Speaking at the opening ceremony, Morocco’s Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development Leila Benali said that the event is an opportunity for the world to reiterate its commitment to sustainability goals as humanity faces successive energy and climate challenges.

Said Moulin, Director General of the Moroccan Agency for Energy Efficiency (AMEE),highlighted Morocco’s potential in the renewable energy sector. He also recalled King Mohammed VI’s directives to prioritize energy sufficiency.

The President of the Mediterranean Association of National Agencies for Energy Management (MEDENER), Griorgio Graditi stressed his association’s efforts to implement renewable resources and energy efficiency policies and programs, as well as coordinate with various institutions to reach energy and climate transition goals.

Despite these efforts, “the region’s energy potential is largely under-exploited,” said Graditi, calling on stakeholders and policymakers to implement “concrete measures and goals” to foster decarbonization. He also encouraged the sharing of experience, know-how, and skills between countries of the Mediterranean region.

Likewise, Jauad El Kharraz, Executive Director of the Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE), called for more cooperation between all concerned parties to reach the region’s energy sufficiency potential.

While the world is currently witnessing a “challenging geopolitical and climate context,” the Mediterranean region has a “big opportunity to become a regional hub for hydrogen economy,” according to El Kharraz.

Throughout the second day of the conference, representatives of regional organizations, national agencies, financial institutions, experts, researchers, and private participated in the Mediterranean Sustainable Energy Investment (MED SEI) Forum.

Welcoming the growing interest of banks and financial institutions in energy transition projects, Cristina Casella, Programme Manager for Climate Action, DG NEAR, European Commission, said “The purpose of this roundtable is to provide a platform for discussion between public authorities, the financial sector and energy experts with the aim to improve access to finance for the green energy transition”.

The event featured a variety of sessions and conferences, during which speakers representing different countries and institutions shared their insight into the region’s climate and energy-related issues, as well as recommended action plans.

After the conference, participants were invited by the Research Institute for Solar Energy and New Energies (IRESEN) of Morocco to a site visit to Ben Guerir Green Energy Park, a unique platform for experimentation, research, and training on renewable energy technologies, batteries, electrolysis, eco-buildings and eVehicles charging technologies.