Name of municipality: Chefchaouen
Population: 42,786 inhabitants (2014)
Area: 907 km2
The city of Chefchaouen is located in north-western Morocco about 50 km in a straight line from the Mediterranean Sea and 120 km from Tangier, the third-largest city in Morocco.
President: Mr. Mohammed Sefiani
Contact: Mr. Ouail Tabiti—Municipal employee: ta_ouail@hotmail.com
Website: www.chefchaouen.ma
Main features:
Chefchaouen, capital of the eponymous Province in the Tangier Tetouan-Al Hoceima Region (TTAH), is a highly committed municipality in the heart of the Rif territory in northern Morocco. Undeniably boasting countless heritage and natural assets, the city also known as the “Blue Pearl” of Morocco is one of the most important tourist destinations in the country with an average of 120,000 tourists per year.
Main economic activities:
In the field of tourism, the province shows major and diverse potentialities made up of historical monuments, many sandy beaches and vast forests with a very varied fauna and flora.
The handicraft sector includes, among others, weavers in the medina, blacksmiths, carpenters and cabinetmakers.
Agriculture remains an important sector in the commune with 183 hectares under cultivation, 74 hectares of which are irrigated. The breeding of goats of local breed is aimed at producing meat and milk for the cheese factory of national repute.
There is also a wool-spinning factory in the town.
Conditions and environmental challenges:
For the last several years, Chefchaouen has decided to boost its dynamic civil society and sustainable development, by developing ecotourism, enhancing biological diversity and territorial heritage, spatial planning and by actively involving the citizens in city policies.
In April 2010, with the approval of the Municipal Council, Chefchaouen was self-proclaimed, “Green City.” A founding member and president of the Moroccan Association for Eco-Cities (AMEV), the city is affiliated to several Moroccan and Mediterranean city networks committed to energy management, waste management and sustainable mobility.
In April 2016, the Municipality of Chefchaouen joined the Covenant of Mayors and committed to develop its Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP). In the same year, and on the occasion of the 8th session of the National Environment Council (CNE), the municipality won the Hassan II Prize for the Environment 2015 in the Local Authorities Initiatives category.