RIYADH — The Secretary General of the International Energy Forum (IEF) Joseph McMonigle congratulated the IEF's Chief Economist Dr. Leila R. Benali on her appointment as Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development of the Kingdom of Morocco.

Dr. Benali was named as minister by the Kingdom’s newly-appointed Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, according to the official Moroccan Press Agency.

"The IEF warmly congratulates Dr. Benali on her appointment and wishes her every success in her new role," said McMonigle.

"We are grateful for her invaluable contribution to the IEF in particular her ground-breaking work with global policy leaders on investment, energy security and the energy transition as well as examining the pandemic’s impacts on energy markets," he added.

Morocco is an active member of the IEF and will co-host the IEF17 Ministerial meeting due to take place next year in Saudi Arabia. In addition, Morocco will host the future IEF18 Ministerial meeting and become the new chair of the IEF Executive Board.

The IEF Ministerial Meeting is the world’s largest gatherings of energy ministers from producing and consuming nations, where participants discuss energy security, market stability and transparency and the energy transition.

Morocco's King Mohammed VI on Thursday named a new government led by Akhannouch. The 24-member Cabinet, formed after Akhannouch's National Rally of Independents (RNI) trounced incumbent Islamists in elections last month, includes seven women, up from four in the previous administration.

It is largely made up of technocrats, with veteran diplomat Nasser Bourita keeping his role as foreign minister, in a context of regional tensions, especially with neighboring Algeria.

The list of ministers included members of the liberal RNI and the election runner-up the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) and the center-right Istiqlal party, which fought colonial rule.

Bourita and interior minister Abdelouafi Laftit are independents. — Agencies