Morocco is among the 27 signatory countries of the Declaration adopted by the Nuclear Energy Summit held lately in France at a time of growing global interest in how nuclear energy can support the transition to a clean energy future.
The signatories recognize the growing global demand for reliable, affordable and low-carbon energy, and acknowledge that nuclear energy, when deployed responsibly, can contribute to energy security and economic development efforts in line with national priorities.
The statement recognizes the importance of mobilizing adequate, predictable and diversified financing for nuclear energy projects, through a combination of public funding, international financial institutions, export credit agencies, private investors and innovative financial instruments as well as asset regulation frameworks.
It welcomes recent initiatives by international financial institutions to engage on nuclear energy-related capacity-building and
expresses support for long-term objectives of expanding nuclear electricity generation and the broader nuclear industry to accelerate energy diversification and strengthen energy security.
Besides Morocco, the list of signatory countries includes Armenia, Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Estonia, Finland, France, Hungary, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Netherlands, Pakistan, Poland, Czech Republic, Greece, Romania, Rwanda, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkiye, Ukraine, United Kingdom and Vietnam.
King Mohammed VI was represented in the Summit by Head of Govt. Aziz Akhannouch. In his keynote speech, Akhannouch put emphasis on the role civil nuclear energy in strengthening energy security and meeting climate goals, as global demand for sustainable and low-carbon energy sources grows.
Beyond electricity generation, civil nuclear power opens up multiple horizons in green hydrogen production, seawater desalination, nuclear medicine, and food security, he said, noting that Morocco’s phosphate deposits, which hold significant amounts of natural uranium, gives the Kingdom leverage in the international debate on civil nuclear power.
President Macron said: “Nuclear power is a source of progress and prosperity because it is a source of energy, particularly for electricity generation, which allows us to reconcile three objectives that are central to our ambitions: we want competitiveness, that is, energy produced at the lowest possible cost; we want to solve the planet’s problems by reducing CO2 emissions; and we want greater independence.”
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said: “Nuclear power is not just cleaner option but a strategic opportunity. When we speak about development, we speak about electrification, digitalization and artificial intelligence; in all these areas, we will need reliable and predictable power such as nuclear energy.”
