Doha – The German government, through the Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), has invested a total of €8.09 million in a project aimed at improving energy efficiency and promoting renewable energy in Moroccan mosques.
The project, titled “Promoting Employment through Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in Mosques,” was commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and ran from 2015 to 2021.
According to the German government’s response to a parliamentary inquiry by the AfD party, the project’s total budget was set at €8.5 million, with €8.09 million ultimately being spent.
The majority of the funds, €5.99 million, were allocated to the deployment of experts responsible for providing advice, planning, and implementing measures on the ground.
An additional €404,000 was spent on materials, including LED lights, solar water heaters, and photovoltaic panels installed in the mosques. Administrative costs, calculated profits, and taxes accounted for approximately €1.06 million.
The project’s specific measures included “advising on the design and implementation of technical qualification measures for local companies and skilled workers” and “training for imams and female and male teachers in mosques to raise awareness about the application possibilities and benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy,” as stated by the BMZ.
Furthermore, “contractual models for the installation and maintenance” of energy systems were developed.
The German government also emphasized the gender equality aspect of the project’s implementation in the North African country, stating that between the project’s start and August 2019, six out of nine employees were women.
According to the government, the project was “well received” by the local population. “The project has achieved its goals of promoting business and employment opportunities in the areas of energy efficiency and renewable energy,” the statement reads.
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