Leila Benali, minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, stressed that sustainable development has become a “strategic choice” for Morocco under the guidance of King Mohammed VI during the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development held in New York from July 17 to 20.

Moroccan changes to promote economic growth, improve social circumstances, and speed up environmental initiatives were underlined by Minister Benali. A new model concentrating on advancement in the economy, society, territory, and human capital by 2035 has been developed in Morocco as a result of the country’s dedication to sustainable development, all under the direction of King Mohammed VI.

According to Minister Benali’s statement, this new development model aims to find a balance between economic development, social progress, and environmental protection while also advancing governance and policy convergence.

With the inclusion of consultations with all national stakeholders, the National Sustainable Development Strategy has strengthened Morocco’s commitment to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Minister Benali stressed the importance of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement in advancing international climate action. Their adoption has raised awareness of environmental challenges and facilitated the incorporation of sustainability into important industries, including finance.

Minister Benali emphasized the significance of global cooperation at both the international and regional levels to tackle the challenges of sustainable development, particularly in light of continuous crises and their effects on African nations.

The Minister emphasized Morocco’s efforts to advance security, justice, and human rights across the globe while bolstering South-South and triangular collaboration.

Leading a significant delegation to the HLPF are Minister Benali, Ambassador Omar Hilale of Morocco’s Permanent Mission to the UN, and top representatives from the Ministry of Energy Transition and the High Commission for Planning.

The theme of the 2018 UN High-Level Political Forum is “Accelerating Recovery after COVID-19 and the Full Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at All Levels.” It serves as the main platform for examining and tracking the accomplishments of the 17 SDGs that make up the 2030 Agenda, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly on September 25, 2015.

The UN General Assembly calls for the HLPF to meet every year under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and every four years with the involvement of Heads of State and Government.

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Mohammed Abdeljalil, the Moroccan minister of transport and logistics, spoke with the British Secretary of State on Thursday in Rabat. Nigel Huddleston oversees commerce and business.

Abdeljalil acknowledged in a statement that several subjects—including British aspirations been discussed at that time. Continuing with civil aviation and rail developments, measures to advance trade between the two nations Reconsider the likelihood of marine connections between Morocco and the United Kingdom in particular.

Huddleston, who is in the Kingdom on a business trip, complimented the volume of trade between the two nations. Considering the different opportunities for collaboration in industries such agriculture, transportation, building structures, commodities, and services, the estimated value of the agreement is $2.7 billion.

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In turn, he wanted to fortify these connections by seizing chances in different industries.

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Huddleston met with Laila Benali, the minister for energy transition and sustainable development, earlier today. They discussed ways to improve bilateral ties in the fields of renewable energies, particularly green hydrogen, business opportunities, and possibilities for partnership between Morocco and the UK in the field of energy transition and sustainable development.

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Rabat – The consolidation of strategic cooperation in the fields of energy transition, environment and sustainable development was the focus of talks, Thursday in Rabat, between the Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali and her Spanish counterpart, Teresa Ribera Rodríguez.

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After the meeting, which was held in conjunction with the 12th Morocco-Spain High-Level Meeting (HLM), Benali gave a press conference in which he stated that the two governments wanted to revitalize their strategic alliance in the energy sector and further solidify their collaboration in areas such as green hydrogen, electricity, gas, mining, the environment, and sustainable development.

The meeting provided an opportunity to talk about a variety of topics related to “COP28 preparations as part of Morocco’s presidency of the 6th assembly of the United Nations for the environment,” which runs concurrently with Spain’s presidency of the European Council in the second half of 2023, she added.

Teresa Ribera Rodriguez, vice president of the Spanish government and minister for ecological transition and demographic challenges, expressed her satisfaction with the level of bilateral cooperation relations, highlighting the shared perspectives of the two parties on issues relating to the environment and energy.

