Belgium eyes further coop. with Egypt, especially in green hydrogen projects: Belgian energy min.

Belgian Federal Minister of Energy Tinne Van der Straeten said her country is looking forward to promoting cooperation with Egypt, given its great potential in many areas, including infrastructure and natural resources, not to mention its unique location as Europe’s gateway to Africa.

During her meeting with Chairman of the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) Yahia Zaki on the margins of the Africa Energy Forum, taking place on June 21-24 in Brussels, the Belgian minister has also expressed her country’s interest in making optimum use of available cooperation opportunities, particularly in green hydrogen projects, according to a statement by the SCZone on Tuesday.

Commending the remarkable progress made by the SCZone in green energy transition, Van der Straeten said she would encourage Belgian companies and businessmen to pursue further investments in the zone and capitalize on its diversified resources.

Meanwhile, Zaki briefed the Belgian official on the advantages of the SCZone, including its integrated industrial areas with six ports connected to the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, and how these advantages contribute to the green energy industry.

He also touched upon SCZone’s targeted industries and direct as well as indirect investment incentives.

Also on the sidelines of the event, Zaki met with representatives of World Bank affiliated agencies specialized in providing support to major projects. The bank officials voiced a keen interest in the SCZone’s green hydrogen projects.

Zaki also met with representatives of a Belgian manufacturer of electrolyzers, used for producing green hydrogen, who also expressed an interest in implementing a project that would serve SCZone’s industrial parks to be established for producing green hydrogen from solar and wind energy, using electrolyzers.

The meetings were held at the Egyptian embassy in Brussels, in the presence of Egypt’s Ambassador to Belgium Badr Abdel Aati.

The Africa Energy Forum (AEF) is a global investment meeting for Africa’s power, energy, infrastructure and industrial sectors. This year’s edition is held under the theme ‘Africa for Africa: Building Energy for the Just Transition’.

Source: State Information Service Egypt