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Scientific Research in the Service of Desert, the Sahara, and Remote Rural Areas Economic Development

La recherche scientifique au service du développement économique du désert, du sahara et des zones rurales éloignées

La Investigación Científica al Servicio del Desarrollo Económico del Desierto, el Sahara y las Zonas Rurales Alejadas

المؤتمر الدولي الخامس حول اقتصاديات الصحراء - الداخلة

Fifth International Congress on Desert Economy

Cinquième Congrès International sur l'Economie du Désert

Quinto Congreso Internacional sobre Economía del Desierto

البحث العلمي في خدمة التنمية الاقتصادية للصحراء والمناطق الريفية النائية

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Published on Monday, November 27, 2023

Abstract

This congress is an interdisciplinary scientific research platform on the desert, arid lands, and the Sahara (hot drylands, hyperarid or semi-arid regions, oasis and remote rural areas) economy, management, and development, in order to contribute effectively to the good governance and in the sustainable development of arid lands worldwide, by stimulating meetings between all stakeholders on a global scale, with a view to fostering dialog, partnership, and cooperation among desert countries worldwide: Africa and the Gulf States (the MENA and the Sahel...), the United States of America, Australia, China, India, South America..., and creating a conducive environment to the exchange of experiences, expertise, trainings, educational practices and innovation, around themes related to the desert economy and to the arid lands management.

Announcement

Presentation

The International Congress on Desert Economy – ENCG, Dakhla, Morocco (ICDED), is the pioneer and the very first worldwide scientific research meeting ever organized (the first edition was in February 2018) on arid lands, the Sahara, and desert economic development, whose approach is to think globally (internationally) and act locally, it’s annually co-organized by the National School of Business and Management (ENCG) of Dakhla, and the Regional Council of Dakhla Oued Eddahab region - Morocco. This fifth edition will be held on April 18 and 19, 2024, at the ENCG, Dakhla city, Morocco (see the previous edition of 2023).

The ultimate purpose of The International Congress on Desert Economy - Dakhla, is to be an interdisciplinary scientific research platform on the desert, arid lands, and the Sahara (hot drylands, hyperarid or semi-arid regions, oasis and remote rural areas) economy, management, and development (rural development), in order to contribute effectively to the good governance and in the sustainable development of arid lands worldwide, by attracting and promoting investment opportunities in the Sahara and deserts, and by stimulating meetings between all stakeholders on a global scale: Academics, Professionals, Policy-Makers, Civil society and NGOs..., with a view to fostering dialog, partnership, and cooperation among desert countries worldwide: Africa and the Gulf States (the MENA and the Sahel...), the United States of America, Australia, China, India, South America..., with the aim of valuing and promoting the desert knowledge and its related studies' and conferences' findings and recommendations, and creating a conducive environment to the exchange of experiences, expertise, trainings, educational practices and innovation, around themes related to the desert economy and to the arid lands management, such as Tourism, travel industry and tourism economics; Livestock economics, management, and production; Agriculture, aquaculture, and agricultural economics (rural economics); The Economics of water, drought and water scarcity management; Renewable energy, energy economics, and energy management; Mining and natural resource management; Phosphate economics and the phosphate fertilizer industry; Transportation and logistics; Fisheries, maritime, sea, and ocean economy; Economics of space (space economy) and space industry; Technology and innovation; Water sports and entertainment, sports economy and sports management; Cultural and creative industries, tangible and intangible heritage; Biodiversity, wetlands, environment, and nature conservation and management...Thus, each year, an edition will be organized.

Besides the main theme of this fifth edition entitled “Scientific Research in the Service of Desert, the Sahara, and Remote Rural Areas Economic Development”, it will also be devoted to addressing general issues on the desert (Sahara) economy management and its sustainable development.

