Morocco-Mauritania: Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in the Electricity and Renewable Energy Sectors
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Thursday, January 23, 2025, between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, aiming to develop a partnership in the electricity and renewable energy sectors.
The MoU was signed by the Moroccan Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali, and her Mauritanian counterpart, Mohamed Ould Khaled, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Rabat.
The signing ceremony was attended by several dignitaries, including the Director General of the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (MASEN), Tarik M’Fadel, the Director General of the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE), Tarik Hamane, as well as the Director General of Electricity and Renewable Energy in Mauritania and other officials from both ministries.
In her speech, Leila Benali emphasized that this meeting reflects the depth of fraternal relations between the two countries, built on continuous dialogue and fruitful cooperation, in line with the political orientations of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and His Excellency the Mauritanian President. She stated that these relations aim to achieve comprehensive development in service of the aspirations of both the Moroccan and Mauritanian peoples.
The Minister also highlighted the significant progress in the partnership between the two countries across various sectors such as agriculture, health, maritime fishing, transport, environment, tourism, training, energy, and mining. This cooperation, she noted, serves as a successful model at both bilateral and regional levels.
She recalled that Morocco has reached an advanced stage in the development of renewable energy and the enhancement of energy efficiency, with installed capacity from renewable sources now exceeding 45% of the national energy mix. She also emphasized that Morocco has quintupled its annual investments in electricity transmission networks since 2023 and continues its ambitions through the “Moroccan Green Hydrogen” program, which aims to boost the sector’s competitiveness.
Ms. Benali affirmed that this energy collaboration focuses on strategic areas such as natural gas, electricity, and the development of joint projects. According to her, the electricity interconnection project between the two countries is a crucial strategic step to ensure energy security, strengthen regional integration between Africa and Europe, and establish a regional energy infrastructure.
Mauritania’s Minister of Energy, Mohamed Ould Khaled, stressed the importance of this visit in strengthening the bonds of friendship and fraternity between the two nations. He reaffirmed Mauritania’s commitment to enhancing cooperation in the fields of electricity and renewable energy.
He also emphasized that the memorandum provides opportunities to explore collaboration prospects, implement joint energy projects, exchange expertise, and seek funding for ongoing initiatives. The Minister highlighted the development of low-carbon hydrogen technologies and encouraged the private sector in both countries to seize these opportunities.
Both ministers expressed their willingness to establish a shared vision for a sustainable future and urged their teams to work in synergy to achieve the objectives of the memorandum through concrete actions.
La Rédaction/Le7tv
