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Russia announced that it is interested in the gas projects Morocco is willing to launch, Russian Agriculture Minister Dmitry Pátrushev said on Thursday. The official is co-chairing in Rabat alongside Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita the 7th session of the Moroccan-Russian Joint Commission for Economic for Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation.
Pátrushev told Sputnik that «the possibility is being explored that large Russian companies such as Gazprom, Novatek and Stroytransgaz, will join as co-investors in the construction projects of logistics and gasification facilities in industrial areas of Morocco».
The minister also stated that «projects are being developed to create joint Russian-Moroccan companies, including in the field of mechanical engineering, electrical equipment and lubricants».
Moreover, Pátrushev indicated that the two countries are currently working on «the preparation of a cooperation agreement on the use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes», voicing Russia’s interest in the fields of transport, energy and trade in the North African Kingdom.
Russia wants a fair slice of the cake
Russia’s interest in Morocco’s gas projects comes as the Kingdom’s Energy, Mines and Sustainable Development Minister Aziz Rabbah announced, earlier this week, that Morocco is planning to launch tender, inviting bids for a $4.5 billion liquified natural gas (LNG) project in Jorf Lasfar, a deepwater commercial port located near the city of El Jadida.
This is not the first time, however, that Russia is attracted by Morocco’s gas plans. In September 2017, Moscow announced through its energy minister, Alexander Novak, that it is interested in participating to the construction of a gas pipeline and liquified natural gas terminal in Morocco.
It is obvious that the Eurasian country wants its share of the cake, especially as the United States have also expressed its willingness to be part of the Kingdom’s LNG’s plans.
In fact, the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) revealed in a communiqué released last Wednesday, 26th of September, that it awarded a grant to Morocco’s Ministry of Energy, Mines and Sustainable Development.
The agency will be backing a feasibility study, conducted to «evaluate building an LNG import terminal and regasification facility that would link to the Maghreb-Europe Gas Pipeline», explained the press release.
Russia has not done the same yet. For the moment Russia needs to first decide on the Western Sahara conflict and know who it is backing this year at the UN Security Council. Weeks before the Security Council renews the MINURSO’s mandate, a delegation led by M’Hamed Khaddad, the Front’s coordinator with the MINURSO, flew to Moscow where he met Vladimir Putin’s special representative for the near east and Africa, the Russian Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mikhail Bogdanov.