Argument

Except in a few countries, the development level of deserts and remote rural areas in many regions worldwide still needs to be proportional to their enormous economic potential. To cope with such economic and social disparities, relatively originated in some geographical factors (remoteness, difficult accessibility, rugged terrain...), scientific research is the vital and practical approach for the sustainable development of these regions. In order to establish spatial justice and address sustainable development challenges in deserts and remote or isolated areas, policymakers might adopt long-term national and regional plans and strategies, aiming for the sustainable development of these promising territories by implementing well-driven and adequate policies, considering their context and geographic configuration.

Education and scientific research endeavors need to be oriented toward the critical concerns of the sustainable development of deserts, arid lands (the Sahara), and remote rural areas (mountain regions) via the creation of scientific and academic entities in these regions (universities, colleges, institutes, schools, laboratories...), while encouraging and favoring the youth to study desert and remote rural areas related scientific and economic fields: Tourism (desert tourism, Saharan tourism), travel industry, and tourism economics; Livestock economics, management, and production; Agriculture, aquaculture, and agricultural economics (rural economics); The Economics of water, drought, and water scarcity management; Renewable energy, energy economics, and energy management; Mining and natural resource management; Phosphate economics and the phosphate fertilizer industry; Transportation and logistics; Fisheries, maritime, sea, and ocean economy; Economics of space (space economy) and space industry; Technology and innovation; Water sports and entertainment, sports economy and sports management; Cultural and creative industries, tangible and intangible heritage; Biodiversity, wetlands, environment, and nature conservation and management…

An efficient way to develop deserts and remote rural areas would be to draw on international collective intelligence by taking advantage of successful international experiences that have enabled the sustainable development of these deserts and remote rural areas by engaging in bilateral or multilateral international collaboration and partnerships, and by providing financial and moral support and incentives to national and international organizations and private investors, working to develop deserts and remote areas.

The Moroccan success in opening up and developing its deserts, especially its Sahara, is a model that could be a benchmark on a global scale. Indeed, from totally barren, inaccessible, and unproductive land to a prosperous resilient region endowed with sophisticated mega-infrastructures, Moroccan deserts have made considerable progress in record time, thanks to the implementation of some specific development strategies adapted to Saharan and desert regions, including the New Development Model for Morocco's Southern Provinces.

Themes

As the International Congress on Desert Economy - Dakhla, is an interdisciplinary scientific research platform on the desert and arid regions, and due to the lack of economic and scientific literature on deserts, arid zones, and the Sahara, there will be a variety of themes and contributions will focus mainly on one of the following (non-exhaustive) themes:

