2024-05-07 05:15:09
Initiated by the International Center for Research and Capacity Building (CI2RC), in collaboration with the German Friedrich Naumann For Freedom Foundation and the Ecole Supérieure de Technologie (EST) d’Essaouira, under the theme “Green Energy: What energy transition for the territories?”, this two-day meeting constitutes the ideal opportunity to explore in depth the challenges and opportunities linked to the energy transition in the province, while promoting constructive dialogue and fruitful exchanges on best practices and innovative solutions.
In an opening speech, HM the King’s Advisor and founding President of the Essaouira-Mogador Association, Mr. André Azoulay, welcomed “this laudable initiative which marks a significant step for the city of Essaouira, an undisputed reference in terms of sustainable development, national leadership and international credibility, resulting from an exemplary approach spanning around thirty years.”
“The Cité des Alizés, with its particular geographical morphology, is resolutely committed to the energy transition, a strategic project for the success of the economic and social development of the Kingdom,” underlined Mr. Azoulay, calling, in this sense, for exploitation maximum of the city’s potential in renewable energies, particularly in the fields of wind and solar power, the aim being to contribute significantly to Morocco‘s ambition to excel in the energies of tomorrow.
Recalling that Essaouira has 160 km of coastline and benefits from exceptional sunshine, “assets which need to be fully exploited”, Mr. Azoulay insisted on the imperative of aligning energy transition efforts with the specificities of the city, while preserving its identity and cultural diversity.
It is with this in mind that the governor of the province, Adil El Maliki, highlighted the importance of combining various factors to guarantee the success of the city of Alizés in its ambitious energy transition project, aligned with the objectives of the New Development Model.
“On a heritage and environmental level, Essaouira, blessed with exceptional natural diversity, must reconcile the preservation of its cultural and natural heritage with the imperatives of urban and rural development,” he explained, calling on all parties concerned to fully engage in this dynamic of energy development.
Regarding the projects undertaken in this area at the provincial level, Mr. El Maliki highlighted several considerable initiatives, such as the “Amagdoul” wind farm, operational since 2017 or that of Jbel Lehdid, including the Commissioning is planned this year, ambitious projects illustrating Essaouira’s capacity to become a net energy exporter.
For his part, the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Morocco, Robert Dölger, welcomed this major meeting, “held in an emblematic city embodying an exceptional dimension at all levels”, expressing his admiration for the Kingdom’s energy policy which “has positioned it as a pioneer in the field of climate and the promotion of renewable energies, both in Africa and throughout the world”.
After providing an overview of the German experience in this area, Mr. Dölger highlighted “the perfect complementarity between this German approach and Morocco’s energy strategy”, expressing his desire to further strengthen this “promising cooperation “.
For his part, the Swiss ambassador in Rabat, Guillaume Scheurer, praised the excellence of bilateral relations between Morocco and Switzerland, which also encompass the area of energy transition, highlighting Morocco’s ambition to become a hub for green hydrogen, while highlighting the Kingdom’s active engagement within large international energy organizations.
Convinced that many energy solutions are emerging outside urban centers, the Swiss diplomat shared with the audience promising perspectives on how Moroccan regions, provinces and localities can play a key role in the energy transition.
Speaking in turn, Belaïd Bougadir, president of the Cadi Ayyad University (UCA) of Marrakech, focused on the role of the academic community, represented through the EST of Essaouira, in the energy transition process. at the provincial level, highlighting in this regard the particular character of this school, where the courses are adapted to the provincial context, in particular by being the first EST to offer a course dedicated to the energy transition.
In this perspective, Sebastian Vagt, as representative of the German Friedrich Naumann For Freedom Foundation in Morocco, emphasized the effective collaboration between the foundation and the CI2RC, noting that this alliance intends to support the province in its transformation into a regional model and position it as a leading place for discussion, nationally and internationally, on the energy transition.
Subsequently, the audience attended two round tables on the themes “Energy transition: Challenges and opportunities for Moroccan territories” and “Energy transition: Comparison between countries”, during which several officials and experts examined the policies, technological innovations and good practices in this area.
The program of this international forum also includes eco-citizen mobilization activities, awareness tours, exchange workshops, competitions, as well as various related events, the aim being to promote environmental awareness and encourage citizen commitment in favor of this cause, while promoting the exchange of good practices and innovations in this area.
2024-05-07 05:15:09