In Algiers on Tuesday, the EU’s energy commissioner called for a “long-term strategic partnership” with Algeria, one of its “most reliable” gas suppliers, which Europe has turned to to help offset falling Russian supplies.
“Algeria is an important and reliable gas supplier for Europe. Relations with Russia, the EU’s largest gas supplier to date, have been irreversibly severed, and we are looking for trusted EU suppliers to fill the gap,” said Kadri Simson.
“We offer Algeria a long-term strategic partnership that should not be limited to natural gas,” she added during an energy forum between Algeria and the European Union. For example, the EU wants to help Algeria to reduce its methane emissions and increase its electricity production from renewable energies. “Algeria has one of the largest solar energy potentials in the world,” the EU commissioner said in a tweet.
production doubts
Several senior European officials have preceded Simson to Algeria, which supplies around 11% of Europe’s gas needs, in recent months since Russia shut the valves in retaliation for Western sanctions after Moscow invaded Ukraine.
Algeria is already helping Europe diversify its supplies with plans to increase gas supplies to Italy, which signed an agreement in July to import billions of additional cubic meters this year via the Transmed gas pipeline. However, experts have questioned Algeria’s ability to ramp up production in the short term.
“A Trusted Supplier”
Opening the Algeria-EU Energy Forum on Monday, Algerian Prime Minister Aimene Benabderrahmane assured that state oil and gas company Sonatrach had launched “an emergency program” to “in the short term increase its energy production of natural gas”.
For his part, Energy Minister Mohamed Arkab stressed on Tuesday that his country was “a trustworthy supplier” that honored its contractual obligations. According to Arkab, Algeria plans to lay high-voltage cables under the Mediterranean Sea to export electricity to Europe. The country also plans to generate up to 50% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2035, the minister said.