In a press release, she stated that “we are convinced of the importance of working together” for a healthier environment in a time of climate challenges, noting that Morocco has high aspirations in the energy sector.

In this regard, she emphasized “the strong commitment of Morocco” to advance cross-border collaboration, particularly in the energy sector, in order to address environmental and climate challenges.

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Ribera Rodrguez is a member of the delegation traveling with Pedro Sánchez, the president of the Spanish government, who is currently in the Kingdom to co-chair the 12th session of the High Level Meeting Morocco-Spain with Aziz Akhannouch, the president of Morocco.

The 12th Morocco-Spain HLM, which takes place eight years after the last meeting of this institutional mechanism, is a part of the strategic partnership and the new energy that has emerged in relations between the two countries as a result of Mr. Sanchez’s visit to Morocco last April at HM King Mohammed VI’s invitation.

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The Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali, stated Monday in Vienna that Morocco is steadfastly committed to supporting the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) central role in the technical assistance provided to member states as well as triangular cooperation with Africa.

In a remote address on the occasion of the 66th session of the General Conference of the IAEA, Ms. Benali emphasized that “Africa, and action in the service of the African continent, remains a strategic priority for Morocco, in accordance with the High Guidelines of HM King Mohammed VI, in favor of the development of South-South and triangular cooperation that is united and active.”

She recalled that a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Moroccan Ministry of Health and Social Protection and the IAEA in order to further strengthen cooperation in the fight against cancer and zoonoses, such as Covid-19, Zika, or Ebola in Africa, as part of Morocco’s ongoing commitment to support capacity building activities in Africa.

This memorandum, which was signed during the Director General of the IAEA’s visit to Morocco in June, will enable Morocco to strengthen its contributions to the establishment of regional cancer treatment centers as part of the IAEA’s “Rayons of Hope” initiative. This is especially important in Africa, where more than 70% of the population lacks access to radiotherapy, a crucial treatment for cancer.

She continued, “Morocco welcomes the designation in January 2021 of the National Center for Energy, Sciences and Nuclear Techniques (CNESTEN) as the first IAEA Collaborating Center on the African continent for the use of nuclear techniques in the fields of water resources management, environmental protection, and industrial applications, for the period extending from 2021 to 2025.” This designation is part of a dynamic of bilateral and triangular partnership with the IAEA.

Ms. Benali also hailed the IAEA’s designation of the Moroccan Agency for Nuclear and Radiological Safety and Security (AMSSNuR) as the First African Collaborative Center for Capacity Building in Nuclear Security, effective July 16, 2021.

According to her, “through this dual recognition, these two institutions will continue their cooperation with the IAEA, in order to further consolidate technical cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy between Morocco and the Agency, and strengthen triangular cooperation in the material for the benefit of developing countries, particularly African countries.”

The Minister reaffirmed the Kingdom’s support for the Agency’s efforts to develop nuclear energy and technologies for peaceful uses, and he added that the IAEA’s activities are in line with this vision due to the political commitment of its member states and the technical support provided by the Agency, particularly through its Technical Cooperation Program (TCP).

With this in mind, Morocco, which presided over the 64th session of the IAEA General Conference two years ago in the person of Mr. Azzeddine Farhane, Permanent Representative Ambassador, worked to include the development of radiotherapy and the use of nuclear applications in the fight against cancer on the agenda of this session by organizing the first-ever High Level panel with the IAEA Director General on the topic of “The role of nucleic acids in the fight against cancer.”

According to Ms. Benali’s summary records, the Conference’s 64th session welcomed the meeting’s conclusions, which emphasized the need to increase public awareness of the problem of cervical cancer in Africa, exchange best practices, and establish mechanisms to strengthen collaboration, momentum, and complementarity among all participants in the fight against cancer.

She said that because of this, Morocco actively supports the “Rays of Hope” initiative, which was introduced in Addis Abeb by the Director General of the IAEA to ensure that everyone has access to cancer care and to address the lack of radiotherapy in developing nations, particularly in Africa, on the occasion of World Cancer Day.

