In a diplomatic initiative to strengthen international energy cooperation, the Minister of Energy of Saudi Arabia organized a series of strategic meetings in Riyadh with senior ministers of several counties.
Greek, Brazilian, and Moroccan officials also attended the meeting with Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, and Libyan and Pakistani representatives were present as well.
The Saudi Press Agency reported that the talks were focused on increasing collaboration in a broad range of energy industries, including both conventional hydrocarbons and unconventional clean technologies.
The interactions highlighted the active role that Saudi Arabia has played in influencing the world energy transformation using bilateral relations.
One of the consistent themes throughout the discussions was the two-pronged emphasis on energy supply security and development of climate-related solutions, such as renewable power, clean hydrogen, and carbon management.
Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman also received the Minister of Environment and Energy of Greece, Stavros Papastavrou. Based on an already signed Memorandum of Understanding, the two officials discussed the opportunities for cooperation in oil and gas, electricity, and renewables, among other areas.
During another meeting with the Minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira, of Brazil, the parties talked about the opportunities for cooperation in different energy spheres. They discussed ways to improve coordination, especially in electricity, renewables, oil and gas, and the sharing of technical knowledge.
One of the major outcomes of the meeting was with the Minister of Energy of Morocco, Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali. After meeting on their common interests, the potential of investing in renewables, and the need to focus on energy conservation, the two parties entered into a sign of an executive cooperation program.
This initiative is introduced as a part of an MoU that was signed in May 2022. This program seeks to solidify the energy partnership. It aims at increasing mutual investments in renewable projects and empowering national companies to cooperate in renewable energy projects.
It also includes the utilization of renewables in development projects, the formation of joint research and development centers, and the transfer of training and knowledge.
Prince Abdulaziz also consulted with the Minister of Oil and Gas in Libya, Khalifa Rajab Abdulsadek. Their meeting was devoted to energy cooperation, such as energy technologies and solutions, and to the improvement of investment opportunities in the sphere of renewables and energy conservation.
The Minister of Petroleum in Pakistan, Ali Pervaiz Malik, was engaged in discussions on their mutual interests in oil and in its supplies, in renewable energy, in energy efficiency, in joint investing opportunities, and in exchanging experiences in the development of the project, policies, and regulations.
This spurt of diplomatic activity underscores the overall energy policy of Saudi Arabia, which aims to retain its supremacy in conventional energy markets while seeking a position in the emerging clean energy economy.
