Algerian Energy Minister, Mustapha Guitouni, on Tuesday in capital Algiers said his country has submitted an official request to enter the European power market ahead of exporting its electricity surplus generated from solar energy.
Guitouni made the remarks at a press conference held jointly with visiting European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, Miguel Arias Canete, at the end of the third EU-Algeria political dialogue’s high-level meeting on energy held in Algiers.
He noted that his country is currently negotiating with European Union countries for the extension of gas export contracts.
He specified that the extension of some of the gas contracts with Spain has already been concluded, adding that representatives of the Algerian energy group Sonatrach are currently in Madrid to negotiate over the extension of the remaining contracts.
The minister stressed the commitment of Algeria to supplying its European partners with gas and oil.
For his part, Canete said Algeria is one of Europe’s major gas partners, as it accounts for 13 percent of the EU’s needs.
Guitouni concluded that a roadmap had been established by Algeria and the EU at the meeting of Algiers to strengthen their strategic partnership in the field of energy in the forthcoming years.
