Morocco Seeks to Have an Energy Industry: Minister

Abu Dhabi – Morocco, alike developing and emerging countries, seeks to have an energy industry, said Sunday in Abu Dhabi minister of Energy, Mining and Environment, Aziz Rebbah.

In this regard, it is essential to involve scientific research and set up energy equipment industry in partnership with developing countries, the minister pointed out at the tenth Session of the Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

The Kingdom dedicates one million dollar to scientific research in the area of renewable energies, he said, noting that Morocco houses several power plants, including wind farms and solar plants.

Rebbah also shed light on Morocco’s efforts to improve the investment climate in renewable energy, including legislative and tax reforms and simplification of administrative procedures.

Energy is experiencing, in the light of global tensions, a qualitative transition which requires the establishment of an international logistics platform, the minister said, expressing Morocco’s commitment to working in this direction with its European and African partners.

The tenth session of the Assembly brings together ministers, member delegations as well as heads of international and regional organisations, public and private entities and civil society representatives to contribute to the energy transformation dialogue.

The main objectives include raising awareness of the importance of intensifying global efforts to deploy renewable energy, and to discuss their impact on the energy transformation and sustainable development, connecting policy makers, experts and innovators worldwide to learn from each other, and share best practice and experiences on issues of common interest.

The Assembly will also consider the conclusions of the Agency’s Council meetings and will provide guidance on specific administrative and institutional matters.

The Assembly takes place prior to Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and the World Future Energy Summit, taking place from 13 to 16 January 2020, which will also feature a number of events hosted by IRENA.

The Kingdom is represented at this session by a delegation led by Rebbah and which includes officials from the National Office for Electricity and Drinking Water, the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (MASEN), the Institute for Research in Solar Energy and New Energies (IRESEN) and the Moroccan Agency for Energy Efficiency (AMEE).