Rabat – Morocco and the International Energy Agency (IEA) on Tuesday signed a three-year action program in Paris to deepen bilateral cooperation in the fields of energy security, renewable energies, energy efficiency, capacity building and data and statistics.
Signed by Minister of Energy, Mines and Sustainable Development, Aziz Rebbah, and the IEA Executive Director, Fatih Birol, this program aims to meet the specific needs of Morocco, a country that became an associate member of the agency in November 2016, in its attempt to transition into a low-carbon economy.
As part of the program, the IEA Secretariat and the Moroccan ministry will work closely to achieve the ambitious goals set out in the Kingdom’s long-term energy plan.
Speaking at a press conference organized by the IEA after the meeting, Rebbah gave an overview of the Moroccan experience in energy efficiency and the evolution of the sector, of which he said the latter was due to the vision of King Mohammed VI. “It is a proactive strategy aimed at securing market supply, securing access to electricity, making the transition and reducing the energy bills and dependency,” added the minister, stressing the National Sustainable Development Strategy.
In this context, Rebbah recalled the objective of increasing the share of renewable energies in the national electricity mix to 42 percent by 2020 and to 52 percent by 2030. The minister noted that energy efficiency concerns several sectors including transport, construction, industry and agriculture.
“Morocco, anxious to respect its international commitments, is also working to develop industrial activities around energy efficiency through the creation of companies specializing in this sector and which constitute an economic niche that creates employment and added value,” added the minister.
In 2016, Morocco became the first country in the MENA region to benefit from the IEA’s associate member status, thus enabling the agency to open up to emerging economies.
