In a significant move to bolster regional energy cooperation, the Director-General of Morocco's National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE), Tarik Hamane, and the Director-General of the Mauritanian Electricity Company (SOMELEC), Sidi Salem Mohaned Elabd, signed an agreement on Tuesday in Nouakchott. This agreement aims to develop and implement an electrical interconnection between Morocco and Mauritania. The signing ceremony was attended by Morocco's Ambassador to Mauritania, Hamid Chabar. Part of the Royal Atlantic Initiative, this Morocco-Mauritania electrical interconnection project is a significant advancement towards African integration and South-South cooperation. It promises to improve the reliability and performance of both countries' electricity networks and facilitate electricity exchanges between Morocco, Mauritania, and further between Europe and West Africa under the West African Power Pool (WAPP). This initiative also aims to harness the complementarities of the two countries' electricity networks, focusing on better integration and optimization of renewable energy resources. On this occasion, Tarik Hamane emphasized that the electrical interconnection project will unlock new opportunities in renewable energy, given the substantial potential in both countries. He noted that this initiative will enhance cooperation between the electricity networks, boost expertise, and facilitate exchanges between Morocco and Mauritania. Sidi Salem Mohaned Elabd highlighted that this interconnection marks a pivotal step aligned with the evolving realities of Mauritania's electricity system. He said it opens promising prospects for both nations, enabling them to strengthen connectivity with European and African energy markets.