Ms. Benali also praised the significant advancements made since the ZODIAC initiative, or “Zoonotic Disease Integrated Action Project,” was put into effect. This initiative was adopted by consensus in a resolution at the 64th session of the Conference General of the IAEA, which was presided over by Morocco.

“My country, which has supported the Rays of Hope initiative and the ZODIAC project, calls on the Member States to continue supporting the Agency’s structuring actions, such as the ReNuAL project, +Renovation of the Nuclear Applications Laboratories+, which aims to equip the IAEA with the necessary capabilities to meet national needs and thereby contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals,” she said.

Morocco, which has financially supported the Zodiac project’s implementation, would like to reiterate its appreciation of this innovative initiative on this occasion. The initiative aims to create a comprehensive, multisectoral, and multidisciplinary global framework to combat diseases spread by zoonotic agents on a global level, the Minister said.

The official said, “The Seibersdorf Nuclear Sciences and Applications Laboratories Renovation Project (Renual and Renual+) is crucial for boosting nuclear sciences and applications training in developing countries.

Additionally, Ms. Benali pointed out that Morocco has developed national expertise as a result of the IAEA’s support in the areas of health, nuclear medicine and medical physics, nutrition, water, agriculture, industry, environment, education and training, safety and security, as well as the promotion of the peaceful use of applications and technologies in a safe, secure, and sustainable manner.

She said, “At the academic level, the CNESTEN organized this year’s 11th session of the post-graduate training on radiation safety and source control of ionizing radiation (PGEC) for professionals from roughly twenty French-speaking African nations, under the auspices of the IAEA and AFRA.

According to the manager, the CNESTEN coordinates the deployment of expert missions or laboratory analyses as well as the reception of 100 professional and scientific visits annually for the benefit of technicians, executives, and managers. It also works closely with the IAEA and AFRA and in coordination with the relevant African institutions from about thirty English- and French-speaking countries.

She noted that this year, under the auspices of the IAEA and AFRA, CNESTEN organized the 12th session of post-graduate training on the radiological safety and control of ionizing radiation sources (PGEC) for the benefit of professionals from a dozen African countries in order to strengthen regional capacities in radiological safety.

The Agency’s safety standards as well as the appropriate national legal frameworks in place have been reinforced by the fact that, to date, close to 300 professionals have benefited from this crucial training and hold positions of responsibility, particularly in the regulatory bodies of their respective countries, according to Ms. Benali.

The Forum of Nuclear Regulators in Africa (FNRBA), which has been AMSSNuR’s chair since 2019, has worked to strengthen the position of African nuclear regulators in the area of nuclear safety and security. She noted that the AMSSNuR has trained 2,000 persons in nuclear safety, 38% of whom are representatives of African nations and 10% of whom are from other regions.

According to Ms. Benali, the AMSSNuR will also host the meeting of the IAEA steering committee office responsible for developing capabilities and knowledge management in nuclear safety and security in October 2022.

This meeting’s goal is to prepare the steering committee meeting, which will take place in Vienna in December 2022 and be devoted to finalizing the draft strategic approach for the years 2023 through 2030 to develop the capacity building components, such as human resources, training, education, knowledge management, and partnership networks, she said.

The Secretary General of the Ministry of Health, Abdelkrim Meziane Belfqih, the Acting Director of AMSSNuR, Mounji Zniber, the Acting Director General from CNESTEN, Hamid Marah, and the Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Morocco to International Organizations based in Vienna, Azzeddine Farhane are all part of the large delegation representing Morocco at this 66th session of the IAEA General Conference.

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Leila Benali, the Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, emphasized the need of regional integration in terms of sustainable energy in Africa on Thursday, with a focus on South-South cooperation as well as South-North cooperation, in collaboration with European partners.

