In
recent years, the German federal government's decision to allocate over
€8 million of taxpayer funds towards enhancing energy efficiency in four
mosques in Morocco has ignited significant debate. From 2015 to 2021,
this initiative, managed by the Society for International Cooperation
(GIZ), aimed to install modern energy solutions such as LED lighting and
solar systems in Islamic places of worship. While the government
defends this investment as part of a broader development cooperation
strategy, critics, particularly from the Alternative for Germany (AfD)
party, have raised concerns about the appropriateness of spending public
money on foreign religious institutions. This article delves into the
details of the initiative, the responses from various stakeholders, and
the implications of such funding decisions on domestic priorities.
The German federal government has been questioned over its decision to spend over €8 million of taxpayers’ money on improving energy efficiency in four Moroccan mosques.
From 2015 to 2021, the government in Berlin, through the Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), allocated €8.09 million for projects primarily focused on installing LED lighting, solar systems, and photovoltaic panels in Islamic places of worship across Morocco.
The initiative has sparked controversy, particularly among members of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, who have raised questions about the appropriateness of such spending. Its parliamentary faction subsequently submitted questions to the relevant governmental department demanding an explanation of how the money was spent.
In its official response, the federal government said the initiative was part of a wider program promoting German development cooperation in Morocco, including the “promotion of employment through energy efficiency and renewable energies in mosques.”
Much of the funds was used to provide technical advice and support to local businesses and specialists in the fields of energy efficiency and renewable energies.
Other measures adopted during the initiative included “support in the implementation of training courses for imams and teachers in mosques to raise awareness of the possible benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy,” according to the government’s official response.
The vast majority of the funds — €5.9 million — was spent on the “deployment of specialists” with just €404,000 spent on the actual material goods. Other costs included financing, administrative overheads, and taxes.
The decision to invest taxpayer money in foreign religious institutions has raised eyebrows with critics also arguing that such funds should be allocated to domestic energy efficiency programs instead of foreign entities.
The AfD parliamentary group also questioned why the LED lamps installed in the mosques were manufactured by Tadmamt, a French company, rather than using German-made materials.
The Berlin government insisted the initiative was well received by the local population and no misuse of funds was reported.
The article discusses the German government's funding of energy efficiency projects in Moroccan mosques, highlighting the allocation of €8.09 million for initiatives that included installing LED lighting and solar systems. The funding has faced scrutiny from political opponents, particularly the AfD party, who question the rationale behind using taxpayer money for foreign religious institutions. The government defends the initiative as part of a larger development cooperation effort, emphasizing its positive reception among local communities and the absence of reported misuse of funds. The majority of the budget was spent on technical support rather than materials, raising further questions about the effectiveness and priorities of such expenditures.