Morocco: The Republic of Finland’s Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Sari Essayah, accompanied by the Director-General of Morocco’s National Agency for Water and Forests (ANEF), Abderrahim Houmy, made a field visit on Thursday to the MaSmora Forest, the largest cork oak forest in Morocco, to take a closer look at Morocco’s experience in the sustainable management of forest resources.

According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, the visit was organized on the sidelines of the International Day of Forests and provided an opportunity to highlight the actions undertaken during recent forestry campaigns, particularly in the production of forest seedlings, ecosystem regeneration, and reforestation.

This initiative is part of ongoing efforts to bolster bilateral cooperation and exchange expertise in sustainable forest management in the face of current environmental and climate challenges, which require innovative solutions to preserve ecosystems. On this occasion, Houmy said that the visit aims to highlight Morocco’s efforts in the field and share the Agency’s experience with the Finnish State.

“Although the climatic and geographical conditions between Finland and Morocco are different, there are several commonalities that we benefit from thanks to the expertise of this forestry nation,” he stated. For her part, Essayah said she was impressed by the work accomplished by ANEF, calling it a crucial action for forest renewal.

She added that Finland is the most forested country in Europe, with 75% of its territory covered by forests, hence the importance of this cooperation, particularly in the sectors of agriculture, forest management, and sustainable development. Through this visit, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to elevate their cooperation in the forestry sector to a higher level, thus fostering the sharing of successful experiences and the promotion of innovation, in service of sustainable development goals and the preservation of natural resources for future generations.