The manager, addressing on the sidelines of a meeting on the prospects and difficulties of Africa’s energy transition, convened at the Morocco Pavilion at COP 26, urged taking advantage of available financing to ensure the transition’s success.

Morocco convened a meeting on the prospects and difficulties of energy transition in Africa on the sidelines of the World Climate Summit (COP 26), with the involvement of various figures from the fields of energy, finance, and development.

The event provided an opportunity to address the benefits and challenges of a successful energy transition in Africa, as well as solutions to speed up access to sustainable energy.

The Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Lela Benali, emphasized the importance of South-South cooperation in this field, saying, “Morocco is trying to consolidate regional integration in Africa in order to ensure everyone has access to sustainable energy.”

Africa must use research, innovation, industrial integration, and assistance for the growth of the regional energy market to turn today’s issues into investment possibilities.”

In this regard, the management emphasized the need of taking advantage of available funding and collaboration opportunities in order to make this shift a success. This entails, among other things, establishing electricity, gas, and other links amongst the continent’s countries.

Janet Rogan, the regional ambassador for the Middle East and Africa at COP 26, said, “Africa confronts enormous challenges, with approximately 600 million people without access to energy across the continent.” Because of its size, the continent also has a transmission network that isn’t always up to date.”

As a result, she maintained, people in Africa must have access to energy and overcome structural challenges in order to flourish and grow socioeconomically.

This is the hope that COP 26 provides today, she noted, because the Summit has opened the door to several other new investments and improved financial availability.

Morocco has always strived to accelerate the implementation of the renewable energy agenda, in addition to hosting two COPs in the past, according to Ms. Rogan, adding that it is a sector that now has attractive opportunities thanks to new technologies, the cost of which has been greatly reduced, making them viable options for developing countries.

The Ambassador also mentioned that the Kingdom is cooperating and sharing its expertise with other African countries, “which means we have chances and solutions inside the continent.”

The speakers at this discussion were unanimous in highlighting the importance of the Kingdom’s role in fostering a low-carbon energy transition in Africa, both through its public and commercial sectors. The task is to take advantage of the continent’s resource potential and develop solutions that deliver modern types of energy to ensure that all Africans have access to reliable energy.

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The Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, said on Monday that the Royal Speech, delivered to attendees at the United Nations Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP26), highlights world leaders’ responsibilities to mankind.

This necessitates a strong political commitment, he added, noting that the Kingdom has already initiated a number of programs in the areas of energy, agriculture, and water. He emphasized that these projects, which benefit from HM King Mohammed VI’s High Solicitude, enable Morocco to be a pioneer in the battle against climate change.

In addition, he stated that the major goal of COP26 is to increase collective action in order to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and meet the +1.5°C target. In the same way, it intends to raise the finances needed to achieve the planet’s energy transition.

Mohamed Sadiki, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water Bodies and Forests, and Leila Benali, Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, lead a Moroccan delegation led by the Head of Government.

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King Mohammed VI appointed Leila Benali as the Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Thursday, October 7, 2021.

Leila Benali, a well-known specialist in energy strategy and sustainability, was recently nominated by the King to lead the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development.

Leila Benali is the Chief Economist and Director of Strategy at Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation (APICORP). She was also a member of the Special Commission on Development Model (CSMD).

She possesses a DEA in political science and a PhD in energy economics Summa Cum Laude from Sciences Po, as well as being a Laureate of the Mohammedia School of Engineers and the Ecole Centrale Paris.

She has led a number of projects throughout her career, including the development of plans and policies for governments, energy firms, industrialists, and institutional investors.

Leila Benali was also the Middle East and Africa Director of HIS, an international security and energy research and consulting organization, a professor at Sciences Po, and an industrial engineer at Schlumberger.

Energy Poverty: Global Challenges and Local Answers, published in 2014, was acclaimed as a “must read” by former President of the United States, Bill Clinton, as “must read by anyone who sincerely wants to find significant solutions to energy poverty.”

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