European ministers and officials have emphasized the strategic and economic importance of the Southern Hydrogen Corridor project, urging a move towards actual implementation to enhance energy cooperation between Algeria and Europe. The project aims to provide a secure, clean, and sustainable energy supply and develop a green hydrogen market. The second ministerial meeting for the Southern Hydrogen Corridor, held in Algiers, focused on the project's significance in ensuring safe and clean energy supplies.
Austrian Minister of Economy, Energy, and Tourism, Wolfgang Hattmansdorfer, stated that the Southern Hydrogen Corridor should become a symbol of strong partnerships, especially in the face of global changes that require searching for new, reliable partners. He highlighted the importance of energy in current geopolitical and economic transformations, stressing the need for secure and clean energy for all partners. Hattmansdorfer also noted the project's potential for Algeria, particularly in attracting investments and creating jobs.
German State Secretary for Economic Affairs and Energy, Frank Witzel, underscored the project's significant strategic importance for Europe, aiming to provide competitive and sustainable hydrogen supplies. He emphasized that the project must benefit all participating parties and noted the opportunities it presents for economic growth in Algeria and European countries. Witzel also expressed German companies' readiness to contribute to the project's implementation.
Italian Minister of Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto Frattin, highlighted the importance of cooperation between European countries and Algeria to complete the Southern Hydrogen Corridor project. He noted that hydrogen represents a key solution for achieving carbon emission reduction targets and that the project can establish a foundation for economic cooperation and create a hydrogen market between the Mediterranean regions.
Tunisian Minister of Equipment and Housing, Salah Zwari, emphasized the project's role in enhancing energy integration between North Africa and Europe, developing shared infrastructure, and promoting cooperation in renewable energy and clean technologies. He stressed that transforming the project into tangible economic achievements requires long-term partnerships between producing and consuming countries, as well as investors.
The European Union's ambassador to Algeria, Diego Miado Pasqua, stated that the Southern Hydrogen Corridor project embodies the geopolitical interconnectedness that the EU seeks to establish between Europe and North Africa. He highlighted that the project is based on mutual benefit, allowing for the utilization of various European financing capacities available for this initiative.
The second ministerial meeting for the Southern Hydrogen Corridor concluded with an emphasis on continued coordination among parties involved and strengthened cooperation and investment in green hydrogen. An "Algiers Ministerial Declaration" was signed by ministers and officials from Algeria, Tunisia, Italy, Austria, and Germany, marking a step towards implementing the project.
Key points
- The Southern Hydrogen Corridor project aims to provide a secure, clean, and sustainable energy supply and develop a green hydrogen market.
- European officials stress the project's strategic importance and seek to boost energy partnership with Algeria.
- The project has been classified as a "project of common interest" by the European Union, facilitating its financing and implementation.
