The MediCoRe initiative was the focus of a “Special Session” of the IAHR Africa Congress, held in Benguerir and Marrakech – Morocco, from 9 to 11 December 2024. The congress was chaired by Pr. Abdelghani Chehbouni from UM6P and co-chaired by Prof. Dalila Loudyi from UH2C, the contact point in Morocco for MediCoRe This Special session was planned by Pr. Dalila Loudyi, Co-organiser of the IAHR congress and was highly appreciated by both Moroccan and international participants. The “Hydraulics” session of the Congress, co-chaired by two members of MediCoRe, Professor Mouldi Ben Meftah (Polytechnic of Bari – ITALY) and Dr. Nisrine IOUZZI (Director of the Dakhla Atlantic Port Construction, Ministry of Equipment and Water – Morocco), on 10th December, was the occasion for various showcase projects related to civil engineering fields, following the MediCoRe topics. The representatives of the MediCoRe network met also Prof. Philippe GOURBESVILLE, President of the IAHR. In the meeting, it was discussed the possibility of MediCoRe to attend the “The Mediterranean Days of PIANC 2025”, which ill be hosted by Morocco in Tangier Home – Pianc. Dr. Nisrine IOUZZI precised that The Directorate of Ports and Maritime Public Domain it is currently setting up the Moroccan PIANC section, initiative that was discussed during the shared meetings. Representatives of MediCoRe also had several meetings with UM6P, Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique, which has expressed interest in joining MEDICORE Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique | Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique
Related to the Water management topic, several visits were organized in Marrakech. Among of them: The Mohammed VI Museum for the Civilization of Water in Morocco – AMAN, providing an opportunity to learn about the history of water management in Morocco, from ancient techniques to modern strategies such as dam construction and desalination and the Menara basin and gardens, a case study of ancient irrigation techniques.
MediCoRe representatives participated also in two meetings in Casablanca, the first at the Hassania School of Public Works (another MediCoRe partner), organised by Professor Dalila Loudyi, with the participation of Professor Mohamed Farhat from the Polytechnic University of Lausanne, Switzerland, Professor EL HATIMI Badr, deputy director in charge of training at EHTP, and Professor Omar Bachi ALAMI, deputy director in charge of studies at EHTP and Dr. Nisrine IOUZZI. Several interesting collaboration proposals were discussed, such as student exchanges, participation in the courses of the Master of Port and Maritime Engineering 2024-2025, and the organisation of an EHTP-POLIBA-MEDICORE workshop Ecole Hassania Des Travaux Publics. A visit to the Public Laboratory of Studies and Tests (LPEE) was organised with the participation of Pr. Dalila Loudyi, the Export Director,the Director of the Experimental Hydraulic Centre and Dr.Nisrine IOUZZI. The latter expressed interest in developing cooperation with the POLIBA Hydraulic Laboratory. Finally, 14th of December, a visit was made to the Directorate of Ports and Maritime Public Domain, where the proposal for a specific research project on sedimentology and coastal management in the port of Dakhla Atlantic was discussed. The afternoon was devoted to a visit to the coastal developments in Rabat, including the Rabat-Salé marina, the Bouregreg river calibration and historical sites such as the Hassan Tower, the Mausoleum, the Oudayas, the old medina, the Andalusian gardens and the Moroccan jewellery museum. Bouregreg Marina – Bouregreg Bouregreg Marina – Bouregreg.
