Senegal’s Minister of Energy, Petroleum and Mines, Birame Soulèye Diop, has framed integration between Francophone and Anglophone countries as central to achieving energy security and sustainable development in Africa
In an exclusive interview with Voice of Nigeria, at the sidelines of the The Decade of Gas and The World Bank Ministerial Roundtable and Workshop held on Abuja, the minister underscored the imperative of stronger collaboration across Africa’s energy landscape.
“This is crucial for a country to progress; it’s important that the results are felt at the national level. But we are part of an African community where each country shares the same objectives,” Diop said.
Minister Diop noted that despite vast resource endowments, African countries are yet to fully translate potential into sovereignty.
“We have sufficient natural resources, but we haven’t exploited them enough to ensure our sovereignty,” he stated.
The Minister stressed that present realities demand a unified approach. “Today, the challenges we face call for us to work together, collaborate, and develop projects jointly.”
Drawing attention to Nigeria’s decade-long experience in gas development, the Senegalese minister said emerging producers such as Senegal stand to benefit significantly from shared knowledge.
“Nigeria now has about ten years of experience in gas development. Many countries have gas today, but they are still in the early stages… as is the case with Senegal. We need to exchange ideas, share our experiences, and learn from the mistakes we’ve made,” he said, adding that “mistakes are enriching, but also, and most importantly, from the successes achieved by other countries.”
Reaffirming commitment to continental cooperation, Diop emphasized mutual interest as the driving force. “We are willing to continue collaborating because it is in all our interests to work together… Today, the global crisis reminds us that together, we can achieve something.”
On the broader question of African integration, he was unequivocal. “…we need this integration… this is a key element in the development of African energy diplomacy. It’s extremely important. We must integrate it.”
He identified strategic infrastructure as a practical expression of that unity, citing the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline. “The Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline represents a significant response to our need to live together, work together, and succeed together.”
Highlighting shared identity and purpose, Minister Diop concluded: “We are one people. We have simply created physical borders, but the reality is that we are the same people… We must work together, and we will work together.”
The Roundtable and Workshop themed “Cooperation In Advancing Gas Development With Regional Impact Across Africa”, hosted by Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources (Gas) Obongemem Ekperikpe Ekpo drew participation from African Gas Ministers from Africa, industry players and continental and national stakeholders.
