Algerian Radio
Minister of State, Minister of Hydrocarbons and Mines, Mohamed Arkab, received yesterday, Sunday, at the ministry's headquarters, the Special Advisor to the President of the Republic of Namibia and Head of the Upstream Petroleum Unit, Kornelia Shilunga, who is on a working visit to Algeria, according to a statement from the ministry.
The meeting took place in the presence of the Secretary of State to the Minister in charge of Mines, Karima Bakir Tafer, the Namibian Ambassador to Algeria, Samuel Kaveto Mbambo, as well as executives from both parties, the same source specified.
The meeting provided an opportunity to examine ways and means to strengthen bilateral cooperation relations, consultation, and the exchange of views, particularly in the fields of hydrocarbons and the oil and gas industry, across the various stages of the value chain, from exploration and production to refining, processing, liquefaction, and gas transport.
Both parties hailed the quality of relations uniting the two countries, while reaffirming their common will to raise them to the level of a partnership based on concrete projects and executive action programs, capable of strengthening economic integration and sustainable development on the African continent.
Discussions also focused on expanding areas of cooperation to encompass the exchange of expertise regarding regulation, management, legislation, training, and the development of studies related to the oil and gas industry.
In this context, Mr. Arkab highlighted the new dynamic marking Algeria’s relations with African countries, reaffirming Algeria’s commitment to an energy policy based on strengthening South-South partnerships and expanding the presence of the Sonatrach group on the African scene. This aligns with Algeria's regional and development commitments, in implementation of the instructions of the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune.
The meeting allowed for highlighting Algeria's contributions regarding the training of African skills through its specialized institutes, such as the Algerian Petroleum Institute (IAP).
Furthermore, the talks focused on Algerian expertise in research and exploration within upstream and downstream activities, field development, refining, as well as the production and transport of gas and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), in addition to regulatory and fiscal aspects. Both parties examined ways to finalize technical assistance mechanisms, study adopted economic models, and review fiscal regimes so as to ensure the optimization of public revenues.
It was also agreed to set up operational mechanisms for the implementation of cooperation axes and to organize field visits to energy sites.
For her part, the Special Advisor to the President of the Republic of Namibia expressed her country's appreciation for Algeria's willingness to accompany Namibia, praising the Algerian experience in managing the hydrocarbons sector, which she described as exemplary.
She reiterated, in this regard, her country's desire to benefit from this expertise for the development of its oil and gas industry, and the expansion of energy use and its products in support of the national economy.
The Namibian official expressed her country's interest in strengthening partnerships with Algerian companies, led by Sonatrach, in order to develop the entire value chain in the field of hydrocarbons, the same source concluded.
