Jordan, Germany sign energy partnership agreement

AMMAN — Jordan and Germany on Wednesday signed a partnership building declaration to bolster cooperation aimed at allowing Jordan to benefit from German programmes, expertise, technologies and technical assistance in renewable energy and energy rationing.

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Hala Zawati and the German Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy Peter Altmaier signed the agreement on the sidelines of the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue 2019 (BETD), according to a ministry statement.

The two-day international conference was inaugurated on Tuesday and aimed to address the consequences of a global transformation of energy systems.

During the meeting, the two ministers agreed on the proposed action plan, which includes activities and programmes that will be implemented in 2019 and 2020.

Zawati invited Altmaier to visit the Kingdom to participate in an inauguration ceremony of German-Jordanian Day for Energy, which is scheduled to be held in June.

The minister also met with the director general of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Francesco La Camera, over means of cooperation and fields IRENA can support Jordan in, praising the role of the agency in organising a regional workshop on renewable energy in the Kingdom later this month.

Addressing BETD attendees at a ministerial session, Zawati said that Jordan was witnessing key changes in the fields of renewable energy and rationing.

Renewable energy’s contribution to the energy sector has risen from 1 per cent in 2012 to 10 per cent this year, she said, attributing the growth to legislation, political resolve, the government’s commitment and strategic goals that aim to increase reliance on renewable energy.