  1. International Scientific Research Collaboration for the Desert, the Sahara, Arid Lands, and Remote Rural Areas Economic Development.
  2. Trans-Saharan Megaprojects and Initiatives (Trans-African):
  • The Morocco - Nigeria Gas Pipeline;
  • The Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel Initiative (Greening the Sahara and combating the desertification);
  • The " Dakhla Atlantic Port" Project;
  • The DESERTEC Project;
  • The Trans Africa Pipeline Project (Bringing Water to the Great Sahara and the Sahel);
  • The " Power Africa " Initiative;
  • The " Desert to Power " Initiative;
  • The African Continental Free Trade Area AfCFTA (Africa's Silk Road );
  • The United States of America's Initiative: " Prosper Africa ";
  • The MENA and China’s Belt and Road Initiative BRI (China's new silk road and maritime Silk Road).
  1. Regional and Inter-African Economic Collaboration and Partnerships for the Great Sahara Desert and the Sahel.
  2. Business, Entrepreneurship, and Investments in Arid Lands (deserts, Sahara) and Remote Rural Areas.
  3. Deserts (arid lands, Sahara), the Economics of Space (Space Economy), and Space Industry.
  4. Drought, Water Scarcity Management, and the Opening up of Remote Rural Arid Regions.
  5. The Economics of Water, Energy and Hydraulic Resources Management.
  6. Energy and Food Security in Drylands, Arid Agriculture (desert agriculture), Biosaline Agriculture, Precision Agriculture, and Irrigation Rationalization (economic, social and environmental aspects).
  7. Environmental and Climate Finance (green finance).
  8. Phosphate Economics and the Phosphate Fertilizer Industry.
  9. Energy Economics.
  10. Desertification, Climate Change (Resilience and Adaptation), and Environment.
  11. Livestock Economics, Management, and Production (camels, sheep, cows…).
  12. Arid Lands (Deserts and the Sahara) Tourism (desert tourism, ecotourism), Travel, and Hospitality Industry.
  13. Sports Economy, Water (nautical) Sports Management, and Recreation Economy.
  14. Cultural Entrepreneurship and Management of Tangible and Intangible Heritage (arts, cultural industries, creative industries and music industry, traditional crafts, and artisans.)
  15. Ocean Economy, Sea Economy (maritime), and Blue Economy.
  16. Economics and Management of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
  17. Renewable Energy and Energy Transition.
  18. Energy Business, Entrepreneurship in Energy, and Energy Management.
  19. Offshore Renewable Energy, Marine Wind Energy and Marine Solar Energy (ocean power).
  20. Wave Energy and Tidal Energy.
  21. Hydrogen Economy, Low Carbon Energy: Power-to-X and Green Hydrogen (economic, social and environmental aspects).
  22. Deserts (arid lands, sahara) and Global Economic Transformation.
  23. Energy Supply and Demand.
  24. Energy Crisis Management, Energy Risk Management, and the Impacts of Coronavirus Crisis on Energy Sector (pre-crisis, during, and post Covid-19 crisis).
  25. Access to Energy and Energy Security.
  26. Conventional Energy Resources: Oil (hydrocarbons), Gas, and Coal.
  27. Energy in Tourism, Travel, and Hospitality Industry.
  28. Energy in Agribusiness, Aquabusiness (aquaculture), and Fisheries Business (halieutic).
  29. Agricultural Economics (rural economics).
  30. Sustainable Mobility (ecomobility), Transportation, Logistics and Supply Chain Management.
  31. Energy Economics Modeling.
  32. Energy Policy, Law, and Regulation.
  33. New Technologies (Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain...) and Energy Efficiency (economic, social and environmental aspects).
  34. Sustainable Off-Grid Electricity for Rural and Remote (arid) Areas, and Poverty Reduction.
  35. Economic Geology and Economic Geography.
  36. Tourism, Travel, and Hospitality Industry (tourism economics).
  37. Green Economy, Circular Economy, and Sustainable Development.
  38. Social and Solidarity Economy, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
  39. Public Policy (planning and spatial development), Regional Development (territorial development) and Rural Development (rural entrepreneurship), Development of Oases and Remote Areas.
  40. Public/Private Investment and Business Climate.
  41. International Collaboration and Trade Logistics.
  42. Migrations and SDGs.
  43. Management, Governance, and Sustainability Issues.
  44. Entrepreneurship, Marketing, and Innovation.
  45. Knowledge Economy and Human Capital.
  46. Finance and Financial System.
  47. Digital Economy.
  48. Economic Intelligence.

Submission guidelines

Submission for abstracts for presentations, as oral communication, will be done through the congress website: https://desert-research.sciencesconf.org, within the framework of one of the themes of the congress,

before December 25, 2023.

Proposals must meet the scientific standards required in the Author guidelines section.

Attendance and participation in the Congress are free of charge (there are no registration or participation fees), however, for a better organization, preliminary online registration is required before Mars 10, 2024.

For PhD students, please bring your student ID card or your registration certificate.

After evaluation by the Scientific Committee of the abstracts of communication projects, authors will be informed of the results via email.

