GEIDCO welcomes enhancing cooperation with Egypt in electricity field

CAIRO – 4 March 2019: Liu Zhenya, chairman of Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization (GEIDCO), expressed aspiration on Sunday to enhance cooperation with Egypt in light of the country's presidency of the African Union this year.

This came during Zhenya's meeting with Egypt's President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi in Cairo, in the presence of Electricity and Renewable Energy Minister Mohamed Shaker, according to presidency spokesman Bassam Radi.

Zhenya praised the importance attached by the Egyptian government to the implementation of large projects of generation, transmission and distribution of energy, electricity interconnection and to the enhancement of investments in renewable energy especially solar energy.

He also referred to GEIDCO's "African Energy Interconnection and Sustainable Development Alliance (AEISDA)" initiative, which aims to enhance joint cooperation to support the energy sector, and the electricity interconnection between African countries.

The meeting reviewed Egypt's efforts to increase its reliance on renewable energy, and highlighted the government's plan to rely on renewable energy by 20 percent in 2022 and by 42 percent in 2035, the spokesman said.

For his part, President Sisi said that Egypt seeks to strengthen regional integration efforts and infrastructure development in Africa by maximizing investments in cross-border projects, including electricity interconnection between African states.

Egypt is keen to facilitate the integration of African countries in the fields of energy and mining, Sisi said, adding that Egypt also serves as a link between Europe and Asia, according to Radi.

The Egyptian president also welcomed the cooperation between the government and GEIDCO, which includes conducting joint research on the energy strategy to facilitate the planning of the energy infrastructure in Egypt. The joint cooperation also includes conducting joint assessment and studies on renewable energy technology in Egypt, as well as technical consultations about smart energy.

Sisi received in February the chairmanship of the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government from Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame for a one-year term.

African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat said that the commission will fully cooperate with Sisi as chairman of the AU to solve African issues and to achieve remarkable progress in the sustainable development agenda.