The "Blue Flag" label has been awarded to 27 beaches and three marinas along the Moroccan coastline that have adopted environmentally-friendly practices during the summer season.
In 2023, the Sidi Abed beach in the El Jadida region of Morocco will be awarded the Blue Flag for its eco-responsible approach to seaside resorts. According to the jury, which also awarded the label to 26 other beaches and three marinas in the Kingdom of Morocco, the Sidi Abed site stood out on a number of levels.
“These include compliance with cleanliness criteria, the fact that facilities are provided free of charge, the preservation of bathing water quality, and access to the beach for people with reduced mobility,” explains Mohamed Samir El Khamlichi. For the acting governor, it was the efforts made by the municipality of Sidi Abed in terms of sanitation that led to this recognition.
In recent years, the local authorities have rehabilitated the beach and surrounding sanitary facilities to make it more environmentally friendly and competitive. This is thanks in particular to the support of the Office Chérifien des Phosphates (OCP). The Casablanca-based group has, for example, financed the “plastic-free sea” operation to reduce marine pollution and the development of green spaces to enhance the attractiveness of the Sidi Abed beach.
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Other beaches awarded the “Blue Flag” label by the Fondation pour l’éducation à l’environnement (FEE) and the Fondation Mohammed VI pour la protection de l’environnement include Oued Laou (Tangier-Tétouan-Al Hoceïma region), Essaouira, Arkmane, Sidi Rahal (118 kilometres from Rabat), Bouznika, Ba Kacem on the Mediterranean coast, Mdiq, Rifienne, Sidi Ifni, Saidia council, as well as Safi council, prized for its fine sand, and the Saidia tourist resort, opened in June 2009.
Benoit-Ivan Wansi
