Rome — Thanks to the enlightened vision of HM King Mohammed VI, Morocco has become, in recent years, a regional and continental leader in renewable energies, Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, said Monday in Rome.
Speaking at a panel themed "Energy, security and mobility", as part of "Italy-Africa: A bridge for common growth" Summit, Akhannouch underlined that the Kingdom is a regional and African leader in renewable energies for 15 years, a leadership which has been strengthened by its commitment to green hydrogen and the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline project, which will contribute to the energy security of West Africa and the European Union.
In this respect, he recalled that thanks to HM the King's vision, Morocco launched its first renewable energy development strategy in 2009, which led to the commissioning of the first solar complex in Ouarzazate. "Today, we are producing 560 kw/h and we have three large solar projects, which should be commissioned no later than the beginning of 2027 in the Midelt region," Akhannouch said.
Renewable energies represent more than 40% of the energy mix and Morocco aims to reach a share of 52% by 2030, he noted.
The Kingdom will capitalize on its natural resources, its strategic geographic location and its human capital to promote the green hydrogen sector, he said, adding that "Morocco is favorably positioned on the global hydrogen map".
The Head of Government also pointed out that Morocco is decarbonizing tomorrow's world and contributing to the energy security of Africa, highlighting, in this regard, the Morocco-Nigeria gas pipeline project, which constitutes "a regional integration model based on a common vision".
This large-scale project will accelerate the electrification of some countries and promote the agricultural and industrial development of the region, through access to competitive energy and will, therefore, improve the living conditions of the populations, Akhannouch said.
He also considered that "the need to build strong alliances between reliable partners is more pressing today" in the current context marked by the succession of crises, noting that he is convinced that Italy can contribute to developing African countries, particularly through cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, training, energy, security, education, health and immigration.
