Egypt’s Minister of International Cooperation Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, and Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Dr. Mohamed Shaker, signed the Egyptian-Danish Energy Partnership Program (2019-2022) agreement with the Energy Agency of the Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Utilities, to unlock Egypt’s green transformation and invest in renewable energy.
The agreement aims to create a platform to consolidate cooperation between Egyptian governmental institutions and their Danish counterparts through strategic cooperation in the energy field beginning from this year, Mashat said.
Further, it aims to cement bilateral commercial ties and exchange expertise in technology and clean energy, she added.
She noted that the agreement falls under the Global Partnerships for Effective Development Cooperation multi-stakeholder platform, launched in April by Egypt's Ministry of International Cooperation.
The agreement helps achieve Goal 7 aims to accelerate the implementation of Egypt’s sustainable energy strategy until 2035, which was adopted by the government in October 2016 and seeks to increase the share of renewable energy to more than 42 percent. The strategy seeks to improve financial sustainability and the operational efficiency of the energy sector.
Shaker said that the ministry will seek to form a joint committee with the Danish side to serve as a platform for comprehensive strategic dialogue to discuss cooperation in the energy field and reach decisions on the strategic cooperation program.
The agreement supports the state's capabilities to accelerate the pace of Egypt’s green transformation by developing plans to ensure access to affordable clean energy and implementing wind energy projects, in line with Egypt’s energy strategy until 2035, Shaker stressed.
Dan Jorgensen, Danish minister of climate, energy and utilities, expressed his delight about the new energy agreement, saying: “We need to speed up the fight against climate change. Therefore, on behalf of the Government of Denmark, I am very pleased to be establishing this cooperation on renewable energy with Egypt.”
“The Egyptian government’s strong dedication to renewable energy, combined with excellent wind and solar resources, offers Egypt a great opportunity to become a regional, green pioneer.”
Danish Ambassador to Egypt Svend Olling praised the cooperation between Egypt and Denmark, which aims to confront the increasing challenges in the field of energy and the environment.
Denmark is a leading global partner in the field of renewable energy and green transformation, he said, adding that he looks forward to working with Egypt.
Egyptian-Danish cooperation dates back to 1969, amounting to about USD560 million in several different fields, including new and renewable energy, water and sanitation, environment, culture and housing.
