The National Agency for Water and Forests (ANEF) held a meeting of the technical commission for protected areas on Thursday, December 11, in Rabat, dedicated to reviewing the progress of the national conservation framework. This meeting brought together representatives from several government departments, partner institutions, and experts to evaluate the advancement of efforts related to national parks and ecological spaces in the Kingdom.
According to ANEF, this meeting is part of the implementation of the global biodiversity framework of Kunming-Montreal, to which Morocco reaffirms its commitment. Through this initiative, the country aims to protect at least 30% of its terrestrial and marine areas by 2030, restore degraded ecosystems, and establish equitable governance of natural resources.
The Director-General of ANEF, Mr. Abderrahim Houmy, reminded attendees that the “Forests of Morocco 2020-2030” strategy, launched on February 13, 2020, places biodiversity at the center of public action. This strategy aims to create a coherent and resilient network of protected areas and national parks while highlighting the anticipated benefits for the concerned territories and local communities.
The figures shared indicate a significant evolution of the national framework. Eight new protected areas were created in 2025, increasing their total from ten to eighteen. Their total area has consequently expanded from 772,000 hectares to 1,278,617 hectares. At the same time, the master plan for protected areas has been updated, and the network of biological and ecological interest sites has broadened, rising from 154 to 197 sites, now covering over 7.6 million hectares. This expansion allows for better representation of Saharan, forested, coastal, steppic, and wetland environments, while enhancing ecological continuity among different spaces.
### Management Plans and National Park Project in Dakhla
The commission also reviewed management and development plans for several national parks, notably those of Ifrane, Toubkal, Tazekka, Khénifra, Eastern High Atlas, and Talassemtane. These documents outline, for the next ten years, the directions regarding biodiversity conservation, ecotourism valorization, risk prevention, and administrative management of these territories. Their development relies, according to ANEF, on a participatory approach involving local authorities, cooperatives, community associations, decentralized services, and institutional partners.
In this context, the agency presented a structuring project: the creation of the Dakhla–Oued Ed-Dahab National Park. This future area is intended for the protection of Saharan ecosystems and the development of controlled ecotourism, offering sustainable prospects for local populations.
ANEF also highlighted the support from several partners, including the Global Environment Facility, the European Union, the French Development Agency, as well as various bilateral and multilateral actors. The agency emphasizes that the success of these projects relies on the continuous mobilization of the scientific community, technical and financial partners, and ongoing dialogue with the affected territories.
In conclusion, ANEF reaffirmed its determination to continue building an extensive, representative, and sufficiently interconnected national network of protected areas to meet Morocco’s international commitments regarding biodiversity preservation.