African Refiners & Distributors Association (ARDA) President Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid has reinforced ARDA’s dedication to collaborating with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO), and the African Union Commission (AUC) to establish a sustainable intra-African oil and gas sector. The emphasis will be on providing cleaner fuels and value-added petroleum products with a lower carbon footprint.
Dr. Abdul-Hamid made these comments while co-chairing the third High-Level Meeting of the OPEC-Africa Energy Dialogue in Cairo, Egypt. The meeting, also co-chaired by OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais, AUC Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy Dr. Amani Abou-Zeid, and APPO Secretary General Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, centered on discussions about energy security, climate change, and energy transitions.
Furthermore, Dr. Abdul-Hamid disclosed that ARDA aims to develop a consolidated register of investable energy infrastructure projects. These projects will be shared at the first-ever ARDA Investment Forum to be held during the 2024 ARDA Week in Cape Town from 22-26 April 2024.
He also expressed eagerness to work with APPO to facilitate the launch of the Africa Energy Bank (AEB) and provide bankable downstream projects to meet Africa’s growing demand for petroleum products. Congratulating OPEC for its continued leadership in promoting the OPEC-Africa Energy Dialogue, Dr. Abdul-Hamid stressed the importance of dialogue and cooperation among all energy stakeholders in tackling common energy challenges.
The significance of Africa in the energy industry and the ongoing cooperation between OPEC and African energy organizations were highlighted at the event. It was also agreed to hold the 4th High-Level Meeting of the OPEC-Africa Energy Dialogue in 2025. These developments underscore Africa’s pivotal role in the future of the energy industry, especially in the oil sector.
