Morocco’s King Mohammed VI and German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle met in Marrakech to discuss more bilateral cooperation between the two countries. "Renewable energies are a priority in our bilateral cooperation, we have decided to strengthen our partnership in this field because our countries have significant potential," Westerwelle told reporters.
The German delegate is taking part in the Kronberg Talks which discuss the situation in the Arab world, notably in North Africa, and its impact on the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP). The European Commission’s ENP was developed in 2004 with the aim at combating divisions between the EU and neighbors. The framework is proposed to 16 of the EU’s closest neighbors which include Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia, and Ukraine.
"We hope to act decisively in order to reinforce cooperation ties with Morocco", added the German Minister. Yet many examples of German dealings can already be found in Morocco and the North African region. The European country’s KfW bank has helped fund several wind power and other smaller renewable energy projects in Morocco and Egypt. And the main German-led project spanning throughout the MENA region is the Desertec Industrial Initiative, planned to generate electricity from the Sahara with exports planned for Europe.
Germany is not new on the scene in Africa or renewable energy, but reinforcing its position is a key for continuing operations within the region.
For more information on German ventures throughout the continent, please see Germany: The Authority on Renewable Energy
Alternative Energy Africa is trying to reduce its own carbon footprint in 2011. Ask about our electronic subscriptions and online marketing campaigns specially tailored for individual companies.