On Thursday, November 28, 2024, Rashid Hachichi, the CEO of Sonatrach, held important discussions in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, with the Ivorian Minister of Mines, Oil, and Energy, Mamadou Sankafoua Koulibaly. The meeting focused on exploring partnership opportunities between Algeria and Côte d’Ivoire in the energy sector, according to a statement from the Algerian oil and gas company, Sonatrach.
The discussions took place during Hachichi’s working visit to Côte d’Ivoire, which began on Wednesday, as part of a high-level delegation from Sonatrach attending the SIREXE International Extractive and Energy Resources Exhibition. This exhibition is being held in Abidjan from November 27 to December 2, 2024.
During the meeting, both sides reviewed the strong and growing relationship between the two countries, and explored potential collaborative opportunities. They also discussed the expertise that Sonatrach brings to the table, which could benefit Ivorian companies in the energy and mining sectors.
As part of his visit, Mr. Hachichi attended the opening ceremony of the SIREXE exhibition, which was inaugurated by Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara. Following the opening, Sonatrach hosted three high-level panel discussions and held meetings with executives from various institutions and organizations participating in the event.
On the first day of his visit, Mr. Hachichi and his delegation met with senior officials from Petroci Holding, the Ivorian national oil company. The meeting, which was chaired by Petroci’s Director General, Ms. Fatou Sanogo, focused on ways to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two companies.
On the second day, the Sonatrach delegation took part in the opening ceremony of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Energy Forum, which included discussions on hydrocarbons and the mining sector. During the forum, Mr. Hachichi delivered a closing speech on “Hydrocarbons: Challenges, Stakes, and Prospects for 2050,” where he stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation between Algeria and Côte d’Ivoire to develop infrastructure, exchange expertise, and explore new investment opportunities, particularly in hydrocarbons and renewable energy.
Mr. Hachichi also praised the “historical and growing” ties between Algeria and Côte d’Ivoire, noting that an agreement between Sonatrach and Petroci is currently being drafted to further enhance their partnership in areas of mutual interest.
The visit concluded with Mr. Hachichi’s participation in a roundtable discussion on the role of national oil companies in Africa, which was moderated by Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, Secretary General of the African Petroleum Producers Organization. The discussion centered on how African national oil companies can work together to achieve energy self-sufficiency and contribute to sustainable development goals across the continent.
This visit was made in response to an invitation from the Ivorian Minister of Mines, Oil, and Energy for Sonatrach to participate in the SIREXE exhibition.
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Author: nor-eleslam
Sonatrach partnership with Côte d’Ivoire
