The European Union (EU) has granted Morocco a donation of € 50 million to promote clean energy and decarbonization in development sectors. The grant is part of a joint declaration signed by Morocco's Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali, and Director General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations at the European Commission, Gert-Jan Koopman, on the sidelines of COP28. This funding spread over 5 years includes an amount of € 43.6 million in budget support and € 1 million in additional support for technical assistance and twining and capacity building. This agreement is part of the implementation of the bilateral Green Partnership programs, in support of the reforms undertaken by Morocco in renewable and new energies, including green hydrogen, and the strengthening of research and innovation in these sectors, as well as the decarbonization of development sectors, Benali told the press, adding that the Kingdom is the first country to sign such a partnership with the European Union. For his part, Koopman pointed out that the agreement relating to the promotion of clean technologies and green energies in the Mediterranean region is vital for the economic development of both North Africa and the European Union. The European official highlighted the enormous renewable energy potential in the region, which «we want to exploit for the benefit of the populations of the northern and southern shores of the Mediterranean» and for industrial development. The Morocco-EU Green Partnership is an extension of the Joint Political Declaration adopted in 2019 in Brussels during the 14th meeting of the Association Council between the two parties, which underlined the ambition to develop «a true Euro-Moroccan partnership for shared prosperity», and in cooperation with the «European Green Deal», launched by the EU on the eve of COP25. Launched in 2021, Morocco-EU Green Partnership is a cooperation framework to support the transition towards more sustainable modes of production and consumption, to jointly face the challenges of ecological transition and climate emergency, while supporting growth and economic recovery efforts of both partners after the Covid-19 crisis.
