Nasser Fellowship highlights Egypt’s experience in achieving sustainable energy

CAIRO – 12 June 2019: Egypt’s experience to reduce the import bill of petroleum resources through several measures taken to achieve sustainable development was lectured during the fourth day of the Nasser Fellowship for African leadership.

Within the framework of the of a session titled “Energy in Egypt,” Professor of petroleum and energy engineering at the American University and board member of the Egyptian Petroleum Association, Gamal al-Qaliouby explained how Egypt took progressive steps in recent years to reduce the import of petroleum resources in order to dispose of its imports by 2022, in light of the sufficient level of natural gas.

Al-Qaliouby highlighted Egypt's plans and actions to achieve energy development, noting that these measures, whether related to oil, natural gas or electricity, were a big change for Egypt's energy self-sufficiency, saving billions of dollars, indicating that energy was the cornerstone for achieving sustainable development.

Moreover, he said that the solar power plant located in the Benaban region of Aswan, was one of the three largest solar power plants in the Middle East and North Africa, explaining the Egyptian experience in the use of solar power and its conversion to electricity, noting that the Egyptian government was seeking to diversify its energy sources, and that the state depended on modern technological means to produce electricity.

“The country's energy strategy was based on three main areas, namely: restructuring and reform of the natural gas sector, supporting energy efficiency, and the fight against global warming through reducing emissions,” Al-Qaliouby contined.

He reviewed Egypt's key achievements through the implementation of several infrastructure projects and the establishment of a local power grid in Aswan to cover the entire Republic, noting that there were 68 power plants in Egypt, three of which were among the top 8 in the world, as well as the installation of electric pylons and a national network based on the remarkable efforts to achieve the expansion of the project to the future Egyptian capital.

Al-Qaliouby called on young Africans to face the problems of their countries, as they are responsible of managing the national and continental affairs, in addition to benefiting from the Egyptian experience and popularizing it in African countries through cooperation and joint efforts, noting that Egypt is an integral part of Africa. He also stressed the need to seek to solve the continent's problems and achieve independence and security to achieve energy development and sustainable development.

The "Nasser Fellowship for African Leadership" was launched by the Ministry of Youth and Sports under the auspices of the Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli, in cooperation with the Pan-African Youth Union, during the period from June 8 to 22, 2019, at the Center for Civic Education, El Gezira.