At the World Summit on Renewable Energies, Ursula von der Leyen announced that Elmed electrical interconnection between Tunisia and Italy will be the first continuous current connecting Europe to Africa. The president of the European Commission highlighted the strategic importance of this project for the energy transition, the creation of jobs and the energy security of the two continents.
300 billion euros in investments by 2027
The ELMED interconnection is part of the European Union “Global Gateway”, which provides 300 billion euros in investments by 2027. According to Von Der Leyen, this project will help create a “green corridor” in North Africa, facilitating the development of clean industry and hydrogen, while strengthening energy cooperation between Europe and Africa.
The President of the Commission recalled that after the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the European Union intensified its investments in renewable energies, which has become “the safest and most economic option in the long term”.
Today, almost half of European electricity comes from renewable sources, mainly wind and solar, strongly growing. Thanks to the pact for clean industry, more than 100 billion euros are mobilized to support industries in this transition.
Von der Leyen has cited several initiatives supported by the EU: investments of 3.4 billion euros in Kenya to reach 100% clean energy by 2030, hydrogen projects in the Caribbean, or the growing role of North Africa in the production of green hydrogen. She called on manufacturers and investors to “deploy their capital and innovations in the regions where they will have the most impact”.
