The Deputy Minister for Energy, Egyapa Mercer, joined ministerial colleagues and representatives from participating countries at the ongoing Africa Oil Week conference in Dubai, UAE, for a closed-door session with the country’s Minister of Energy & Infrastructure, H.E. Suhail Mohamed Faraj Al Mazrouei.
The Deputy Minister, who is representing the Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh at the conference was accompanied by the CEO of the Petroleum Commission, Mr. Egbert Faibille Jnr.
Amongst other things, H.E Mazrouie shared with his fellow ministers, UAE’s energy strategy launched in 2016 which aims at reducing the country’s CO2 emissions by 70%, increasing the solar power contribution in its energy mix to 44% and cutting down its reliance on fossil fuel by 50% with 2050 as the target.
He stressed the need for long-term planning which should entail a balancing of factors such as security of supply, affordability of available energy source and sustainability. He further stressed the need for African countries forge interconnectivities pertaining to energy related projects, adding that such alliances would attract investors.
H.E. Dr. Amani Abou-Zeid, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy of the African Union said as a matter of urgency, the AU was in the process of holding a meeting of African Ministers of Energy to form a united front in the wake of energy transition, which threatens to leave many developing African countries with stranded assets.