APPO Member Countries have been reassured that arrangements for the APPO Heads of State Summit are on course. The assurance was given by the Republic of Congo Minister of Hydrocarbons, H.E Bruno Jean Richard ITOUA at the opening ceremony of the just concluded 14th Meeting of the Executive Board of APPO Member Countries, held in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.
The Minister who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Professor Macaire Batchi recalled that the summit which was born out of the need to strengthen collaboration and cooperation among Member Countries, given the serious challenges that the global energy transition poses to countries, and the realization that it will take decisions at the highest level of Member Countries to effectively achieve the collective objective, will be held in spite of the delays being experienced.
He attributed the delays to the non-completion of the APPO Headquarters building and assured the Executive Board Members that a date will be announced as soon as the building has advanced to a level, His Excellency, the President of the Republic considers sufficient enough to invite his colleagues to showcase the Republic of Congo’s offer to APPO.
He further reminded the Board Members that following the APPO Secretariat’s return from Abuja, in 2020, where it was temporarily transferred for reform, the Republic of Congo decided that it deserved a more befitting office than the Nabemba Tower where it was located for a number of years. The government, he further said acquired a worthy structure, the Twin Towers, which will later be renamed APPO Towers to that effect. The building is a 15 floor building, 11 of which are allocated to APPO Secretariat.
The Minister who presented an overview of the global energy scene with the challenges it poses to the oil and gas industry in Africa in his speech, urged Member Countries to support APPO Secretariat in its pursuit of noble objectives that will make it the major institution and reference in the world on hydrocarbon issues in Africa, stressing that this will lead Africa to find solutions to the imminent challenges that the energy transition poses to the Energy industry in the continent.
He also urged members to do whatever is necessary to facilitate the rapid achievement of the noble goal of establishing the African Energy Bank, which will address the financing challenges in the African Oil and Gas Industry.
In a welcome remark, APPO’s Secretary General, H.E. Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, stressed that APPO has the important role of setting global energy directions that will protect the interests of its Member Countries.
On its part, the Executive Board congratulated APPO Secretariat on its highly successful drive towards growing the membership as well as visibility and recognition of APPO in the international energy scene for years to come. It also commended the Secretariat for its tour of APPO Member Countries to assess the state of training institutions in the oil and gas industry with a view to establishing Centres of Excellence in the field of oil and gas in the different regions of the continent.
The next APPO Statutory Meetings of the board is scheduled for 29 October to 2 November 2023 in Cotonou, Republic of Benin.
During this 14th Meeting of the Executive Board of APPO, the Board Members toured the APPO Towers, the Headquarters of the APPO Secretariat in the Heart of Brazzaville City centre.
