Will Energy Break Ice in Inter-Maghreb Relations?

The recent Tunisian request to Algeria and Morocco for energy supply during the summer could usher a new era of cooperation between the countries of Africa’s least integrated region.

The Tunisian electricity and gas utility (STEG) has called on the two Maghreb countries to help supply it with 300 megawatts during the peak summer season.

The move triggered a meeting between Morocco’s national electricity utility (ONEE) and its Algerian counterpart. The two parties discussed the setting up of cooperation mechanisms between the three countries in the field of electricity supply.

They issued a joint statement expressing willingness to bring together their production capacities to cover the rise in energy consumption during the summer.

Tunisia plans to invest $1.8 billion in renewable energy projects over the next two years. The country also plans the construction of an underwater power line with a transmission capacity of 600 MW to link the power grid of Tunisia to Italy for a total cost of €600 million.