Arab meeting with Kuwaiti participation: Accelerating the establishment of the common electricity market
Kuwait participated today (Wednesday) in the proceedings of the 17th meeting of the Electricity Experts Committee of Arab Countries, aimed at exploring ways to accelerate the establishment of the Common Arab Electricity Market, address energy challenges, and enhance electrical integration among Arab states. The Kuwaiti delegation was represented by a team from the Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy, including Assistant Undersecretary for Electricity Transmission Networks, Engineer Faisal Al-Samit, and Director of the Planning and Follow-up Department for Electricity Transmission Networks, Engineer Ahmad Al-Samiri.
The Arab League stated in a press release that the meeting will examine the path toward signing and ratifying the two agreements constituting the Common Arab Electricity Market: the General Agreement and the Market Agreement, paving the way for the establishment of the market.
The agenda also includes discussing ways to encourage public and private investment in major regional projects related to electricity generation and transmission, which would create job opportunities and support sustainable development efforts across the Arab region. Additionally, the meeting will review developments in the pilot project for energy exchange among Mashreq Arab countries—Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt—which serves as a foundation for initiating commercial electricity trade among Arab states on commercial and economic bases.
The meeting will also explore participation in a workshop organized in cooperation with the Association of Electricity Transmission System Operators of the Mediterranean Sea, titled “Data for Regional Integration and Regulatory Barriers,” to highlight mechanisms for exchanging technical data and overcoming regulatory obstacles to electrical interconnection.
The meeting will also discuss a proposal to organize a workshop on involving the private sector in the common market and preparing for the eighth Arab Forum on “Prospects for Electricity Generation and Seawater Desalination Using Nuclear Energy,” to discuss peaceful applications of nuclear energy in addressing water scarcity challenges and meeting growing energy demands.
The statement emphasized the importance of supporting the manufacturing industry of electrical equipment dedicated to electricity generation, transmission, and distribution in Arab countries, alongside coordinating specialized exhibitions that contribute to technology localization, deepening local manufacturing, and enhancing the efficiency of Arab networks.
It highlighted the significance of the Common Arab Electricity Market in boosting electricity trade and exchange between buyers and sellers across the markets of member states, through fair access to the grid and enhanced competition.
In this context, the Arab League underscored the importance of continuing coordination and cooperation among Arab countries, regional and international organizations, and intensifying joint efforts to support the establishment of the Common Arab Electricity Market and enhance innovation and capacity building, thereby contributing to achieving sustainable development goals and strengthening energy security in the Arab region.