The full versions of the accepted research papers must be received, both by email and via the website, before Mars 10, 2024

Congress : 18th and 19th of April 2024

Further information about the Congress, including information on Dakhla city, is available on our website: https://desert-research.sciencesconf.org

In order to submit an abstract, please follow these steps:

  1. Create an account by selecting "Registration" on our website: https://desert-research.sciencesconf.org
  1. Submit your abstract by selecting "Submit" before December 25, 2023.
  2. If you receive a notification of acceptance, "Submit" and send the full version before Mars 10, 2024.

Please submit the abstract of your proposal for oral communication via the submission system on our website (copy and paste your abstract in the space provided in the form).

Abstracts should not exceed 600 words, in one page, and should include:

  1. The header:
  • The title of the communication;
  • The first name and the last name ;
  • Function and institutional affiliation;
  • Keywords (3-5).
  1. The abstract text:
  2. The problem;
  3. The objectives;
  4. The methodological framework;
  5. Preliminary results (if possible).

Oral interventions will be in English, Arabic, French and Spanish, for a period of 10 minutes, followed by a discussion of 5 minutes.

The full versions, is to be submitted, first via the website, then to send another version, before Mars 10, 2024, as an attached file in Microsoft Word format to the following e-mail address: economydesert@gmail.com , a template of the accepted full versions is available on the website.

Publication

It is planned to publish the accepted and presented papers during the congress, in a collective work (in the Proceedings of the Congress).

Best selected papers will also be published in The International Journal of Sustainable Energy Planning and Management (IJSEPM)

The languages of the Congress are: English, Arabic, French and Spanish.

PhD Workshop

A PhD workshop will be organized as part of the fifth International Congress on Desert Economy, Dakhla. The challenge is to allow PhD students to make a short oral presentation (6 min at most) on their theses work at various stages of advancement. This doctoral workshop is organized in the context of the importance given by our School to young researchers. We are committed to fostering their integration into the scientific community. PhD students in various disciplines (Economics, Management, Geography, Environment, Culture ...), are invited to submit the summary of the most important points of their theses. Further information about this PhD Workshop is available in the section “PhD Workshop”, on our website: https://desert-research.sciencesconf.org/resource/page/id/11

About this Congress

The idea of the International Congress on Desert Economy - Dakhla, arose for the first time by an initiative of Prof. Elouali Aailal, in the framework of the " Desert Action " association (literally in Arabic "Desert Pioneers" “ رواد الصحراء “), on February 2017, in Dakhla city, then, thanks to an official convention between the National School of Business and Management (ENCG Dakhla) of Dakhla, and the Regional Council of the Dakhla Oued Eddahab Region, this agreement provides for the annual co-organization of this Congress.

The Desert Action Association, in Dakhla, is the first-ever created Moroccan, African, and International organization, specialized in Arid Lands, Sahara, and Desert economic development (oases and remote rural areas development), business, management, and in promoting, attracting and encouraging investment in the Sahara and deserts (arid lands). The Desert Action Association was created on the initiative of Dr. Elouali Aailal. The ultimate goal of the Desert Action Association is to enhance scientific research and development (R&D) on Deserts, Arid Lands, and the Sahara, in an approach of thinking globally (Internationally) and acting locally.

Organizing committee

Dr. Elouali Aailal: President and Coordinator of the International Congress on Desert Economy. Dakhla, President of the "Desert Action" Association, Dakhla. Morocco.

Members

  • Elouali Aailal. Research Professor at the ENCG of Dakhla.
  • Aziz Sair. Director of the National School of Business and Management, ENCG Dakhla. Morocco.
  • Juan Manuel Benitez. Dean of the Faculty of Economics, Business, and Tourism, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
  • Kaoutar Roussi. Research Professor at the ENCG of Dakhla.
  • Hajar El Moukhi. Research Professor at the ENCG of Dakhla.
  • Mehdi Boutaounte. Research Professor at the ENCG of Dakhla.
  • Youssef Hanyf. Research Professor at the ENCG of Dakhla.
  • Lahoucine Assellam. Research Professor at the ENCG of Dakhla.
  • Salek Riadi. Research Professor at the EST of Laâyoune

