Miguel Arias Cañete, European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy and Ziad Jibril Sabra, Advisor to the Minister and Director, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Jordan, have launched a new platform for cooperation on renewable energy and energy efficiency in the framework of the Union for the Mediterranean.

The platform, launched on 14 November at the COP22 climate summit in Marrakesh, Morocco, aims to provide a forum for discussing energy policy objectives and measures, and to identify and implement joint initiatives.

It aims to promote the growth of renewables and energy efficiency measures in a way that fosters socio-economic development and boosts access to secure, affordable, reliable and climate-friendly energy.

The platform was launched alongside Osama Assran, Vice Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, Egypt; Fathallah Sijilmassi, Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean; and Nandita Parshad, Director of Power and Energy Utilities, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

This is the third of three regional cooperation platforms to be launched. Last year two other Euro-Mediterranean platforms were launched to boost cooperation on both gas and electricity.