Morocco and Bahrain have signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in the field of renewable energies.
Signed, by videoconference, by the Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali and the Bahraini Minister of Electricity and Water, Wael bin Nasser Al Mubarak, the agreement concerns the exchange of expertise, technology transfer, skills building and consolidation of public and private investment in the renewable energy sector.
It also aims to support the implementation of several initiatives relating to renewable energy with a view to achieving the development objectives and common interests of the two countries, through the prospecting, examination and development of sectors relating to renewable energy, including cooperation in widening the beneficiary areas of renewable resources and in their use.
It is also a question of encouraging investments and the exchange of expertise, in particular with regard to solar energy projects, the development of storage and automation techniques, as well as programs for strengthening skills.
Under this agreement, the two parties will work on the development of several activities, including programs for the assessment of renewable energy resources, projects for the integration of solar energy techniques in buildings, as well as the support training and workshops in the field. The two countries are also committed to developing the relations of governmental and academic institutions with the private sector.
Speaking on this occasion, the Bahraini Minister noted that the orientations of the leaders of the two countries, as well as the bilateral relations constitute the base of the prospects for cooperation between the different sectors in the two Kingdoms, expressing his wish to strengthen bilateral cooperation and the exchanging global expertise and practices, with a view to achieving common objectives and pursuing the path of development, for a better and sustainable world.
For her part, the Moroccan minister praised the fraternal ties and the solid cooperation relations between the two countries in several areas, affirming that the two parties aspire to raise these relations to higher levels in the service of common objectives, in application of the guidelines leaders of the two countries, His Majesty King Mohammed VI and His Majesty King Hamad bin Issa bin Salman Al Khalifa.
This memorandum of understanding constitutes a model of cooperation through which we aspire to achieve a sustainable, global and flexible energy transition in both countries, through the exchange of expertise and good practices, as well as the transfer of technology. and skills building.
The Minister reviewed the main axes of the national energy strategy, which aims to make energy transition a driver of economic and social development in Morocco, indicating that this strategy aims in particular to guarantee the security of supplies, the availability of energy, generalized access to energy, control of demand and preservation of the environment.
In order to achieve these objectives, Leila Benali indicated that strategic guidelines have been adopted and broken down into short, medium and long-term action plans, aimed in particular at diversifying the energy mix, improving it and developing renewable energies and energy efficiency, adding that it is also a matter of guaranteeing flexibility in the electricity system, consolidating decentralized electricity production, developing a carbon-neutral industry and exploring new sources of energy, innovative methods energy storage, as well as strengthening regional inclusion.
In this sense, Morocco has set ambitious objectives, including the consolidation of the share of renewable energies in the electricity mix to more than 52% by 2030 and the strengthening of energy efficiency by reducing energy consumption. by 20% by 2030.
In addition, the minister said that Morocco has begun to reap the benefits of this strategy, noting that more than 50 projects have been developed with a capacity of 4 gigawatts, while 60 other projects are in progress.
She also affirmed that renewable energy projects are designed to achieve integrated economic development, which can enhance its direct impact on employment, education, health, agriculture and infrastructure development, and thus, contribute to improving the living conditions of citizens and sustainable economic development.
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