Rabat – The United Nations has urged African countries to take advantage of the economic opportunities that come with ambitious new climate plans, highlighting Morocco as a model for the region.
In a statement, UN Climate Change (UNFCC) commended Morocco’s progress in renewable energy, pointing to the massive Ouarzazate solar complex, one of the largest in the world. The project, the UN said, is “a positive example of how national ambition can deliver clean power at scale.”
The Ouarzazate Solar Power Station, often called the “NOOR” complex, covers more than 3,000 hectares on the edge of the Sahara desert. It is one of the largest solar facilities in the world, and it is capable of powering more than a million homes while cutting carbon emissions by hundreds of thousands of tons each year.
The project has become a symbol of Morocco’s renewable energy ambitions and a model for how clean energy can be produced at scale in Africa.
A recent report, The Renewable Energy Investment Case for Africa, has hailed Morocco’s NOOR Complex as one of Africa’s most important success stories in renewable energy.
It described the country’s solar plant as a “world-class utility-scale solar complex” and an example of how Africa can attract private capital to power its clean energy transition.
Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change, called on African governments to use their next climate plans, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), as tools to create millions of green jobs, boost investment, and raise living standards.
Read also: ACWA Power Wins NOOR Midelt 2 and 3 Projects in Morocco
“Strong new national climate plans are blueprints for stronger economies, more jobs, and rising living standards, across all African nations,” Stiell said. “Africa is not just on the frontlines of climate impacts; it is also at the forefront of solutions.”
The UN stated that Africa has huge potential for renewable energy and innovation, but also faces growing risks from climate disasters. The upcoming deadline for submitting new NDCs is a chance for countries to outline strategies that combine climate action with economic growth, added the statement.
Examples from across the continent show the variety of initiatives, the report says. South Africa is working on a just transition in the energy sector, scaling renewables while protecting workers and communities as it shifts away from coal. International partnerships are supporting this move, with investments rising to more than USD 11 billion.
Meanwhile, Nigeria is linking climate action to job creation and poverty reduction. Its solar projects are expected to create tens of thousands of jobs, while initiatives like the Great Green Wall have already restored millions of hectares of land.
The report added that recent climate events in Ethiopia and Zambia have also showcased new solutions currently being developed across the continent, from sustainable agriculture to clean transport.
The UN argued that finance will be crucial. Following last year’s COP29 agreement to triple climate finance to USD 300 billion annually, negotiators are now working toward a roadmap to reach USD 1.3 trillion a year by 2035.
Stiell said that climate finance must be treated not as charity, but as an investment in shared prosperity. He urged countries to turn political promises into concrete plans that deliver both climate justice and economic opportunity.
