Venezuela is the only non-African country to be a member of APPO as an Honorary Member since 2021. It was therefore good form that its Embassy in Brazzaville be included among the destinations targeted by the tour of contact with the representatives in Congo of the APPO Member Countries. H.E. Farid Ghezali was so received in audience on Friday, January 16, 2026 by H.E. Laura Evangelia Suarez, Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Brazzaville.
During cordial exchanges, the two personalities discussed energy news in Africa and around the world, against the backdrop of the exchanges, the recent events in Venezuela. H.E. Farid Ghezali conveyed his New Year’s wishes to all the Venezuelan people, indicating that APPO is an important cooperation tool that remains at the disposal of all its Member Countries.
The Ambassador, speaking in turn, said that Venezuela is very honored to be part of APPO, recalling its participation in the work of the last APPO Ministerial Council last November in Brazzaville, with a high-level delegation, composed of two Deputy Ministers and two Technical Directors. She also praised the excellent relations between APPO and her country, which were also reflected in the participation of the former SG of APPO in Caracas in January 2025 in the inauguration of President Nicolás Maduro as well as an audience between the two personalities. She also reminded the SG of the ongoing work to finalize the Memorandum of Understanding between Venezuela and APPO to coordinate cooperation in the field of oil and gas.
Addressing the social aspect of her action in the Republic of Congo, the Ambassador welcomed the participation of APPO in an initiative in favor of the most disadvantaged in the Ngabé region, a commitment that she said contributes to the visibility of APPO among the public. She invited the SG to continue in this dynamic of social positioning of the Pan-African Organization.
She welcomed the partnership between the Venezuelan Petroleum University and the Dénis Sassou Nguesso University established under the auspices of APPO, the second course of which will soon take place. She also indicated that a next wave of Spanish courses is underway at the Embassy and she hoped that, as last year, APPO would be associated with the graduation ceremony scheduled at the end of the process.
Finally, H.E. Laura Evangelia Suarez accepted the invitation of the SG to join the festivities of January 27, 2026, the date of the 39th anniversary of APPO in Brazzaville. Before leaving the premises of the Embassy, H.E. Farid Ghezali signed the book of condolences for the victims of January 3, 2026 in Caracas, Venezuela.
