Dr. Mohamed Aboufirass holds a PhD from the University of California (1982) and a degree in Agricultural engineering from the Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II (1976). Since his graduation, he has held several positions dealing with water resources management, first as the head of the Division of Hydrology within the Hydraulic Department in Morocco, then in teaching and research as a professor at Ecole Hassanaia des Travaux Publics, then at the University Cadi Ayyad, and lastly a founder/director of RESING, a leading Moroccan consulting firm in the area of water resources and environment.

Dr. Aboufirass career includes numerous studies and works in the areas of environment, water resources management and planning, agricultural development and irrigation at both national and international levels. At the national level Dr. Aboufirass works as a consultant for most government agencies dealing with these areas. He has worked also for many international organizations.

Dr. Aboufirass is also very active in the non profit work dealing with local development and environment. He is a founder member and past president of “Fondation Marrakech 21”, an NGO that operates in the area of local development, with a focus on water supply & sanitation in rural areas, health, education, renewable energy.

He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the American school of Marrakech/Tangier and member of several professional organisations. He is fluent in the three working languages of the region Arabic, English and French.

His motivation to serve as IAH Vice President for MENA is the various challenges associated with water resources management in the region, the valuable contribution that IAH provides to the scientific community around the world, and the relevance of his academic background and personal/professional experience.

Concerning the challenges, the Middle East and North Africa face today major water resource problems that are caused by increasing water demand and rapid resources depletion. Most of the countries in this region are experiencing increasing hydraulic stress. Some of the hot issues include: groundwater depletion, water quality preservation, access to adequate drinking water supply and sanitation, flood control, water policy and stakeholder participation, water management capacities and governance, etc. In all these areas, developing management tools and promoting best practices, especially in terms of water policy and water user’s involvement, are key fields of action for the forthcoming years.

IAH stands for values and adopts approaches that he strongly believes in, and which deal with the necessary conditions and factors that help foster sustainable development. These include (i) the importance of well-functioning ecosystems in helping reduce poverty and improve livelihoods, societies, and economies, and (ii) the necessity for scientific knowledge to be integrated into the decisions and actions of local, national and international policy makers in all sectors, as well as business leaders. These principles are carried and disseminated through IAH publications and international congresses and meetings.

Vice President: Middle East and North Africa