Alweendo to solidify Namibia-France relations, partnerships at Invest in African Energy Forum in Paris
The Minister of Mines and Energy Minister, Tom Alweendo, will deliver a keynote speech to strengthen Namibia-France relations and partnerships at the upcoming Invest in African Energy Forum in Paris on 1 June.
This was announced on Wednesday by the African Energy Chamber (AEC), the voice of Africa’s energy sector.
According to a statement from AEC, the reception aims to provide investors and companies from Europe an opportunity to connect with African executives and foster potential collaborations across both the E&P and local content sectors.
Alweendo has made much progress in expanding Namibia’s energy sector and continues to make a considerable contribution to the planning and implementation of energy projects.
With two major oil and gas discoveries made in February 2022 in the Venus-1 and Graff wells as well as a third major find made in early 2023 at the Jonker-1x prospect, the country offers newfound opportunities for investors and project developers across the emerging E&P landscape. With much of the country’s offshore and onshore basins underexplored, French companies to the likes of TotalEnergies, Perenco, and many more have the chance to participate in one of Africa’s most promising oil and gas plays.
As Namibia emerges as the region’s new exploration hotspot, Alweendo is expected to spearhead discussions at the upcoming Invest in African Energy Forum Paris reception on the current progress of the discoveries and any new opportunities that emerge.
However, opportunities for French companies transcend E&P activities, with France having already played a key role in promoting local content and capacity building in Africa. Companies to the likes of Technip Energies have been instrumental in driving skills and technology transfer, and going forward, as the country witnesses unprecedented growth across its oil and gas sector, the exchange of ideas and solutions from French companies will be key for ensuring successful project developments. As such, Hon. Alweendo will engage with a suite of companies, fostering partnerships and bilateral collaboration in a bid to push for heightened local content development.
Meanwhile, the minister, in addition to its noteworthy discoveries in the hydrocarbons sector, has embarked on ambitious green hydrogen projects aimed at harnessing the country’s resources.
Alweendo and his ministry are collaborating to establish a green hydrogen hub that will enable new businesses and stakeholders to launch large-scale projects in the region. This innovative space is expected to unlock vast opportunities across the energy market.
Despite these remarkable strides, it is crucial to note that substantial investments are still necessary to ensure the growth and success of these projects, and as the industry represents a relatively new market in Namibia, knowledge-sharing and bilateral cooperation will also be key.
“With Alweendo’s attendance at the Invest in African Energy Forum Paris, we anticipate the gathering of industry stakeholders and the establishment of new collaborative partnerships, paving the way for future potential exploration and production in the country. We firmly believe that such alliances will contribute significantly to the development of Namibia’s green hydrogen agenda, driving the country’s progress towards a more sustainable and diversified energy sector,” stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber.
Taking place on 1 June and in partnership with global market research firm Rystad Energy and the African Export-Import Bank, the Invest in African Energy Paris Event is open to all guests and RSVP is essential. RSVP to [email protected] or go to https://energychamber.org/invest-in-aef/.
