Africa’s NOCs Signs Historic Agreement to Deepen Regional Collaboration
By Ndubuisi Micheal Obineme
Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo (SNPC) hosted the 5th edition of the meeting of CEOs of national hydrocarbon companies of the African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO), on November 16, 2023 in Brazzaville. The meeting was attended by the Minister of Hydrocarbons, Bruno Jean-Richard Itoua, H.E. Mr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, Secretary General of APPO, and the CEOs of the national hydrocarbon companies of APPO member countries.
This prestigious meeting brought together delegations from the national oil companies of APPO member countries for a day of high-level meetings, discussions and strategic collaborations. The aim of the meeting was to encourage cooperation, share ideas and explore innovative solutions to challenges in the energy sector. In this way, members have developed their cooperation and explored the possibilities of collaborative agreements that will strengthen the ties between nations.
As evidence of this commitment, the members agreed to set up a committee of experts from the national oil and gas companies of APPO member countries, to monitor the implementation of the decisions taken. This committee will also be responsible for drawing up the agenda and report for the APPO CEO Forum meeting.
5 cooperation agreements signed between members
Several important agreements were signed during the morning session. SNPC is proud to announce the signing of three memorandums of understanding, two of which with Sonatrach (Algeria) concerning training and optimization of human capital. The third agreement was signed with SONIDEP (Niger) and covers key areas of cooperation, including exploration and production, and the sharing of industrial and operational practices.
Other agreements have been signed between Sonatrach (Algeria) and SNH-B (Benin); between Sonatrach (Algeria) and Cohydro (DRC); and between Sonatrach (Algeria) and GNPC (Ghana).
These partnerships underline the commitment to regional collaboration and the pursuit of mutually beneficial initiatives, and the development of more sustainable south-south solutions.
Progress on the creation of an African Energy Bank
APPO members had the opportunity to continue discussions outlining the scope of the African Energy Bank project in partnership with Afreximbank. Members reiterated their intention to create a stable, reliable and irreproachable institution with the highest standards of governance. Discussions then turned to financing needs.
Strengthening cooperation for energy transition
H.E. Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, COP28 President, UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change and Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, sent a special video message to APPO members, calling for increased cooperation on energy transition and the adoption of the Oil and Gas Charter for Decarbonization. APPO members discussed the advisability of signing the charter, concluding with a general recommendation to join.
Creation of a forum for directors of training institutions
Members reported on the results of the first-ever forum of directors of training institutions, held in Algeria in June 2023. The aim of this forum is to strengthen cooperation and collaboration between member countries in terms of training and expertise development, by identifying and implementing best practices. The inaugural forum enabled members to identify the main challenges to be addressed, including optimization of resources, digital training, specialized training and disparity of content in training programs.
Mr. Raoul Maixent Ominga, Managing Director of SNPC, who chaired the session, expressed his enthusiasm for the meeting, and called for the strengthening of South-South collaboration, declaring: “We are honored to host this distinguished assembly and the productive discussions that will undoubtedly shape the future of the energy industry in Africa. The agreements signed with Sonatrach and SONIDEP mark important milestones in our commitment to regional collaboration and sustainable development”.
Next meeting
Members announced at the end of the day that the next meeting of CEOs of National Hydrocarbon Companies will take place in the last week of September 2024 under the chairmanship of GEPETROL, Equatorial Guinea.
SNPC
Created on April 23, 1998, the Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo is a national oil company whose mission is to contribute to the development and effective management of the Congolese oil heritage, with the mission of exploring, exploiting, developing and to distribute Congo’s hydrocarbons, in partnership with international companies.
APPO
Created in 1987 in Lagos (Nigeria), APPO’s mission is to promote cooperation between member countries and other international institutions in the field of hydrocarbons, and to encourage fruitful collaboration and partnerships using hydrocarbons as a catalyst for energy security, sustainable development and economic diversification in Africa.
