On 1 October, representatives of Algeria, Tunisia, Italy, Austria and Germany signed the Algiers Ministerial Declaration on the SoutH2 Corridor project. The document provides for a dedicated technical support secretariat, with assistance from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Algeria Press Service reports.
The signing took place at the Abdelatif-Rahal International Conference Centre (CIC). The declaration was signed by Algeria's Minister of Energy and Renewable Energies Mourad Adjal, Austria's Federal Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer, Italy's Minister of the Environment and Energy Security Gilberto Pichetto, State Secretary at Germany's Federal Ministry of Economy and Energy Frank Wetzel, and Tunisia's Minister of Equipment and Housing Slah Zouari, who is in charge of the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy.
The declaration highlights the strategic importance of the SoutH2 Corridor as a vehicle for regional and Euro-Mediterranean integration in green hydrogen. The project envisages transporting 4 million tonnes of green hydrogen a year from Algeria to three European countries over a 3,000 km route; that volume represents 10% of expected European demand for this clean fuel by 2040. The signatories committed to a regular and structured dialogue between the partner countries.
The second ministerial meeting opened earlier the same day, with State Minister for Hydrocarbons Mohamed Arkab, Minister of Industry Farid Kourtel, ambassadors of the countries involved in the project and representatives of participating companies taking part. Work on the project began in October 2024, when Sonatrach and Sonelgaz signed a memorandum of understanding with Germany's VNG, Italy's Snam and Sea Corridor, and Austria's Verbund Green Hydrogen to carry out studies assessing the feasibility and profitability of integrated green hydrogen production in Algeria and exports to Europe.
Earlier, during President Abdelmadjid Tebboune's visit to Germany in July, Sonatrach signed two protocols of agreement with Robert Bosch and Siemens Energy on cooperation in the energy transition, including the manufacture of electrolysers and hydrogen production, equipment maintenance and repair, and training. The first meeting of the relevant ministers in Rome in January 2025 concluded with the signing of a joint declaration of political intentions.
Author: RABC Media
Source: Algeria Press Service (APS) — https://www.aps.dz/fr/economie/industrieenergie-et-mines/mupn2nmh-signature-de-la-declaration-ministerielle-d-alger
