Tunisia - A cabinet meeting held on Tuesday at the Kasbah and chaired by Prime Minister Kamel Madouri adopted a series of decisions focusing on ways to ensure energy security and strengthen Tunisia's energy sovereignty in line with the national strategy for the energy sector until 2035.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Ministry, these decisions concerned the draft hydrocarbon code, which will be submitted to a cabinet meeting as soon as possible, the rapid completion of the draft renewable energy code and the strengthening of the financial management of public companies and entities operating in the energy and hydrocarbon sectors.

They also related to the proper follow-up of permits, contracts, the various obligations and rights deriving from them, as well as ongoing or planned projects.

The meeting decided to prepare a programme to increase the pace of exploration in the hydrocarbons sector and to review the regulatory framework for public companies operating in the sector, in order to give them the necessary flexibility to carry out their tasks and to adapt their activities to the specificities of the sector in which they operate.

It also discussed the need to find solutions to regularise the status of collective lands so that they can be used for energy projects in coordination with all stakeholders, as well as to support the creation of real estate savings for renewable energy projects.

It called on the Ministry of State Property and Land Affairs to valorise the state's real estate stock by creating a stock that can be used to promote renewable energy projects.

The meeting also decided to further support the investments of enterprises in the field of renewable energies and energy efficiency and to start «immediately» updating the decree on the Energy Transition Fund, encourage the production of electricity from solar energy for self-consumption. This is besides establishing a working group to study the strategic and procedural aspects of the implementation of national projects in the field of oil refining and petroleum logistics. The aim is to open prospects for developing the activity of enterprises operating in the field and to support and encourage investment opportunities.

It was also agreed to consider the adoption of a unified licence for the issuance of permits for renewable energy projects, to focus on innovation and creativity in energy transition solutions based on the innovative solutions provided by start-ups in this field, and to accelerate the deployment of smart electricity meters to facilitate data collection and help in the proper programming of new energy projects.

The Prime Minister stressed that increasing energy security and improving the country's energy independence is a matter of national sovereignty and a top priority that requires the provision of all means and resources to advance energy projects and accelerate their implementation within the framework of the National Energy Strategy to achieve 35 per cent of alternative energy by 2030.

It also requires the development of all necessary legislative and regulatory reforms to address the issues raised, while removing all administrative and procedural difficulties in front of these projects, given their importance in ensuring energy security.

In this context, he stressed the need for all public structures to work together to promote the energy transition programme in public enterprises and institutions and to accelerate the implementation of the energy efficiency programme in public buildings.

Tunisia has set realistic and ambitious goals to ensure its energy security, including the promotion of renewable energy and the optimal use of various energy resources, he pointed out.

Madouri stressed that the Tunisian state's orientation towards the production of clean energy is a strategic choice in the face of current climate challenges, in order to preserve the rights of future generations and ensure sustainable access for all citizens and economic operators to reliable energy services at the lowest possible environmental cost.

For his part, the Secretary of State to the Minister of Industry, Energy and Mines in charge of Energy Transition a gave a presentation that included the main axes and objectives of the Energy Sector Strategy for 2035, a diagnosis of the current energy situation, exploration, research and production activities, and the status of public companies operating in the sector, with a focus on the issue of energy transition.

 

 

 

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