The Kingdom of Morocco represented by Leila Benali, Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development of Morocco, took part in the Offshore Northern Seas Conference 2024 – ONS 2024 – organized during the period from August 26 to 29, 2024 in Stavanger, Norway.
Organized in celebration of its 50th anniversary as a platform for debate on critical issues in the energy sector, this 2024 edition of the ONS was inaugurated by His Highness Crown Prince of Norway Haakon and brought together more than 60,000 participants from all over the world and saw particularly notable participation from Morocco.
According to a press release from the Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development; Ms. Leîla Benali highlighted; During a panel with Mr. Jonas Gahr Støre, the Norwegian Prime Minister dealing with the theme “Towards a more sustainable and resilient future”; the significant progress made in the clean energy sector in Morocco as well as in the areas of electrification and sustainable development (Rural electrification in Morocco: 99.8%), while recalling Morocco’s strong experience in renewable energy and its strategic positioning as the only African country interconnected with Europe and the Atlantic.
The Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development also recalled the Initiative of His Majesty the King, may God assist him for the Atlantic, aimed at establishing synergies between the Kingdom and its partners as a hub linking “the last reservoir of unused productive capacities” (Africa) to the rest of the world.
According to the same source; Leila Benali also participated in a roundtable on “dependencies in clean technology supply chains”, and stressed the importance of recycling essential minerals to ensure their long-term sustainability while advocating for innovation, certification, and incentives to address the challenges related to these essential resources.
It is worth noting that on the sidelines of the Conference, Leila Benali held several bilateral meetings, including a working meeting with Norwegian Minister of Energy Terje Aasland, during which the two ministers discussed areas of common interest in the energy sector, including market solutions and the development of offshore energy, while jointly stressing the importance of cooperation to strengthen capacities in the energy sector.
On the other hand, a bilateral meeting with the Norwegian Minister of Climate and Environment Andreas Bjelland Eriksen, in the presence of the two ambassadors respectively of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Kingdom of Norway Nabila FREIDJI and Sjur Larsen, during which the progress made by Morocco to promote investment in the environment and climate was highlighted, as well as the modalities for strengthening cooperation between the two countries, in particular through the development of joint projects, including in the circular economy, to implement the MoU signed at COP28 on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and support for the 2030 World Cup projects.
It is also specified that during the conference, Minister Leila Benali discussed investment opportunities in Morocco with senior officials from the Norwegian private sector operating in the energy and mining sector.
