Berkane recently shone under the spotlight of science during an international event dedicated to sustainable smart cities. This knowledge celebration took place with great enthusiasm on February 27th and 28th at the headquarters of the Province of Berkane. The orchestration of this exceptional event was the result of collaboration among several committed partners, including the Province of Berkane, the Ministry of National Territorial Planning, Urbanism, Housing, and City Policy, the Provincial Council of Berkane, the municipality of Berkane, the Oriental Regional Development Agency, the Moroccan School of Engineering Sciences, the Regional Investment Center of the Oriental region, Mohammed I University of Oujda, Majal Berkane for Innovation and Territorial Intelligence, and African Smart Territories. The theme of this international event was ‘Sustainable Smart Cities: Preparedness and Resilience in the Face of Climate and Environmental Challenges.
Beyond the scientific exchanges, a decisive moment marked the margins of the event. Indeed, a convention was signed between the Province of Berkane, the Oriental Development Agency, and Majal Berkane, sealing their joint commitment to creating an intelligent territorial management center for Berkane.
The organizers highlighted this crucial theme due to the degradation of the climate situation in Morocco, characterized by an increase in drought rates and natural phenomena such as earthquakes.
Distinguished experts, inspiring researchers, and visionary entrepreneurs from Japan, Italy, Germany, France, Indonesia, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, South Korea, as well as from Beni Mellal, Benguerir, Chefchaouen, Agadir, and other Moroccan cities and around the world, shared their pioneering experiences in intelligent management of natural resources, sustainable urban planning, technological innovation, smart agriculture, and rural resilience. They presented a multitude of digital solutions for water management, energy, public lighting, waste, urban traffic, as well as technological solutions for monitoring and responding to natural and environmental phenomena.
Berkane thus played a bridging role between Moroccan cities and countries worldwide through the ‘Berkane International Symposium Smart City,’ an international symposium on smart cities. Over the editions, this symposium has become a platform for exchanging experiences and best practices.
In the context of discussions about digital dynamics that place citizens at the heart of their concerns, with intelligent management of diverse economic and social interests in daily life, up to improving quality of life with an emphasis on the environment, the municipality of Berkane, as a model community in the Province, showcased its journey in digital transformation. It highlighted several applications related to project monitoring, stock management, and an electronic archiving system developed by Majal Berkane for Innovation and Territorial Intelligence. This entity is recognized as a technological arm supporting local authorities in their technological transition, constituting an innovative experience at the national level.
