The joint meeting of National Mining and Hydrocarbons Experts from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Member States was held in Dakar, Senegal, on November 23rd and 24th November, 2022 to review some community texts relating to the petroleum and mining Sectors.
While welcoming the Experts from Member States, Mr. Sédiko Douka, Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy & Digitalization of the ECOWAS Commission, highlighted that the community texts they will be reviewing have been developed with the objective of harmonizing and coordinating Member States policies and programmes in the fields of Energy and Natural resources as enjoin by Article 28 and 31 of the ECOWAS Revised Treaty.
Commissioner Douka indicated that these Texts will contribute to a well-organized, minimally varied, optimally developed and mainstreamed geo-extractives sector in general, and an integrated, effective and efficient energy sector.
Mr. Ibrahima Gueye, Secretary General of the Ministry of Mines and Geology, of the Republic of Senegal, representing the Minister of Mines and Geology and the Minister of Petroleum and Energy expressed his gratitude to ECOWAS for the choice of Senegal to host the regional meeting, while stressing his full commitment to support regional actions for the development of the geo-extractive sector in our region.
“ECOWAS region is richly endowed with mining and petroleum resources, often world class, but still remains poor of its natural resources”, he said. Adding that their rational and efficient exploitation is therefore the major lever to get the best out of these resources.
During the two-day meeting, the Experts reviewed of the following Community texts: (i) Draft ECOWAS Regional Petroleum Code, (ii) Draft ECOWAS Model Regulation on Artisanal Mining and Small-scale Mining and its Implementation Strategy, (iii) Draft ECOWAS Charter on Gender Mainstreaming in the Geo-extractives Sector, and (iv) Draft Regional Study Report on ECOWAS Strategic Minerals Feedstocks and Inputs Development Strategy.
The Experts also reviewed two memoranda: (i) Memorandum on the status of implementation of ECOWAS Directive on harmonized automotive fuels specifications and (ii) Memorandum on the implementation of the West African Gas Pipeline Extension Project (WAGPEP) and the synergy developed with the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project (NMGP).
After deliberations, the Experts made recommendations for the consideration and adoption of the Joint Meeting of ECOWAS Ministers in Charge of Mining and Hydrocarbons, to be held in Dakar, Senegal.
