Leila Benali Highlights Royal Vision for Energy Sovereignty in London
Energy Transition and Sustainable Development Minister Leila Benali emphasized yesterday in London the royal vision for achieving energy sovereignty, reaffirming the Kingdom’s steadfast commitment to restructuring its energy system on a global scale.
In her speech during the ministerial discussion session on cooperation to enhance energy security at the Future of Energy Security Summit held in the British capital, Benali stressed that the reality of global infrastructure requires radical transformations, confirming Morocco’s central role in shaping a new energy security landscape based on enhancing investments and modernizing networks.
In this context, the minister recalled the speech delivered by His Majesty King Mohammed VI at the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), where His Majesty called for moving beyond slow incrementalism, noting that these royal directives serve as a strong impetus to accelerate the pace of the comprehensive energy transition.
Benali mentioned that Morocco manages significant responsibilities despite being a middle-income country, thanks to its cultural, logistical, and energy ties to both Europe and the Atlantic Ocean. She explained that the year 2025 is a critical milestone for achieving a qualitative leap in the Kingdom’s investment policy, with the ambition to quadruple annual investments in renewable energy projects and quintuple investments in the electric grid.
The minister clarified that the royal vision for energy security goes beyond securing molecules and electrons; it encompasses a comprehensive restructuring of the energy system, including enhancing strategic partnerships, securing energy assets, developing value chains, establishing principles of social and energy justice, achieving sustainable development, and adopting smart and integrated management models for electric grids.
The government official stated that regional integration is a fundamental pillar of the Kingdom’s energy strategy, reminding that Morocco has adopted this option by launching a massive $6 billion tender to develop natural gas infrastructure and connect the African-Atlantic gas pipeline, a project that will enable the transport of molecules and green hydrogen between Africa and Europe, while supporting regional and international energy transition projects.
On another note, Benali noted the importance of seriously considering the restructuring of multilateral financing institutions, calling for the development of a more integrated and flexible international financial framework to support projects that enhance energy security, ensuring alignment of international policies and the achievement of sustainable development goals and social welfare.
The Future of Energy Security Summit, organized by the International Energy Agency in collaboration with the UK government, was co-chaired by the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, Fatih Birol, and the UK Minister of State for Energy Security and Zero Emissions, Ed Miliband, with the participation of high-level international delegations representing key players in the fields of energy transition and global energy security.
