Publication

The IXth WBU World Congress to be held in Morocco and Marrakech

Author: Abdelmalek El Ouazzani

Abdelmalek El Ouazzani The organization of the IXᵉ UMAU World Congress in Morocco, in Marrakech, in collaboration with the Laboratoire de Recherche sur la Coopération Internationale et le Développement (LRCID) of the Faculty of Law, on the themes of multifunctional agriculture, the issue of water and desertification, is symbolic in more ways than one. Morocco is an agricultural country that is also suffering from desertification and the increasing scarcity of water resources, particularly drinking water, from which part of the population does not yet benefit. This also raises the question of the role that agriculture should play in the process of sustainable development. In addition, as part of its commitment to tourism, Morocco is exploring the possibilities offered by rural tourism. It is thus part of a vision of sustainable development, in which a break with the traditional conception of the role of agriculture is becoming a necessity, while the diversification of its functions appears to be a prospect for the future. The congress brought together specialists from Latin America (Cuba, Argentina, Brazil, Nicaragua, Mexico, Costa Rica, Ecuador), Europe (France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Belgium) and North Africa. The issues addressed are, in fact, universal: every state on the planet is concerned, to varying degrees. Indeed, the presence of representatives from three continents among the delegates illustrates this reality. Freshwater resources account for only 3 % of the world's water reserves. Of this 3 %, 70 % is in the form of ice caps. As for the uses to which freshwater is put, 70 % is used for agriculture, 18 % for industry and only 8 % for domestic consumption. Professor at the Marrakech Faculty of Law LRCID - Coordinator of the IXᵉ UMAU World Congress Marrakech - Essaouira, November 26-30, 2007

Date: 2007

Discipline: Public Law and Political Science

Management: Abdelmalek El Ouazzani