Morocco-(EU) institutional twinning project was launched Monday in Rabat in order to strengthen the capacity of the Compliance Branch and Programming (DOP) of the Department of Energy and Mines in terms of forecasting, planning, monitoring and evaluating the national energy policy.
The project linking the DOP and the German Federal Ministry of Economy and Technology is part of the implementation of the joint Statement between Morocco and the EU on the priorities for cooperation in the field of Energy signed in July 2007 to converge to the acquis communautaire, stressed the Minister of Energy, Mines, Water and Environment, Mrs. Amina Benkhadra, on this occasion.
She pointed out that this initiative is in line with Morocco-EU joint document signed in October 2008 on strengthening bilateral relations in the advanced status particularly the energy component which gives an important interest to observation, forecasting and energy planning.
She added that this partnership aims to support Morocco`s effort in the implementation of an efficient energy policy, meeting economic, social and environmental imperatives that are part of the prospect of eventual integration of the Moroccan and the EU energy markets.
For her part, the Chargé d`affaires of the Embassy of Germany said that Morocco decided to converge to the acquis communautaire in the field of energy policy, a key sector which is of great importance, knowing that all economic growth depends, among others, on the availability of energy.
She also noted that the German government has decades of experience in the energy sector in Morocco namely the GTZ that supports the development of renewable energy with several technical assistance programs and the investment of major German companies in Morocco.
For Harmut Schneider, the head of the twinning project (German side), this project plays a key role within the framework of cooperation between the EU and Morocco, which "has grown in an impressive way».
This partnership aims to support Morocco`s efforts in the implementation of energy efficient devices that takes economic, social and environmental constraints into account with a view of an eventual integration of the Moroccan energy market into that of the EU, he stated, emphasizing the similarity of the objectives of energy policy in both countries.
The representative of the Federal Ministry of Economy and Technology, Andreas Obersteller, noted that this project contributes significantly to the construction of economic relations between Germany and Morocco since energy policy is an important component of economic policy.
Ensure a secure energy supply, economic and environmentally friendly is one of the greatest challenges of the twenty-first century, he argued.
For industrialized countries and emerging markets to continue to be or become economic centers of competitiveness, it is essential to ensure a high level of security of supply, environmental and climate protection as well as a profitable energy supply, suggested Mr. Obersteller.
This 24- months project is funded by the EU in the amount of 850,000 euros.
Were present during the launching of the twinning ceremony, the representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and of the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the High Planning Commission.