The Ministerial Council of the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) held its 48th Ordinary Session on November 4, 2025 in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo under the High Patronage of His Excellency Denis SASSOU NGUESSO, President of the Republic of Congo, Head of State.
In his goodwill message delivered by the Prime Minister His Excelency Anatole Collinet MAKOSSO, President Denis SASSOU NGUESSO, expressed happiness with the strides that APPO has made since its founding some 38 years ago commanding APPO for the establishsment of the Africa Energy Bank. He assured that as a founder Member APPO and host country, Congo shall continue to support the Organization. He urged Members of the APPO Ministerial Council to assure their respective Presidents that Congo is working to host the 1st Summit of APPO Heads of State next year. The subject of the Africa Energy Bank Establishment Project will be one of the major items on the agenda of this Summit.
The Council Session which was presided by HE Mr. Bruno Jean Richard Itoua, Minister of Hydrocarbons of the Republic of Congo and President of APPO reaffirmed the resolve of Member Countries to commit to the effective take-off of the Africa Energy Bank.
The Session had in attendance Ministers and Heads of delegation and Representatives from 16 Member Countries of the Organization as well as the Secretary General of APPO and Managing Director of the Africa Energy Investment Corporation (AEICorp) and their respective Team Members.
The meeting called on all APPO Member Countries to ensure speedly subscription and payment of their allotted shares of the AEB which take – off is subject to souscription of a minimum capital of 500 million $US in line of the Charter of the Bank. The Minister of State for Hydrocarbons and Mines of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria HE Mohamed Arkab has been mandated to lead a ministerial working group to complete the process of establishing the Bank. The working group is composed of the Members of the Executive Board, the Secretariat and AEICorp.
The Council also decided to set up a Ministerial Working Group on AEICorp, chaired by H.E. Birame Soulèye Diop, Minister of Energy, Petroleum and Mines of the Republic of Senegal. This working group will be composed of the members of the Executive Board, the Secretariat and the Managing Direction of AEICorp.The Ministerial Council approved the reports of the external audit of the Secretariat’s financial statements for the financial year 2024 as well as the 2026 Work Programme of the Secretariat.
The Ministerial Council has appointed Mr. Farid Ghezali as the new SG of APPO for 2026 to 2028. It adopted a motion of congratulations and appreciations to Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim for the important services he has rendered to Africa during six years as the head of the APPO General Secretariat.
The Council elected the Minister of Mines, Petroleum and Energy of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, HE Mamadou SANGAFOWA-COULIBALY and the Minister of State for Hydrocarbons of the Democratic Republic of Congo, H.E Acacia BANDUBOLA MBONGO as President and Vice – President of APPO respectively for the year 2026.
The Ministerial Council appointed Mr Karrol KADIATA LETA, Executive Board Member for the Democratic Republic of Congo and Eng. Ehab RAGAEE, Executive Board Member for the Arab Republic of Egypt as Chairman and Alternate Chairman of the Executive Board respectively for the year 2026.
The Ministerial Council expressed its appreciation to His Excellency Denis SASSOU NGUESSO, President of the Republic of Congo, Head of State and the good people of Congo for the hospitality accorded to the delegations to the end of 2025 Statutory Meetings.The next Ordinary Session of the Ministerial Council will be held in Côte d’Ivoire during the last quarter of 2026.
Brazzaville, 4th November 2025
HE Bruno Jean Richard Itoua
APPO President