Tunisia, France sign agreement on renewable energies

Apr 16, 2011 - energycentral.com

An agreement on the development of renewable energies was signed Thursday in Tunis between the Tunisian ministry of industry and technology and the French ministry of economy, finance and industry, reported the official press agency TAP.

The agreement, which is part of the framework of the Tunisian Solar Plan and the Mediterranean Solar Plan, aims at implementing a number of projects in the sector of renewable energies.

Following a meeting with the Tunisian officials, Eric Besson, the French minister of the economy, finance and industry, stressed the importance of an interconnecting grid which aims at transferring part of the solar and wind energies produced in southern Mediterranean countries through a submarine cable linking Tunisia to Europe.

France is committed to assist Tunisia in its transition phase by emphasizing regional development, one of Tunisia's economic priorities, he said.

The Tunisian minister of industry and technology Abdelaziz Rassaa stressed Tunisia's comparative edge in the sector of renewable energies, characterized by innovation, subcontracting and development.

He also said the country aims at doubling the energy exchanges with the European Union in general and France in particular by 2016.

News Provided By