Damascus-SANA
The Minister of Local Administration and Environment, Eng. Hussein Makhlouf, discussed with the Director of Programs in the field of regional project management in the Near East and North Africa from the Regional Office of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations “FAO” in Cairo, Jean-Marc Goures and the accompanying delegation, ways to enhance the existing cooperation between the two sides in the environmental field and the possibility of providing The necessary support for the water and irrigation projects sector.
During the meeting, Makhlouf pointed out the importance of the project to strengthen the capacity of local communities in Eastern Ghouta to face climate changes and water shortages through integrated management of natural resources and immediate adaptation interventions, which is currently being implemented in Ghouta in cooperation with FAO and the United Nations Human Settlements Program, Habitat and Development “UNDP” in partnership with The Ministries of Agriculture and Water Resources, the Planning and International Cooperation Authority and the local community in Ghouta.
Makhlouf explained that the project aims to develop and raise the capacities of government institutions, local communities and the most vulnerable groups, and to evaluate natural resources, especially water and land, in an effective and sustainable manner, to be able to face climate changes, and be a model that can be generalized and applied to other regions.
Makhlouf indicated the need for cooperation in the implementation of local or regional projects to reduce dust and sand storms and respond to or limit the phenomenon in order to achieve integration with national authorities to address this phenomenon as it crosses borders, in addition to exchanging experiences and experiences to ensure the preservation of natural resources and the sustainability of their resources.
Goris, for his part, pointed out that there is a link between the water, environment, agriculture and irrigation sectors, which calls for the necessity of coordination between them to ensure the sustainability of agricultural and water resources and protect the environment through the expansion of smart agriculture projects that are resistant to climate change or are able to adapt, indicating that there are several tools to support these projects.