Mubasher: Morocco, the biggest energy importer in the Middle East and North African, is not planning any tax on companies operating in the energy sector, in a bid to lure more investors to the local market, said Energy Minister Abdel Kader Amara.

He told CNBC that the new legislations are aimed to attract foreign investors to the country’s mining sector.

The minister said Tuesday he expects shortlisting three companies for Morocco’s new long-term contracts to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the coming two weeks.

The country is evaluating offers received from Royal Dutch Shell as well as French, Spanish and US companies, said the minister, adding that there are plans to import 2 million tonnes of LNG annually starting 2020 as part of the first phase of its LNG import plan.

Morocco has launched an international tender seeking advisory firms for its plan to boost LNG imports. Valued at up to $4.6 billion, the plan includes the import of up to 7 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas by 2025, the construction of a jetty, terminal, pipelines and gas-fired power plants.