Scientific committee

  • Assia BenSalah Alaoui. The Orientation Council of the Royal Institute of Strategic Studies (IRES)-Rabat. The Association «Leaders for Peace». The Moroccan-British Society. The Moroccan-Japanese Friendship Association. Morocco.
  • Aziz Sair. Director of the National School of Business and Management, ENCG Dakhla. Morocco.
  • Brian Sandoval. President of the University of Nevada, Reno. Former Governor of the State of Nevada. United States of America.
  • Jimmy Cocking. Director of the Desert Knowledge Australia (DKA). CEO of the Arid Lands Environment Center. Vice President of the Australian Conservation Foundation. Australia.
  • Keith W. Martin. Founding member of The Sahara Spirit Foundation. Morocco. Member of the Rotary International committee. United States of America.
  • Sharon Megdal. President of the International Arid Lands Consortium. Director of the University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center (WRRC). Arizona. United States of America.
  • Paul Van Son. President & CEO of the DESERTEC Industrial Initiative. Desert Energy. Honorary President of the European Federation of Energy Traders (EFET). Germany.
  • Nasir El Bassam. Director of the International Renewable Energy Research Center. USA. Chairman of the World Renewable Energy Council, Germany.
  • Ghaleb Alhadrami. Provost & Vice Chancellor of the United Arab Emirates University. United Arab Emirates.
  • Alan Gertler. Vice President of Research at the Desert Research Institute (DRI), Reno. Director of the Clean Technologies and Renewable Energy Center. Nevada. United States of America.
  • Jean Luc Chotte. President of the French Scientific Committee on Desertification (CSFD). Research Director at the Research Institute for Development, IRD. France.
  • Juan Manuel Benitez. Dean of the Faculty of Economics, Business, and Tourism. University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Spain.
  • James Smith. President-elect of the International Association for Energy Economics (IAEE). Southern Methodist University. Texas. United States of America.
  • Roderick Tennyson. Co-Founder and President of the Trans Africa Pipeline Inc (TAP). Institute for Aerospace Studies, University of Toronto. Canada.
  • Carmelo Rodriguez Torreblanca. President of the University of Almería. Spain.
  • Hillard Huntington. Director of the Energy Modeling Forum. Stanford University. California. United States of America.
  • Johan Hollander. World Maritime University (WMU), Global Ocean Institute, and International Maritime Organization (IMO). Sweden.
  • Mustapha Naimi. University Institute of Scientific Research, Rabat. Morocco.
  • Ousmane Dramé. President of the Ahmed Baba University (UPAB). President of the Coalition for Higher Education in Mali. Commissioner for the governance of the International Network of Higher Education Institutions of the CAMES Area. Mali.
  • Matías González Hernández. Faculty of Economics, Business, and Tourism. University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Spain.
  • Gian Gabriele Ori. Director of Ibn Battuta Center for Exploration and Field Activity. Morocco. Director of the International Research School of Planetary Sciences. The University of Annunzi. Italy.
  • Bernard Faye. Founder and the first President of The International Society of Camelid Research and Development (ISOCARD). Camelologist at The French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD). France.
  • Mubarak Abdalla. Director of the Desertification and Desert Cultivation Studies Institute. Deputy Dean of Agricultural and Veterinary Studies, University of Khartoum. Sudan.
  • Poul Alberg Østergaard. Director of the Sustainable Energy Planning and Management Program. Aalborg University. Denmark.
  • Gabriel del Barrio. Experimental Station of Arid Zones, Almería. The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). Spain.
  • Mahamat Saleh Daoussa Haggar. President of the University of N'Djaména. Chad.
  • André Torre. Director at MSH Paris-Saclay University. Research Director at the National Institute for Agronomic Research (INRA). President of the European Regional Science Association (ERSA). France.
