(Ecofin Agency) - Mali’s and Algeria’s ministers of energy, Malick Alhousseini and Noureddine Bouterfa respectively, are working on ways to implement the energy cooperation agreement established between the two nations in November 2016.

The cooperation is to help Mali benefit from Algeria’s experience in terms of construction and management of solar and wind stations as well as in terms of power network development. According to Bouterfa, it should be facilitated by the geographical similarities between the two nations.

The partnership will especially be helpful to Mali in the framework of its electrification program which is to benefit remote areas and see the construction of two hybrid power plants of 40 MW each in Gaoua and Tombouctou. Moreover, a 200 MW power project will be implemented in the West African country and be covered by the cooperation.

Let’s recall that Mali has an electrification rate of 36%. The country aims through its cooperation with the Algeria move from being an importer of power to being an exporter.

Gwladys Johnson