International Network for Basin Organizations
MOROCCO
PROJECT OF A WATER LAW
The essential texts concerning water go back to the first decades of the XXth century.
They were prepared according to the requirements and the circumstances in such a way that the present Moroccan regulations related to water are made up of a group of scattered texts, updated in stages and at different dates. These water rules are no longer adapted to the modern organization of the country.
This is why remodeling the regulations and their conversion into a unique law, the Water Law, is necessary. It must constitute the legal basis for the country's water policy and attain the following objectives:
- coherent and flexible planning
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for water resource utilization, not only at river basin level but also at national level,
- optimum development and sound management
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of all water resources taking into account the order of priority given by the national water masterplan,,
- water resources management
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within a geographical unit, the river basin, introducing a major change which will facilitate the design and implementation of a decentralized water management,
- global protection
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also quantitative and qualitative preservation of public water resources,
- adequate water management
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that will facilitate the control of utilization and operation, by associating public authorities and users to decision-making in the water field.
To reach these objectives and reinforce the existing institutional framework related to water management, the Water Law under preparation, provides for the creation of River Basin Agencies, legal and self-financed public corporations. Their mission will be to assess, plan and manage water resources at river basin level. These agencies will offer loans, subsidies and financial aid to any person investing in activities dealing with water resources development or preservation. Their means would come from the recovery of water charges from water users, from loans, subsidies and donations.
Extract from the "Water Law", published in the Kingdom of Morocco's official report of September 20, 1995
TURKEY
FRENCH AND TURKISH SEMINAR
The first French-Turkish seminar on river basin management took place in Ankara on September 4-6, 1995, on the initiative of both French and Turkish Ministries for the Environment.
This seminar was successful, it gathered about a hundred participants representing 28 Turkish organizations concerned.
It was the opportunity for an exchange of experiences on the policies established in both countries regarding water resources management and dealing with institutional, administrative, technical and financial aspects, in relation to the organization at river basin level, municipal services and coastal protection in particular.
The main lines of action for a multiannual French-Turkish cooperation programme for inland water resources management were brought out. These actions would be implemented:
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- at central level, provided that support is granted, for preparing a law draft to be presented by the Turkish Ministry for the Environment, and for setting up a Turkish Data Bank on water resources,
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- at an experimental river basin levelwhere a pilot project for the adapted organization of an integrated water resources management would be launched. This river basin will be chosen by the Turkish authorities, probably in the Mediterranean area to be an example and driving force for other interested Mediterranean countries.
A top-level Turkish delegation should come to France during the first semester of 1996 to meet executives of Water Agencies, IOW, municipalities, industries and associations of irrigation users.
Nesrin Algan
Ministry of Environment
Fax : (90-312) 285 37 39
JORDAN-YARMOUK
An article on the "Building a Legal Regime for the Jordan-Yarmouk River System - Lessons from Other International Rivers" by Nurit Kliot was published in the Spring 1995 issue of "Transboundary Resources Report". This article aims at presenting possible regimes, as reflected by treaties and agreements in other international rivers, particularly those where there were overt conflicts.
Transboundary Resources Report
CIRT - University of New Mexico- USA
ALGERIA
Project for the "Mitidja water protection against pollution"
This project, managed by ANRH (Algerian Ministry of Public Works) and funded by the French Ministry for Foreign Affairs, aims at implementing a programme for monitoring and protecting the waters of the Mitidja plain which supply Algiers.
The first agreement plans the following actions : organization of monitoring networks, monitoring the wadis water quality, definition of a protocol for monitoring water quality in the dam-reservoir supplying Algiers from an eutrophication point of view, optimization of the network monitoring aquifer quality, and preparation of guidelines for the Mitidja management quality objectives.
The International Office for Water has the responsibility of coordinating, for the French party, this action programme jointly implemented by SAGEP, the Universities of Toulouse and Limoges and by GEOLAB, all of which combine their complementary expertises to meet the requirements of the Algerian Authorites in the most appropriate manner.
Abdelmaggid Demmak
ANRH
Fax : (213-2) 56 05 64
