Strategic partnership between Algeria and the EU for energy
The fourth annual meeting of the high-level political dialogue on energy between Algeria and the European Union was held in Algiers on October 10, 2022 under the co-chairmanship of the Minister of Energy and Mines, Mr. Mohamed Arkab and of the European Commissioner for Energy Mrs Kadri Simson.
The Minister for Energy and the Commissioner had a bilateral meeting which focused on the ways and means of strengthening bilateral cooperation in the field of energy.
This meeting is part of the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Strategic Partnership between Algeria and the European Union in the field of energy, signed in Algiers in 2013, which aims to develop and strengthen energy relations while respecting the balance of interests between the two parties.
The parties reviewed the state of bilateral cooperation and reiterated the common will to work to strengthen it through the continuation of exchanges within the framework of the sectoral working group and the two expert groups "natural gas" and “electricity, new and renewable energies and energy efficiency” who presented on this occasion the report of their activities.
Thus, the two parties welcomed the progress made in the implementation of the partnership on subjects of common interest, namely natural gas, electricity, the development of renewable energies, the promotion of energy efficiency as well as renewable and low-carbon hydrogen, and prospects for cooperation in reducing greenhouse gases in the oil and gas industry.
The meeting allowed an exchange on the development of investments in the exploration and production of hydrocarbons in Algeria and the prospects for the development of gas infrastructures and gas markets as well as the development of renewable energies, their integration into the electricity network and electrical interconnection infrastructures of common interest. Also, emphasis was placed on the importance of Algeria as a strategic, safe and reliable partner in terms of energy supplies to the European Union in natural gas, which is making considerable efforts in terms of investments. to consolidate this role at the regional and international level.
Companies from European Union countries are invited to seize all opportunities to further develop partnerships through investments in the energy sector on the basis of the “win-win” principle.
In this perspective, the holding of the second Algeria-European Union business forum on energy on October 11 and 12, 2022 in Algiers constitutes a concrete action carried out and an example of the dynamism of this cooperation.
Algeria and the European Union share common objectives in the fight against climate change and are fully committed to achieving the objectives set under the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) .
The two parties have agreed to strengthen their cooperation and continue their exchanges in the following areas: the promotion and facilitation of investments in the energy sector, including in the field of renewable energies and industrial partnerships that can contribute to the promotion of local industry, renewable and low-carbon hydrogen through the facilitation of partnerships for the realization of pilot and industrial projects, the reduction of fugitive methane emissions in the energy industry through the organization of exchange workshop.
The two parties also expressed their interest in deepening discussions on the development of energy infrastructure, in particular electrical interconnections.
It should be noted that among the actions carried out within the framework of this partnership, the support program for the sector of mainly electrical renewable energies and energy efficiency in Algeria, called "Taka nadifa", co-financed by the European Union and Algeria to the tune of ten (10) million euros, the work of which is currently underway until March 2023. Both parties were delighted with the relevance and added value of the expertise provided through this program . They agreed that exploratory discussions on future support should be initiated in the coming months.
Source: European Commission Press Release
