JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said the Kingdom’s interest in energy cooperation with Arab countries is an integral part of its policy to strengthen deep relations in all fields.
Prince Abdulaziz said that this teamwork is embodied in coordination for joint Arab action in numerous projects, programs and initiatives, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
On the international level, he said there is coordination between the Kingdom and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, known as OPEC+.
This is considered the “cornerstone” of efforts to enhance the stability of global oil markets and maintain their balance and the security of supplies in order to support the growth opportunities of the world economy, he added.
Speaking ahead of 32nd Arab League Summit, held on Friday in Jeddah, Prince Abdulaziz said: “On the occasion of the Arab Summit in Saudi Arabia, I am pleased to join King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in welcoming the leaders of Arab countries and members of their accompanying delegations to their second country, the Kingdom.”
He said that his country has signed a number of memorandums of understanding with several Arab countries in the energy sector, including Egypt, Oman, Jordan, and Iraq, which aim to enhance cooperation in the fields of electricity, renewable power, clean hydrogen, petroleum and gas, petrochemicals, and other related fields.
The minister added there are also electrical interconnection projects between the Kingdom and Arab countries, as well as those being implemented between Saudi Arabia and Iraq, Jordan, and Egypt.
These projects aim to enhance the security and reliability of interconnected national networks, increase their ability to absorb the entry of renewable energy projects, and create a regional commercial market for the exchange and passing of electric energy to achieve optimal investment and operation of national generation stations, Prince Abdulaziz said.
He added these projects would also allow the export of renewable energy and link the networks of the Middle East and North Africa.
The minister stressed that coordination and cooperation with Arab countries is continuous, whether through councils or joint committees in various fields of energy and related issues.
This includes exchanging expertise in electricity, renewable energy, and efficient energy production and consumption, as well as digital transformation in energy uses and its applications.
Climate change programs, and plans which include applying the circular carbon economy approach, are also part of the ongoing coordination drive.
He expressed hopes that the summit in Jeddah will be a new opportunity to achieve greater and more effective cooperation, integration and coordination between Arab countries in all fields.
