Morocco's ambassador to South Africa, Youssef Amrani, presented Wednesday 11th of September in Johannesburg, the strategy deployed by Morocco for the development of renewable energy, while highlighting the relevance of this strategy for Africa, a continent which faces many challenges related to the impact of climate change. Speaking at the opening of a conference held under the theme "Power Week Africa" in Sandton, financial district of Johannesburg, Mr. Amrani recalled the initiative of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of invite more than 30 African countries to the first African Climate Change Action Summit, held in Marrakesh on the sidelines of COP 22 (2016).
This summit reminded that all African countries must work toward resolving renewable energy issues and their development, said the ambassador, recalling Morocco's efforts for more than 10 years to promotion, at the continental level, of an integrated, inclusive and concerted vision of these issues. "Morocco is convinced that the implementation of any sustainable and viable strategy for the fight against climate change must be supported by all African countries," he said, stressing that Morocco remains committed, alongside other African countries brothers in the African Union, for a future-oriented Africa and master of its own destiny. The challenges are great, but with the determination of all its components, Africa will be able to meet them, said the diplomat, stressing that the ultimate goal remains to build a climate resilient Africa and embarked on the path of sustainable development while respecting the environmental and social balance.
It is our duty to give a strong impetus to the emergence of Africa and continue to move towards the achievement of the identified objectives H.E. Mr Youssef Amrani
In this vein, Mr. Amrani noted that Africa must speak with one voice to demand the mobilization of the necessary resources. The diplomat cited the Morocco-Nigeria gas pipeline project as a model of African partnership that will accelerate the implementation of electrification projects for the benefit of the people, create a competitive energy market and contribute to the industrialization and integration of the region of West and North Africa.
In addition, Mr. Amrani noted that the Johannesburg conference provides an opportunity to share ambitions and visions for the future. In this context, he reviewed the various reforms initiated in the Kingdom, stressing that this strategy, which comes from the highest political authority in the country, sets the goal of achieving the development of energy efficiency and strengthening regional integration. At the institutional level, priority has been given to renewable energies and energy efficiency through the establishment of the Moroccan Agency for Energy Efficiency (AMEE) and the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (MASEN).
This institutional framework has been improved with the acceleration of the energy transition to ensure better coordination between the various actors and serve as a support for domestic and foreign investors, said Amrani, before concluding that Africa, a continent which is undergoing a profound structural change, is in a decisive phase in its history which requires the implementation of concerted strategies and innovative mechanisms to continue resolutely its march towards further development. For its part, Saïd Mouline, Director General of AMEE, focused on the objectives of the strategy, in particular to increase the share of renewable energies in the national energy mix to 42% in 2020 and 52% to 2030. He noted that the regulatory framework for the sector has been strengthened and financial tools have been implemented with local financial institutions to finance energy efficiency projects in the building, industrial and industrial sectors. 'Agriculture.
Thanks to the efforts made in this field, Morocco has positioned itself as an active player in international negotiations on climate change, said the official. Among other initiatives undertaken by the Kingdom, Mr. Mouline cited the Marrakech Proclamation for Action for Climate and Sustainable Development, adopted at COP 22. This is, according to him, an initiative which marked a turning point in "a new era of climate implementation and action," which prompted non-state actors to partner with governments to take action to mitigate climate change.
Morocco also launched, at COP 22, a plan for the adaptation of the African agricultural sector and continued to effectively defend African concerns at COP 23, added the Director General of AMEE, noting that The Africa Summit of Action, organized in conjunction with COP 22, was intended to show how various sectors related to climate change such as agriculture, energy and water can be developed in Africa by African actors.
Illustrating the continental deployment of this strategy supported at the highest level of the State, Mr. Mouline cited the involvement of the Office Cherifien des Phosphates (OCP) which works for the development of its agricultural activities in Africa , the actions undertaken by MASEN and the setting up by the AMEE of an African training center, supported by Unesco. This center, he said, is an example of sharing expertise among African actors.
The "Power Week Africa" conference is held with the participation of professionals and experts from the energy sector from several countries, particularly in Africa. It is a platform for networking and exchange of expertise for the development of the sector in the continent. Several investors are also taking part in this five-day conclave.