Public Infrastructure, Renewable Energy: Morocco, The Netherlands Join Forces

On Jun 21, 2023

The Moroccan and Dutch governments signed two Memorandums of Understanding on Wednesday in Rabat to strengthen their bilateral collaboration on the creation of public infrastructure initiatives and renewable energy projects.

The two memorandums which were signed outside the round table “Morocco-Netherlands: Fostering the energy transition for a sustainable future” closing session in the presence of Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, and a number of Moroccan and Dutch officials and businessmen, are meant to strengthen cooperation in areas related to sustainable development, public infrastructure, and the energy transition.

To this purpose, Rutte, Joost Oothuizen, Chairman and CEO of “Invest International,” the Minister of Economy and Finance, Nadia Fettah, and others signed a first memorandum on the development and funding of public infrastructure projects in Morocco.

This MoU aims to advance collaboration in areas that are important to both Morocco and Invest International, particularly in the fields of agriculture, water and infrastructure, renewable energy, sustainable industry, and health.

The second pact, which was signed by Leila Benali, Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, aims to enhance collaboration in the area of innovative fuels and renewable energy sources.

The agreement will enable the matching of supply and demand in terms of investment and trade between producers of new renewable fuels and purchasers, as well as give mutual support for existing and future international initiatives and alliances connected to renewable energy and new fuels.

The memorandum also aims to encourage research, capacity building, innovation, and academic exchanges while promoting new clean energy sources, particularly offshore wind generation and novel applications for renewable energy sources like saltwater desalination.

Benali praised the strategic energy collaboration between the two nations in a statement to the media, noting that it has been further strengthened by the signing of a memorandum of understanding on energy transition, new energies, and energy efficiency.

She emphasized the Moroccan and Dutch infrastructures in this area and said that this conference is a great chance to reiterate the value of the sharing of knowledge between Morocco and the Netherlands and the exchange of investments in support of economic development.

In addition, she emphasized the significance of regional and global integration in energy markets, including upcoming energy markets, and welcomed the successful visit of the high-level Dutch delegation from the public and commercial sectors.