The African Energy Forum, which was held in the Portuguese capital city Lisbon, reviewed the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 concerning adopting and supporting solar energy projects and Saudi Arabia’s goal to lead internationally in producing solar energy. The event was attended by a number of ministers of energy and industry of African countries, representatives of the European Commission’s energy sector, officials of the National Office of Moroccan Hydrocarbons and Minerals, the World Bank, and representatives of private sector institutions leading in the field of renewable energy. Participating in the session was Saudi businessman Khaled Ahmad Sharbatly, executive partner of Desert Technologies, which specializes in solar energy. He said the overall national development strategy in Vision 2030 focuses on the Kingdom’s commitment to providing upcoming generations a brighter future dependent on clean energy. Sharbatly said Saudi Arabia has the ability to develop and manufacture solar panels and the equipment to export solar energy through the solar energy project announced last year by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The project is expected to produce 100,000 jobs in Saudi Arabia, $12 billion in GDP, and $40 billion annually. Sharbatly also spoke about the future of energy in the African continent, especially in villages, and the importance of developing miniature solar energy power plants.