Clean Energy Transitions in North Africa

The IEA, with the support of the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Environment of Morocco, will convene a virtual regional symposium on 21 September 2020 to discuss how best to accelerate clean energy transitions in North Africa. The event will bring together energy leaders and other stakeholders to exchange views on best practices, success stories and lessons learned from across the region. It will also be an opportunity to reflect on the challenges of Covid-19 and its economic ramifications on North Africa’s energy sector. Additionally the meeting will explore how clean energy transitions can provide opportunities for a robust sustainable recovery in terms of economic growth, job creation, sustainable energy generation and energy security.

The online meeting will gather representatives from a majority of North African countries, regional and international organizations, the private sector, development banks, multilateral and regional financial institutions, as well as stakeholders from other countries to share relevant experiences on clean energy transitions in North Africa. It also aims, among other objectives, to foster enhanced political will for ambitious clean energy transitions and to promote robust interregional stakeholder dialogue that will inform and guide national policymakers in their quest to implement high-impact policies in their respective countries.

The event will feature the launch of a new IEA report on Clean Energy Transitions in North Africa, whose key findings will be presented and serve as background to guide the discussion. The presentation will be followed by focused discussions on opportunities and challenges to the future acceleration of clean energy transition pathways in the region. Discussants will also be invited to share their perspectives on the immediate challenges related to the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on the region’s clean energy transition and the role that clean energy transitions can play towards a sustainable economic recovery in North Africa.

This IEA initiative fits within the agency’s increasing focus and work on Africa. By providing a platform for a regional exchange of views on its analysis and policy recommendations, the IEA aims to improve coordination among initiatives and actors, as well as harness the expertise and networks of local resources in North Africa. It also seeks to support the development and implementation of high-impact policies that will stimulate investment in all relevant areas of clean energy transitions in the long term. Throughout the event, raising high-level awareness on how best to ensure progress towards successful clean energy transitions and achieving SDG 7 will be a priority.