Under the supervision of His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, President of the Republic, the Ministry of Petroleum, Mines and Energy organized on Tuesday, May 24, 2022 a high-level meeting on Energy / Mines strategies, under the theme: Accelerating the energy transition and building a green metals industry in Mauritania.
The event, which was attended by the CEOs of international companies operating in Mauritania, aimed at an in-depth exchange with private and public sector actors and national and international experts on the long-term strategic vision for the development of the Energy and Mining sectors in Mauritania.
Speaking for the occasion, the Minister of Petroleum, Mines and Energy Mr. Abdessalam Mohamed SALEH reviewed the national energy development strategy, which revolves around 3 objectives:
(i ) Strengthen the energy security of the country, by developing on a large scale all energy resources, gas and renewable energies in particular;
(ii) Ensure overall access of all Mauritanian citizens to electricity by 2030. By 2024, the achievement of an access rate of about 100% in urban areas and doubling access in rural areas compared to the current rate;
(iii) Make the energy sector a locomotive of economic and social development.
And the Minister to say that the achievement of the ambition to position Mauritania strategically in the new global context as a regional hub of integrated energy and production of green ore is not won in advance and that the challenges and obstacles are numerous in this regard, noting that the government has undertaken structural reforms on the legal framework, on governance and on the development of human resources, among others.
For his part, Mr. Gordon Birrell, Executive Vice President - Production & Operations of BP said he was proud of the partnership undertaken by his company with Mauritania and Senegal for almost 6 years, specifying that this world-class project, is capable of making a real difference in this country and in the ongoing global energy transition.
Succeeding him, the CEO of KOSMOS Energy, Mr. Andrew G. Inglis presented a presentation on the Prospects for the development of the gas sector in Mauritania and his company's projects in the field of energy transition.
As for Kinross Gold CEO, Mr. Paul Rollinson, he discussed renewable energy opportunities for mining development in Mauritania.
Ms. Cristina Isabel Banasco, Resident Representative of the World Bank in Mauritania, highlighted the importance of this event which opens new perspectives for cooperation in the development and promotion of renewable energies in Mauritania.
A press briefing was subsequently organised, during which the Minister of Petroleum, Mines and Energy and his partners, the CEOs of the Companies (BP, Kosmos, Kinross, CWP, Chariot) and the Representative of the BM spoke about the promising energy prospects of Mauritania, particularly in the field of green hydrogen and gold projects.
Subsequently, MOU agreements were signed between the MPME and the companies CWP and Chariot for the development of the green hydrogen projects AMAN and NOUR respectively within a period of one year and the third MOU was signed by SNIM and its partner ArcelorMittal relating to the creation of a production unit of 2.5 million tonnes of green steel.
3 Energy/Mines panels were organized during which presentations and discussions took place around the themes:
Panel I: Prospects for the development of oil and gas resources in Mauritania
Panel II: Accelerating the energy transition: Opportunities for the development of renewable energies and low-carbon hydrogen
Panel III: Transforming the mining sector.
At the end of the day, a summary of the work was presented by the international consultant and former Tunisian Minister of Oil Mr Kemal BENNACEUR.
Assuring his presence throughout the day of the event, the Minister of Petroleum, Mines and Energy Mr Abdessalam Mohamed Saleh delivered the closing remarks congratulating himself on the success of the event and assuring that the recommendations of the day will be monitored and given special attention.
