Algeria and Senegal have reaffirmed their commitment to expanding hydrocarbon cooperation following high-level discussions held on Sunday in Algiers between the Minister of State, Minister of Hydrocarbons, Mr. Mohamed Arkab, and the Senegalese Minister of African Integration, Foreign Affairs, and Senegalese Abroad, Mr. Cheikh Niang. The meeting centered on strengthening bilateral engagement in the hydrocarbons sector, with particular attention given to enhancing collaboration between the Sonatrach Group and the Senegalese National Oil Company (PETROSEN), according to a statement from the ministry. The talks reflected both countries’ intention to deepen hydrocarbon cooperation through broader collaboration across the energy industry.
The discussions took place at the headquarters of the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and brought together the Ambassador of Senegal to Algeria, the Ambassador of Algeria to Senegal, the Chairman and CEO of Sonatrach, Mr. Noureddine Daoudi, senior ministry officials, and members of the Senegalese delegation. According to the ministry’s statement, the meeting served as an opportunity to review the status and prospects of cooperation between the two countries across various segments of the oil and gas industry. During the meeting, both sides reaffirmed the strong fraternal and friendly relations between Algeria and Senegal while expressing their shared ambition to transform those ties into a broader economic and strategic partnership.
Focus on Oil and Gas Value Chain, Expertise Exchange, and African Partnerships
A significant part of the discussions focused on developing cooperation across various stages of the oil and gas value chain, particularly in exploration, production, field development, refining, and petrochemicals, while emphasizing the importance of activating the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Sonatrach and PETROSEN to open new horizons for investment and exchange of expertise. The ministers also examined opportunities to leverage Algerian expertise to develop the oil and gas sector in Senegal, especially in light of the country’s recent discoveries, as well as enhancing cooperation in training and knowledge transfer between the Algerian Petroleum Institute and its Senegalese counterpart.
In addition, the meeting covered cooperation opportunities in petrochemical industries, hydrocarbons transport, and the marketing of petroleum and gas products, alongside exchanging expertise in regulation, governance, petroleum data management, industrial safety, and environmental protection.
Speaking during the meeting, Arkab emphasized that Algeria, in implementation of the directives of the Algerian President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, attaches special importance to strengthening African cooperation and promoting South-South partnerships, particularly in the hydrocarbons sector.
He further stressed the need for intensifying coordination between specialized institutions in both countries and enhancing joint efforts within the framework of the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) to support the continent’s energy security, promote technology transfer, and build African capacities.
For his part, the Senegalese minister expressed his country’s keen interest in benefiting from Algeria’s experience in the hydrocarbons sector, praising the outstanding expertise of the Sonatrach Group. He also reaffirmed Senegal’s eagerness to expand cooperation with Algeria in various fields of the oil and gas industry, according to the same source.
