The Vice-President of the European Commission was in Rabat on Tuesday. He met the Moroccan Foreign Minister to sign the first agreement of “green partnership” with a third country. The 27 undertake to help Morocco develop a more sustainable growth and strengthen their energy cooperation.
“The green partnership that we have with Morocco is the kick-off of a development that will chain all of Europe and all of Africa, and the beginning is here because Morocco is in an excellent position to show that can work, to also show the Moroccan people that the choice made by the kingdom, the choice made by His Majesty the King to go in this direction is in everyone’s interest”explained Frans Timmermans.
“Why a green partnership? First of all the context shows it, we are on the eve of COP27 and it is an important moment to show that the discussion on climate change is first and foremost a question of will and vision, but it’s a matter of actions”comments Nasser Bourita, Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs.
In 2009, Morocco adopted an energy strategy aimed at developing renewables. Objective: to increase their share in the production of electricity to more than 52% in 2030 compared to just over 18% last year.
Currently, three-quarters of its electricity comes from coalthe most CO2-emitting energy.
This green partnership comes as the kingdom is experiencing a severe drought, the worst in three decades. It is estimated that Moroccan agriculture, which is very water-intensive, employs nearly 40% of the Moroccan population.