Deputising for King, Crown Prince attends opening of energy conference

AMMAN — Deputising for His Majesty King Abdullah, HRH Crown Prince Hussein on Wednesday attended the opening of the MENA Europe Future Energy Dialogue (MEFED), co-hosted by Jordan and Germany, and held at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre at the Dead Sea.

The dialogue’s outcome, the "Dead Sea Declaration", aims to lay the foundation for further initiatives to develop renewable energy resources and the infrastructure needed for the production and trade of green hydrogen, according to a Royal Court statement.

With the participation of over 800 experts from 40 countries, the dialogue is the first of its kind on future energy between the Middle East and North Africa.

Speaking at the conference, Energy Minister Saleh Kharabsheh said reaching a sustainable future for energy, in light of the global transformation towards renewables, requires developing technology in this field, and tapping new resources, such as hydrogen.

He added that Jordan seeks to become a regional energy hub, and is currently working on enhancing the sector’s infrastructure, especially the electricity grid, to implement regional electrical connectivity projects.

For his part, Germany’s Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Robert Habeck said the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement cannot be realised without a global energy transition, which necessitates implementing several small and medium-sized energy projects at the local, regional and international levels.

He noted the great potential of solar energy utilisation in the Mediterranean and the Middle East regions, which is required for producing cheap green hydrogen, adding that many countries need new sustainable sources of income to wean themselves off oil and gas.

Vice Chancellor Habeck called for deeper dialogue and closer cooperation on the issues of energy and climate.