Strengthening the cooperation between the government and the development agencies of Germany and France in regard to realization of energy efficiency projects was the focus of talks on Thursday between the Deputy PM for Economic Affairs, Coordination of Economic Sectors and Investments Fatmir Bytyqi and French Ambassador Cyrille Baumgartner, Deputy Head of Mission at the German Embassy Otto Graf, a delegation of the French Development Agency (AFD) and the Director of the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), David Oberhuber.
Deputy PM Bytyqi underlined that the government is committed to achieving the priority goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which will provide better living conditions for citizens, and at the same time will implement reforms for the country’s EU membership, the government said in a press release.
He also pointed out that as a founding member of the Energy Community, the Republic of North Macedonia in the past period has made great efforts in adopting many important documents, strategies and policies, which transpose the directives of the energy sector.
All these activities, related to the reforms in energy and energy efficiency, as he said, have an effect upon the adoption of a new Law on Energy and the Law on Energy Efficiency, as well as the Energy Development Strategy until 2040, as well as the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), which is in the process of adoption, provide the basis for greater electricity production from renewable sources, as well as energy saving policies through the introduction energy efficient technologies.
Bytyqi emphasized that a number of projects have been launched, especially in the energy sector, such as the establishment of the National Energy Efficiency Fund, the Fair Transition Project, which will provide care for the vulnerable groups of citizens in the society.
Energy efficiency has been identified as an area in which the cooperation with France and Germany could be intensified, which through their development agencies would provide technical and expert assistance for making appropriate analyzes, studies, project documentation, and then in joint cooperation with the Green Climate Fund and other international financial organizations to implement significant projects for citizens.
This is the second visit of a delegation of the French Development Agency in just one month, which shows the strong commitment to enhance cooperation between the two countries and the greater presence of the French Development Agency in the Western Balkans. During the one-week visit, the Overhear Programme for Energy Efficiency in Buildings (PEEB) aimed at the energy efficiency of public and private buildings was presented to several state institutions and the private sector, the press release said.
The cooperation between North Macedonia, France and Germany, with the support of the Green Climate Fund, in the coming years is expected to significantly contribute to the achievement of the goals defined in the planning and strategic documents of the country, as well as the National Energy Efficiency Plan. The implementation of the measures defined in these documents will contribute to raising public awareness of the benefits of introducing energy efficient technologies, which will provide better living conditions for citizens, the government said in a press release.
