During this month of April, Italy signed contracts with four countries in Africa to diversify its sources of gas supply in order to reduce its dependence on Russian gas.
The last agreement dates back to this Thursday, April 21 with the Republic of Congo. It is a “letter of understanding (…) for the production and export of natural gas, as well as for energy transition initiatives in the Republic of Congo” that the CEO of the Italian oil group Eni, Claudio Descalzi , signed with the Congolese Minister of Hydrocarbons, Bruno Jean-Richard Itoua.
The Italian Foreign Minister, Luigi Di Maio, who also made the trip to Brazzaville, did not hide his satisfaction. “Today we signed a crucial agreement with the Republic of Congo to increase the supply of gas to our country. Another result, after the agreement reached in Algeria and yesterday’s in Angola,” he posted on Facebook.
Before disembarking in Brazzaville, the Italian delegation, which also included the Italian Minister for Ecological Transition Roberto Cingolani, made a stopover in Angola on Wednesday, where a gas supply contract was also signed.
The contract with Algeria, its second gas supplier behind Russia, dates back to April 11. For Eni, the agreement signed specifically with the national oil company, Sonatrach, will allow an increase in gas deliveries « up to 9 billion additional m3 per year » by 2023-2024.
On April 13, Eni and the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) signed a memorandum of understanding to optimize gas production and exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
« Russian aggression at the expense of Ukraine, towards which we express condemnation, has made even more urgent than ever the need to diversify Italian sources of supply », justified Luigi Di Maio in Brazzaville.
The next stage of the Italian diplomatic offensive in Africa will be Mozambique next May.
By OMA Newsletter N° 681 of 22/04/2022
The OMA, NGO with an Intercontinental vocation
For the development of cultural exchanges
Valuing human potential
The promotion and consolidation of Africa’s development, and
Inter-African integration
