It is important to consider the Covid-19 health crisis as a situation full of lessons, stressed the minister at a high-level meeting held under the theme "Housing For All: Improving the Urban Environment."

The pandemic will push countries to rethink their housing design and the way cities operate in times of crisis, she added.

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has paved the way for redefining the priorities of government actions, Bouchareb underlined, stressing that the orientations of HM the King have anticipated the stakes of the health crisis and prompted the implementation of measures to strengthen the sectors' resilience.

In this sense, the minister highlighted Morocco's view of a new development model that promotes social inclusion, reduces inequalities, and encourages the adoption of territorial reforms based on advanced regionalization, concentration, and decentralization.

According to Abdelouahed Fikrat, an expert in sustainable development and managing director of Integral Advice, the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated the global housing crisis. Without adequate housing, it is impossible to respect the physical distance and apply hygiene measures, he explained.

For his part, head of the UN-Habitat Regional Office for the Arab States, Erfan Ali, stressed the unwavering role of the housing sector in ensuring human dignity, welcoming Morocco's efforts to fight shantytowns as well as the launch of programs to promote decent housing for all.

The high-level meeting was held online at the initiative of the Ministry  of National Territorial Planning, Housing and City Policy, as part of the celebration of World Habitat Day (1st Monday of October).