The handover ceremony between the incoming Secretary General H.E. Farid Ghezali, and the outgoing Secretary General H.E. Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim was held on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, under the chairmanship of H.E. Bruno Jean Richard Itoua, Minister of Hydrocarbons of the Republic of Congo and President of APPO for the year 2025.
Mr. Farid Ghezali was appointed as the new Secretary General of APPO from 4th January 2026 to 4th January 2028 by the 48th Ordinary Session of the APPO Ministerial Council held in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, on 4 November 2025.
In a speech reviewing his action at the head of APPO over the past six years, the outgoing SG retraced the main positive results achieved by the Organization under his leadership between 2020 and 2025. He thanked the Ministerial Council, the Executive Board of APPO and his Secretariat staff for the support he received from each other during two successive terms at the APPO Secretariat.
In his remarks, the incoming SG expressed his gratitude to the APPO Ministerial Council for the trust placed in him to lead the APPO Secretariat for the next three years. Congratulating his predecessor for the results he achieved, he pledged to tirelessly continue the work started, calling on his collaborators to be part of the perspective of achieving the objectives he has set for himself.
Established in 1987 in Lagos, Federal Republic of Nigeria, the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) is an intergovernmental organization whose objective is to serve as a platform for cooperation and harmonization of efforts, collaboration, sharing of knowledge and expertise among African oil-producing countries.
Its mission is to promote hydrocarbon cooperation of its Member Countries and other global institutions to foster fruitful collaboration and partnerships while using oil as a catalyst for energy security, sustainable development, and economic diversification in Africa.
APPO has 18 Member Countries. Venezuela is an Honorary Member Country.
The headquarters of APPO is in Brazzaville, the Republic of Congo.
Brazzaville, 17th December 2025
Press Contact: Dr Carmen Fifamè Toudonou
Editor
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