Africans keen on collaboration with Iranians on energy projects
The ambassadors of Uganda, Kenya, Senegal and Burkina Faso in Tehran discussed the updates about their countries in the energy field, expressing their readiness to collaborate with Iran in the “Perspective of Oil and Gas Industry in Africa” meeting.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the Iran Oil Show 2024 in Tehran on Thursday.
New gas reservoir for Kenya
Speaking at the meeting, Kenyan Envoy in Tehran Mohammed Joshua Gatimo Aguta said the only gas reservoir in Kenya which has a 3,000-ton capacity is made by an Iranian company. “We need a reservoir of 60,000 tons.”
“Kenya has favorable opportunities for investment. We have allocated an area of 60,000 hectares for establishing a free trade zone as we hope to be completed by 2050,” the ambassador noted.
This Kenyan diplomat expressed his hope that in the near future, the African country will not only use gas for domestic and industrial purposes, but also use it to extract other resources. Kenya can establish favorable cooperation with Iran under the framework.
Senegal interested in
Iranian engineering
Salion Niang Deing, the Senegalese ambassador in Tehran said in the meeting his country is interested in technical and engineering services from Iran as Iranian engineers enjoy good experiences in downstream and upstream industries.
“In addition to being ready to cooperate with state-run sectors, Senegal invites Iran’s private sector for cooperation in the field of oil and gas,” the envoy added.
Ugandan priority: Cooperation on export of crude
Speaking at the meeting, Muhammad Tezikuba Kisambira, Ugandan ambassador in Tehran, stated that more than 6.5 billion barrels of oil are the country’s crude reserves, of which 1.4 billion barrels can be extracted now.
We are now developing a production line for oil export, and we are also building a refinery. Our priority is to work more in the field of refining, but due to the financial limits we have, we have to work with other countries and companies in these fields,” the envoy added.
Cooperation in crude oil export is Kampala’s priority, the diplomat stated adding that “Considering that Uganda has a developing economy, it is normal that the country’s need for energy is noteworthy.”
Pointing to Iran’s capacity in the field of oil and gas, he said that his country is keen on cooperating with Iranian companies both in the public and private sectors.
Iran ready to ink MoU
Deputy Petroleum Minister for International Affairs and Trade Ahmad Asadzadeh said in the meeting that Tehran proposes multimodal and mutual ways to cooperate with Africa.
Collaboration with Africa is very important for the Ministry of Petroleum; hence a special headquarters was formed for this field of cooperation, the official noted.
He expressed Iran’s readiness to sign agreements with the African Energy Commission (AFREC) to form a close, coherent and powerful relationship.