Morocco and IEA sign three-year work programme

The Kingdom of Morocco, which joined the International Energy Agency as an Association Country in November 2016, signed a three-year Joint Programme of Work with the IEA to deepen bilateral cooperation in the areas of energy security, energy efficiency, renewable energy, capacity building and data and statistics. The work programme is tailored to Morocco’s specific needs as it transitions to a low-carbon economy.

Under the programme, the IEA Secretariat and the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Sustainable Development will work closely together to reach the ambitious targets set out in the Kingdom’s long-term energy plan.

Dr Fatih Birol, the IEA’s executive director, and Morocco’s Minister of Energy, Mines and Sustainable Development, His Excellency Aziz Rabbah, signed the document in Paris in the presence of several ambassadors from IEA member countries.

“This Joint Programme of Work takes the long-standing relationship between the IEA and Morocco to a new level. It will cement  the partnership between the two parties for a more sustainable and secure energy future,” said Dr Birol. “Morocco’s leadership and commitment to expanding the deployment of renewable energy and weaning itself off imported fossil fuel are to be commended.”

(His Excellency Aziz Rabbah, Morocco’s Minister of Energy, Mines and Sustainable Development, left, and Dr Fatih Birol, the IEA’s executive director. Photograph: ©IEA/Andrew Wheeler)

Morocco became the first country in the Middle East and North Africa to join the IEA’s Association initiative aimed at opening the agency’s doors to emerging economies. 

Through this initiative, the IEA has expanded its global footprint and works with key emerging economies for a more secure and sustainable energy future. The ‘’IEA family’’ of its members and Association countries now accounts for 70% of global energy use. The other Association countries are China, India, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand.

Morocco has abundant renewable energy resources, mainly solar, wind and hydro-power, and is a regional leader in deploying clean energy technologies. The government is pursuing a policy of reducing its dependence on imported fossil fuels and increasing the share of renewable energy in power generation. It was also among the first countries of the Middle East and North Africa to cut fossil fuel subsidies and introduce energy efficiency measures.

The IEA’s collaboration with Morocco began in 2007, focusing particularly on the areas of energy policy, statistics, and research and development (R&D). Two years later, the government adopted a national energy strategy, setting clear targets for wind, solar and hydropower.

The new programme of work is designed to support Morocco as it implements the energy strategy,  including providing guidance and assistance on best practices and technologies that will help the Kingdom attain its clean energy targets.