President of ORU Fogar at the Nice Oceans Conference

The president of ORU Fogar, Rachid El Abdi, participated in the opening session of the Oceans Conference, titled “Reaffirming the Role of Local Authorities in the Preservation of Oceans”, held on June 11 in the French city of Nice. The event was organized by the Sud Region (Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur) and also featured remarks by the president of the host region, Renaud Muselier.

This conference aimed to highlight the role of regions and ensure their voices are heard in the Third United Nations Conference on the Oceans, which was set to take place immediately afterward in the city. The goal was to underline the importance of regional authorities in ocean preservation.

In his address, the president of ORU Fogar reaffirmed the commitment of the United Regions Organization to the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation) and SDG 14 (life below water). He stressed that regions play a crucial role in protecting marine and coastal ecosystems, managing water sustainably, and promoting effective environmental public policies.

“Climate change knows no borders. Neither should our responses,” declared El Abdi, emphasizing that regions are actors of proximity with the capacity for direct action, innovation, and cooperation. ORU Fogar advocates for multilevel governance that recognizes the role of intermediate governments in protecting oceans and the water cycle, supporting regions through technical training, international forums, and the dissemination of good practices.

As a concrete example of territorial commitment, El Abdi presented environmental initiatives undertaken by the Moroccan region of Rabat-Salé-Kénitra, of which he is also president. These include wastewater treatment, flood prevention, reuse of treated water, reinforcement of coastal cliffs, and strategic projects for water interconnection and desalination. He also highlighted the so-called “water highway,” a transfer system between basins, key to the country’s water security. “Ocean protection begins on land,” he concluded. “From the regions, through sanitation policies, environmental education, and solidarity-based cooperation, we can drive real global change.”

As part of the conference, Leonardo Orlando, Prefect of Manabí (Ecuador), also spoke as a Latin American representative, in recognition of his province’s work in protecting marine and coastal ecosystems. During his speech, Orlando outlined Manabí’s progress in integrated water management, mangrove conservation, and the fight against ocean pollution. He emphasized that his government promotes public policies aligned with the SDGs, especially those related to clean water and life below water. He also stressed the need to give voice to regions and provinces in global governance spaces, arguing that the intermediate level of government is strategic for achieving sustainable transformation from the territories.