Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has expressed Egypt’s commendation of the ongoing co-operation with Norway in the field of renewable energy and green hydrogen, noting that such co-operation is quickly translating into projects on the ground.
Such projects, President Sisi noted in remarks while meeting CEO of Norwegian company Scatec ASA Terrier Belskog on Monday, reflect the measures taken by the state to advance and develop mechanisms for the participation of the private sector and international companies, Presidency Spokesman Ahmed Fahmy said.
Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli, Electricity Minister of Mohamed Shaker, the Norwegian company’s board member Mikkel Torud, Director-General for the Middle East and North Africa, Mohamed Amer, and Oslo’s ambassador to Cairo Hilde Klemetsdal attended the meeting, the spokesman said.
During the meeting, President Sisi followed up on the growing investments of the Scatec company in new and renewable energy projects, hydrogen and green fuels in Egypt, including the green hydrogen production project in Ain Sokhna, which has already started production for the first stage, turning Egypt into Africa’s first green hydrogen- producing country, Spokesman Fahmy said.
The president also reviewed the electricity interconnectivity project between Egypt and Europe to export renewable energy with a capacity of about 3 gigawatts, for which a memorandum of understanding was signed to start relevant studies.
For his part, the head of the Norwegian company affirmed the commitment to expand the company’s investments in Egypt during the coming years, in light of Egypt’s remarkable development of its infrastructure in various sectors, Spokesman Fahmy said.
Such infrastructure upgrading, the visiting Norwegian company chief noted, establishes a solid base for the launch of industries and investments, especially in the fields of renewable energy.
The Norwegian side also highlighted the company’s positive and fruitful experience with the investment climate in Egypt, praising the firm political determination and government response at all levels to remove any obstacles and challenges in this regard, Spokesman Fahmy said.
In response to such great Egyptian support to facilitating the business climate, the Norwegian side stands firmly keen on exerting maximum efforts to increase investments, transfer technology, and contribute to the intensive efforts undertaken by the state to place Egypt on the list of green energy producing and exporting countries, the spokesman said.