Middle East & North Africa: Jordan Morocco Nile Basin Return to 'Where We Work' Page Jordan - Active Cultural Resource Management: Petra, the ancient capital of the Nabataeans, was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1985. Petra is an archaeologically fascinating site, world famous for its magnificent building facades carved into beautiful stone canyon walls. Inhabited since Neolithic times, Petra entered its golden age when the Nabataeans chose this site to be the royal seat of King Aretas in the second century BC. From that time onwards, for several centuries, Petra played a dominant role, flourishing as an economic and religious center and as a sacred funerary city. Petra was once a major crossroads for the caravan routes that led to Sinai, the Red Sea, the Dead Sea, Egypt and Syria. The integrity and conservation of the site are threatened by an increased flow of tourists to the site and the sideline activities this tourism engenders. DOI-ITAP is providing technical assistance to improve the management of the site. Funding: To be determined For a more detailed understanding of this program, please refer to the DOI-ITAP Quarterly Report. Morocco - Active Rural Tourism and Visitor Management: By 2010, the Moroccan government plans to quintuple its tourism to ten million visitors per year to create jobs for local communities and develop the national economy. The flora, fauna, geology, scenery, folklore, production of local specialties such as argan oil and honey, and delicious cuisine are all attractions for visitors to rural areas. It is important to manage Morocco’s natural and cultural resources in a way that minimizes socio-cultural and environmental impacts, to maintain a high quality visitor experience. At the same time, tourists need information about the people and places they are visiting, and infrastructure to facilitate sightseeing and recreation. Three years ago USAID started the Morocco Rural Tourism Project (MRT) to provide assistance to the Ministry of Tourism. By the end of its third year, MRT enabled the new rural tourism department of the Ministry to foster strong relationships among the many diverse national and local government agencies, associations and other organizations engaged in the development of rural tourism in Morocco. With MRT assistance, the Ministry of Tourism coordinated the efforts of these groups to develop and market tourist attractions in three targeted regions in Morocco, known as Pays d’Accueil Touristique (PATs) – Immouzer Ida Outanane, in the south, Ifrane in the Middle Atlas Mountains, and Chefchaouen in the north. DOI-ITAP was invited to partner with the MRT contractor Chemonics International Inc. to provide visitor management capacity building for these regions. DOI ITAP conducted a workshop on the site design process for developing visitor facilities, and helped design rest areas, a campground, and a trail at pilot locations. In addition, DOI-ITAP conducted a workshop on visitor education, information and interpretation, and helped design signs, displays and exhibits for a visitor center, women’s cooperative and other rural tourism sites. Funding: USAID/Morocco For a more detailed understanding of this program, please refer to the DOI-ITAP Quarterly Report. Nile Basin - Active Collaborative Water Resource Management: The Nile Equatorial Lakes sub-basin is a region whose water resources include one of the world’s great complexes of lakes, wetlands, and rivers. Relationships among various countries have been strained for decades -- often over Nile River water-sharing issues. Nearly all the riparian states suffer from domestic conflict and regime instability. The water resources of this region are central to the sustenance of unique natural ecosystems, and to the support of its people, and there is great potential for these resources to underpin strong economic growth in the region. The ten states that share the waters of the Nile Basin have created an organization in Entebbe, Uganda, to coordinate their efforts, called the Nile Basin Initiative. They are also establishing sub-basin coordinating bodies and project implementation offices. The staffs of these institutions require training in diverse disciplines and familiarization with the work of similar bodies elsewhere in the world. To that end, DOI-ITAP hosted a study tour to various national and international institutions in the U.S. for Nile Basin Initiative staff and members, and is providing continuing technical assistance. Funding: State Department, Oceans, Environment and Science Initiative For a more detailed understanding of this program, please refer to the DOI-ITAP Quarterly Report. Return to Top