and the Congo Basin. The visit focused on reviewing the progress of key environmental initiatives, including those under the Congo Basin Climate Commission and the Congo Basin Blue Fund, which are essential for environmental governance in Central Africa.
Soudan-Nonault also reviewed plans for upcoming international events, including a donor roundtable and the 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Congo Basin Climate Commission (CBCC), and discussed the CBCC’s role in the forthcoming COP29 summit.
Alongside Soudan-Nonault, who also serves as the CBCC’s Executive Secretary, Morocco’s Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali, signed the memorandum.
This agreement is designed to enhance collaboration between the two countries in environmental governance. It outlines cooperative efforts in areas such as environmental assessment, climate change adaptation, resource management, and biodiversity conservation, while also addressing the advancement of green and blue economies. Additionally, the agreement includes provisions for integrated waste management and wastewater treatment.
In a statement, Minister Benali underscored the importance of this partnership, calling it a crucial step in sharing environmental strategies and experiences between Morocco and the Congo Republic. She stressed the goal of enhancing climate financing to attract more investment to Africa, with a particular focus on Morocco and the Congo.
The meeting also addressed various projects related to waste recycling and the development of green and blue economies. Benali highlighted how these initiatives are vital for the sustainable development of both nations.
Minister Soudan-Nonault expressed her optimism about the partnership, noting that the memorandum will further strengthen the Congo Republic’s collaboration with Morocco in environmental and sustainable development efforts. She emphasized that the agreement covers a wide range of shared interests, including climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation.
This agreement is viewed as a significant outcome of the Congo Basin Climate Commission’s work and represents an important milestone in preparing for COP29. The CBCC, one of three African climate commissions established at the First African Summit of Action for Continental Co-emergence, was launched by King Mohammed VI during COP22 in Marrakech.
