Morocco, the UK Vow to Continue Climate Collaboration

Rabat – The British Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Morocco Andrew Murrison highlighted the importance of Morocco’s New Development Model (NDM) to achieve a green economy.

During a reception held on February 23 at the British embassy in Rabat, Murrison stressed that the UK is interested in the NDM and the process of “greening” the Moroccan and British economies.

With an aim to deepen dialogue with Moroccan government officials, Murrison welcomed the upward trend in trade between the two countries despite the challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He further noted that Morocco-UK bilateral ties are set to strengthen further, due to direct flights between London and Casablanca as well as the soon-to-be operational maritime route between Tangier and the southern coast of England.

Murrison also expressed his enthusiasm for the promising prospects for further cooperation between the two kingdoms, emphasizing that “this is a great time to lead this work and I’m really excited about what the future holds.”

The British official’s visit to Morocco is aimed at achieving the objectives outlined in the Association Agreements he signed with Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita in 2019.

On Morocco’s effort to tackle the climate crisis, Murrison highlighted that the country “has an abundance of natural resources in wind and solar and is brilliantly well placed to make a vast contribution to net zero.”

He lauded Morocco’s leadership position at the COP26 in Glasgow last year, underlining that the North African country is “very keen to be involved in breakthroughs that fall from the Glasgow conference last year.”

During the event, which was also a commemoration of 100 days since the end of COP26 in Glasgow, British Ambassador to Morocco Simon Martin said that COP26 “benefited from an extraordinary participation and contribution from Morocco.”

On Morocco’s efforts to tackle global warming, Ambassador Martin said that the country is a “world leader” for its action against climate change, commending its progress in the transition to renewable energy.

On the Ouarzazate-based Noor Power Plant, the world’s largest concentrated solar power plant project, the British diplomat highlighted that the UK was a major investor in the project.

“Morocco has already made a huge stride towards becoming a renewable energy-based economy and we are looking to find ways to help that,” he added. He further added that the UK is looking to bring its expertise to help Morocco’s continued efforts towards implementing renewable energies.

Ambassador Martin also noted that there is bilateral work carried out through the Glasgow-based Energy Transition Council with the aim of boosting funding for Morocco’s energy transition.

He also highlighted the role played by the private sector, stressing the importance of encouraging private sector investment in green projects in both countries.

As the end of COP26 marks a milestone in Morocco-UK collaboration on climate policy and action, the British ambassador highlighted that both countries are at the forefront of the green agenda.

“Morocco and the UK are committed to take carbon out of their economies and if every country in the world was to do the same, it would allow us to be sure that the world will stay a with a global warming of less than 1.5 degrees which is the target that the international community has set,” he concluded.