Dr. Leila Benali, Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development of Morocco, participated in the Offshore Northern Seas Conference 2024 – ONS 2024 – which took place from August 26 to 29, 2024, in Stavanger, Norway.
The 2024 edition of ONS, marking its 50th anniversary as a platform for debate on critical issues in the energy sector, was inaugurated by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and gathered more than 60,000 participants from around the world, with a particularly notable participation from Morocco.
During a panel with Mr. Jonas Gahr Støre, Prime Minister of Norway, under the theme “Towards a more sustainable and resilient future,” at the opening of the conference, Dr. Leila Benali highlighted the significant advancements made in the clean energy sector in Morocco, as well as in electrification and sustainable development (Rural electrification in Morocco: 99.8%), while recalling Morocco’s strong experience in renewable energies and its strategic positioning as the only African country interconnected with Europe and the Atlantic. The Minister also recalled His Majesty the King’s Initiative for the Atlantic, aimed at establishing synergies between the Kingdom and its partners as a hub connecting “the last reservoir of unused productive capacities” (Africa) to the rest of the world.
Dr. Leila Benali also participated in a roundtable on “dependencies in clean technology supply chains,” where she emphasized the importance of recycling essential minerals to ensure their long-term sustainability while advocating for innovation, certification, and incentives to address the challenges related to these essential resources.
On the sidelines of the Conference, Dr. Leila Benali held several bilateral meetings, including a working meeting with Norwegian Minister of Energy Terje Aasland, during which the two ministers discussed areas of mutual interest in the energy sector, including market solutions and the development of offshore energy, while jointly emphasizing the importance of cooperation to strengthen capacities in the energy sector.
Additionally, a bilateral meeting with Norwegian Minister of Climate and Environment Andreas Bjelland Eriksen took place, in the presence of the ambassadors of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Kingdom of Norway, Mrs. Nabila FREIDJI and Mr. Sjur Larsen, during which the progress made by Morocco to promote investment in environmental and climate matters was highlighted, as well as ways to strengthen cooperation between the two countries, particularly through the development of joint projects, including in the circular economy, to implement the MoU signed at COP28 on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and support for the 2030 World Cup projects.
During the conference proceedings, Minister Leila Benali discussed investment opportunities in Morocco with senior officials from the Norwegian private sector operating in the energy and mining sectors.