Korea, UNDP, AMEE Partner to Train Moroccan Authorities on Energy Efficiency

Rabat – The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the United Nations Development Programme in Morocco (UNDP), and the Moroccan Agency for Energy Efficiency (AMEE) signed on Friday an agreement to support the capacity-building of local authorities on energy efficiency.

Under the agreement, KOICA would provide financial support to the national project aiming to increase energy efficiency across the country through the training of local stakeholders.

According to the AMEE press release, the Korean funds will contribute to promoting carbon neutrality and increasing climate mitigation efforts in Morocco and Africa, which underscores the strategic goals of KOICA’s office in Morocco.

The project would be implemented between 2022 and 2024 through close coordination between AMEE and UNDP. The UN body has supported Moroccan energy transition and decarbonization in line with sustainable development goals (SDGs).

With recent reports stressing that the decarbonization of energy systems could save the world more than $12 trillion by 2050, the decarbonization of economic activities is often seen as the way forward to fight against climate change while maintaining the flow of the economy.

In Morocco, the government has been working on developing a comprehensive and long-term decarbonization strategy with the support of international organizations such as the French Development Agency (AFD).

The country has worked on developing its renewables and desalination infrastructure to pave the way for green hydrogen production. However, Morocco has so far built only one pilot electrolysis project with a total capacity of 20KW powered by photovoltaic (PV) solar panels.

Leading energy companies have also expressed interest in investing in the country’s promising renewables and green hydrogen markets.

However, the country remains heavily reliant on energy imports, particularly fossil fuels. This leads to the requirement of more efforts to increase the country’s energy efficiency to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet energy transition goals.