Marrakech, Nov 15 (IANS/MAP) The European Union (EU) and the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) have announced the release of a new platform for cooperation on renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Launched on Monday during the EU Energy Day at COP22, the platform is meant to provide a forum for discussing energy policy objectives and measures, and to identify and implement joint initiatives. 

The Union for the Mediterranean includes 28 EU members and 15 southern and eastern Mediterranean countries, including Morocco.

"The EU's vision for a clean energy transition is one where the decarbonisation challenge is turned into an opportunity for the modernisation and the competitiveness of our economy," said Miguel Arias Canete, Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, EU, in his keynote address.

Canete said that the EU's Smart and Clean Energy package will be announced by the end of November.

"Morocco depends almost entirely from abroad for its supply of fossil fuels, with an average growth rate of 6.5 per cent during the last 10 years," Moroccan Interim Minister of Energy Moulay Hafid Elalamy said, adding that "Security of supply remains one of the major challenges of our energy model."

Other keynote speakers included US Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz. 

Panel discussions covered Energy for Cities, Energy for Economic Growth, Energy for Rural Areas and Energy for Islands.