Morocco World News/ Correo Diplomatico
Morocco World News/ Correo Diplomatico
December 8, 2011
These past few days, the Algerian press has echoed the “imminent arrival” of the Minister of Energy and Mines Youcef Yousfi, to Morocco. The purpose of the trip, specifically, is to finalize a gas agreement signed between both countries in early 2011. The contract for the sale of natural gas to the Sherifian kingdom for ten years had been concluded between the National Electricity Office (ONE) of Morocco and the Algerian oil giant Sonatrach.
Under this contract, the natural gas would go to feeding two power plants of the ONE, namely the Ain Beni Mathar, of 470 MW, and the Tahaddart, with a capacity of 385 MW. According to the Algerian press, this contract had been dismissed as “of interest for Algeria” by the then Chairman and CEO of Sonatrach, Nordine Cherouati. Cherouati assured at the time that “the two sides work to ensure the continuity of Algerian gas sales to Morocco.”
Starting to melt
Algerian officials of the Ministry of Energy have assured the editorial, Correo Diplomatico, that “other contracts of this kind could take place during the upcoming months.” Analysts and observers don’t fail to notice signs of rapprochement between Rabat and Algiers, both politically and economically. “We could be at the beginning of a new era in Algerian-Moroccan relations, which would be highly beneficial for both countries, without a doubt, but also for the definitive taking-off of the Arab Maghreb Union,” said a source from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Morocco, focused on Algiers for several years.
Translated by Daniela Guerrero and edited by Banjamin Villanti
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