  • Sergio Moreno Gil. Co-Director of International Relations at UNESCO Chair in Tourism and Sustainable Economic Development. University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Spain.
  • Maureen McCarthy. Tahoe & Great Basin Research Director, University of Nevada. Research Faculty at the Desert Research Institute (DRI), Reno. Nevada. United States of America.
  • Christoph Lütge. Director of the Institute for Ethics in Artificial Intelligence. Technical University of Munich. Germany. Former Visiting Professor at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. USA.
  • El Moustapha Sidi Mohamed. Director of the Higher Institute of Accounting and Business Administration, ISCAE. Mauritania.
  • Aykut Olcer. Head of Maritime Energy Management. World Maritime University. Sweden.
  • Kader Kaneye. Founder and President of the African Development University. Niger.
  • Romila Verma. Founder and Director of the Trans Africa Pipeline Inc (TAP). University of Toronto. Canada. ISMARE Environmental. India.
  • Niels Vestergaard. Director of the Centre for Fisheries and Aquaculture Management and Economics (FAME). University of Southern Denmark. Denmark.
  • Nishanov Nariman. Economist at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA). National Project Coordinator of FAO at the Central Asia Desert Initiative (CADI). Uzbekistan.
  • Jinlong Ma. University of Melbourne. Australia. Vice president at APEC Sustainable Energy Centre, Tianjin University, China.
  • Houcine Khatteli. General Director of the Institute of Arid Regions, Tunisia.
  • Hassan Ramou. Institute of African Studies (IEA), Rabat.
  • Abdou Maisharou. General Director of the National Agency of the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel. Niger.
  • Ole Kristian Sivertsen. CEO at Desert Control. Norway.
  • Khaled Sharbatly. “ Desert Technologies ”. Saudi Arabia.
  • Juan Luis García. Director of the Atacama Desert Center. Faculty of History, Geography and Political Science. Chile.
  • Aicha Oujaa. National Institute of Sciences of Archeology and Heritage, Rabat.
  • Hanaa Hachimi. President of the Moroccan Society of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Director of the Systems Engineering Laboratory. Sultan Moulay Slimane University, Beni Mellal.
  • Celestin Christian Tsala Tsala. University of Yaoundé I. Cameroon.
  • Fatima Arib. Director of ENCG Marrakech. Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech.
  • Jamila Saidi. FLSH, Mohammedia.
  • Zakaria Ez-zarzari. FSJES, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra.
  • Kaoutar Roussi. ENCG, Dakhla.
  • Hajar El Moukhi. ENCG, Dakhla.
  • Mehdi Boutaounte. ENCG, Dakhla.
  • Youssef Hanyf. ENCG, Dakhla.
  • Lahoucine Assellam. ENCG, Dakhla.
  • Mohamed Er-Raji. ENCG, Dakhla.
  • Salek Riadi. EST, Laâyoune.
  • Sheikh Mohamed Maoulainine. Regional Director of the High Planning Commission, Dakhla.
  • Julius Gatune. The African Center for Economic Transformation. South Africa.

Places

  • École Nationale de Commerce et de Gestion (ENCG) - BP 386, Dakhla City
    Dakhla, Kingdom of Morocco (73000)

Event attendance modalities

Hybrid event (on site and online)


Date(s)

  • Monday, December 25, 2023

Attached files

Keywords

  • desert, Sahara, arid lands, drylands, desert research, desert development, desert conference, desertification, drought, water, desert economics, desert sciences, sahara development, desert energy, desert tourism, Dakhla, désert, agriculture

Contact(s)

  • Elouali Aailal
    courriel : economydesert [at] gmail [dot] com

Information source

  • Elouali Aailal
    courriel : economydesert [at] gmail [dot] com

License

CC0-1.0 This announcement is licensed under the terms of Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal.

To cite this announcement

« Scientific Research in the Service of Desert, the Sahara, and Remote Rural Areas Economic Development », Call for papers, Calenda, Published on Monday, November 27, 2023, https://doi.org/10.58079/1c8k

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