Algeria has reaffirmed its willingness to support the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire through the transfer of its technical and institutional expertise in the hydrocarbons and mines sectors, while also discussing prospects for supplying the West African country with refined petroleum products. These issues were at the heart of a videoconference meeting between the energy ministers of the two countries, as part of strengthening bilateral cooperation and African partnerships.
The Minister of State, Minister of Energy, Mines, and Renewable Energies, Mohamed Arkab, held discussions this Friday via videoconference with the Minister of Mines, Petroleum, and Energy of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, Mamadou Sangafowa Coulibaly, in the presence of the Secretary of State to the Minister of Energy in charge of Mines, Karima Bekkir Tafer, as well as ministry officials.
This meeting continues the exchanges between the two countries and aims to examine ways to strengthen and develop bilateral cooperation, particularly in the hydrocarbons and mines sectors. It also fits into efforts to consolidate African partnerships and promote South-South cooperation, especially in strategic sectors with significant impact on economic and social development.
During this discussion, the two ministers reviewed the status and prospects of cooperation throughout the hydrocarbons value chain, from research and exploration to refining, petrochemicals, transport, and marketing of petroleum products, as well as training and capacity building, according to the ministry statement.
The two parties expressed their willingness to elevate bilateral relations to the level of a strategic partnership based on mutual interests. On this occasion, the Ivorian minister praised Algeria’s expertise, particularly through the Sonatrach Group, and called for strengthening cooperation with Petroci through the establishment of joint technical teams and exchange of visits to implement common projects.
For his part, Mr. Arkab reaffirmed Algeria’s availability to support Côte d’Ivoire by sharing its technical and institutional expertise and intensifying training and capacity-building programs, particularly through specialized institutes, to contribute to developing an integrated and sustainable hydrocarbons industry.
Regarding the mines sector, the two parties emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation in research, exploration, exploitation, and production, as well as in processing mineral resources. Emphasis was also placed on exchanging expertise and experiences, as well as transferring knowledge, to valorize natural resources and generate added value contributing to the economic development of both countries.
The discussions also addressed prospects for supplying Côte d’Ivoire with refined petroleum products and strengthening trade relations between companies from the two countries in this field.
At the end of the meeting, the two parties agreed to continue consultations and coordination, and to work on updating and finalizing the legal framework for bilateral cooperation in the hydrocarbons and mines sectors, in order to take into account the institutional developments of the two countries and prepare for the forthcoming signing of operational agreements.