Juba, South Sudan, November 22, 2018//-The Government of South Sudan has strengthened its relationship with African countries through cooperation agreements and new engagement in the oil industry.
Yesterday, the President of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, received government officials from Equatorial Guinea, Uganda, Sudan and the African Petroleum Producers Organization and reiterated his support for the cause of Africa’s energy countries.
Welcomed to meet President Kiir was Azhari Abdel-GadirAbdalla, Minister of Petroleum and Minerals of the Republic of Sudan; Gabriel Obiang Lima, Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea; Lokeris Peter, Minister of State for Energy and Minerals Development, Republic of Uganda; and Mahaman Gaya, Secretary General of the African Petroleum Producers’ Organisation (APPO).
The President of South Sudan expressed his commitment to cooperating with his African counterparts and confirmed his participation in the APPO Cape VII Conference & Exhibition, which is being hosted by Equatorial Guinea April 1-5, 2019 and organized by Africa Oil & Power.
One month since the signing of a peace agreement with rival factions, South Sudan has stepped up efforts to cooperate with African countries in the energy industry.
This week, South Sudan and its northern neighbour Sudan signed an agreement that will send at least 10 South Sudanese engineers to Sudan to be trained in oil exploration and mining. Sudan played a prominent role in supporting the South Sudan peace agreement and was instrumental in the resumption of oil production at the Toma South field this year.
“We thank H.E. Minister Azhari for his commitment to this training. He is a man of action,” said H.E. Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, the Minister of Petroleum of South Sudan.Tomorrow the Ministry of Petroleum and national oil company Nilepet will receive Hon. Jeff Radebe, the Minister of Energy of South Africa, and executives from South Africa’s CEF Group to sign a government-to-government cooperation agreement.
The annual South Sudan Oil & Power conference was held a week ago.
African Eye Report
