![Spanish Representatives Oppose Morocco’s Joint Bid with Spain and Portugal Spain’ Prime Minister proposed a trio bid with Morocco and Portugal to host the 2030 World Cup; but the idea does not appear to be popular with Spanish politicians. The representatives of two Spanish political parties, the People’s Party and the Citizens-Party, have said they do not want Spain to submit a joint candidacy with Portugal and Morocco for the 2030 World Cup. In a meeting organized by the National Federation of Sports Facilities Entrepreneurs (FNEID) in Madrid, the People’s party representative, Vicente Azpitarte dismissively spoke about Spain joining a trio with Morocco and Portugal to organize the World Cup. Azpitarte specifically wondered whether Spain would get any advantages from teaming up with the two countries, t Spanish news outlet Iusport reported on Wednesday. The Citizens-Party representative, Roberto Nunez, agreed with Azpitarte. “We do not intend to organize a World Cup with other countries. Spain has more than enough capacity [to organize the World Cup], it is a country that has already organized a World Cup, and we do not understand that proposal,” Nunez said. The adviser of United Podemos, Oscar Penas, stated that he does not clearly see why “the priority is to organize a World Cup or an Olympiad at this time.” Morocco and Spain cooperate on a number of issues, ranging from security and migration to trade and education. On November 18, the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, arrived in Morocco for a first visit since his election to premiership. During his visit, Sanchez proposed to both Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani and King Mohammed VI a joint bid for the 2030 World Cup. “We are launching a joint message, which is that this will be a bid between two continents. The King of Morocco is receptive and we’re going to work on it with Portugal. We are very excited about it,” Sanchez said.](https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/ABL-Launches-in-Casablanca-Becoming-Africa’s-First-Aircraft-Leaser-180x135.jpeg "ABL Launches in Casablanca, Becoming Africa’s First Aircraft Leaser")
Rabat - Morocco is changing its energy strategy by focusing on liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a cleaner and more cost-efficient source of energy.
Rabat – Morocco is changing its energy strategy by focusing on liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a cleaner and more cost-efficient source of energy.
The most recent development in Morocco’s energy sector is an LNG project near Casablanca.
The National Office for Electricity and Water (ONEE) launched a tender for the $4.5 billion LNG import terminal project on October 1, according to Minister of Energy Aziz Rebbah.
The project, according to an analyst firm Fitch Solutions, will be set in the Jorf Lafsar port in El Jadida province, near Casablanca, and will supply the industries based in the region.
Read Also: Natural Gas Discovered in Morocco’s Ksar El Kebir
The jetty, regasification terminal, and 400-kilometer pipeline are expected to be complete by 2025.
Morocco intends to use the facility to import up to 7 billion cubic meters of natural gas in the context of the national gas-to-power initiative.
The main goal of the port will be to sustain the rapid growth of electricity use and demand in Morocco. According to Fitch Solutions’ estimations, the annual growth in electricity generation will be 5.5 percent over 2017-2027.
Morocco also aims to use cleaner energy with natural gas. Coal generate 58 percent Of Morocco’s total electricity and oil generates 5.5 percent.
In parallel to the import facility, the gas-to-power plan involves the construction of two power plants in Jorf Lafsar and two others in the coastal city of Kenitra, near Rabat, with a total capacity of 2,400 megawatts.
Read Also: Gas Exploration Company May Have Found Natural Gas in Morocco
Morocco is aiming to switching to a cleaner power mix and to significantly increase its renewable energy use. The country intends to make renewables a 52 percent share of power supply by 2030 and gas a 23 percent share.
New source of natural gas
The gas-to-power plan will not only allow Morocco to efficiently adapt to the increasing needs of its population and growing economy, but it will also allow it to decrease the costs of power. It will also reduce Morocco’s dependence on Algerian oil.
Morocco remains the largest importer of oil in North Africa and is bounded by a 10-year contract with Sonatrach in Algeria. The contract is soon to be renewed following a joint declaration on October 2 about talks on the deal.
Morocco has decreased its imports of Algerian oil over recent years. Morocco anticipates being more energy independent, especially after the UK exploration company Sound Energy discovered natural gas in Tendrara, eastern Morocco.
The discovery, according to Sound Energy, contains up to 31 trillion cubic feet of gas. When production begins, it could turn the country into a net gas exporter.
The UK company expects that production will begin in 2020 at an average production rate of 60 million cubic feet per day over a 10 year period. There is also a plan to construct a pipeline connecting the Tendrara field and the Gas-Maghreb-Europe pipeline from northern Morocco to Spain.
The discovery of natural gas in Morocco and the gas-to-power projects could bring more stability to Morocco as Algerian oil exports have recently deteriorated and are uncertain. Morocco also now has more leverage in negotiating the Sonatrach deal.
