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On the occasion of the first International Exhibition of Extractive and Energy Resources (SIREXE) 2024, Prime Minister Robert Beugré Mambé – under whose high patronage the event is being held – and the Minister of Mines, Petroleum, and Energy, Mamadou Sangafowa Coulibaly, the organizer of the exhibition with the support of UEMOA, aim to make a lasting impression. An impressive array of personalities from the sector is expected in Abidjan from November 29 to December 2, including about a dozen African ministers.
This includes Senegal’s Minister of Energy, Petroleum, and Mines, Birame Souleye Diop, Botswana’s Minister of Minerals and Energy, Lefoko Moagi, as well as the Congolese ministers of Hydrocarbons, Energy and Hydraulics, and Mining Industries and Geology, namely Bruno Jean Richard Itoua, Emile Ouosso, and Pierre Oba (State Minister).
Togo, Algeria, Angola, and the DRC will also be represented by their respective Ministers of Mines and Energy Resources, Robert Komi Messan Eklo, Minister of Energy and Mines, Mohamed Arkab, Minister of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas, Diamantino Pedro Azevedo, and Minister of Mines, Kizito Pakabomba Kapinga Mulume.
Also not to be forgotten are Guinea’s Minister of Mines and Geology, Bouna Sylla, Benin’s Minister of Energy, Water, and Mines, Samou Seïdou Adambi, Gabon’s Minister of Mines, Gilles Nembe, and finally, South Africa’s Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Gwede Mantashe, who are also involved.
Norway, Guest of Honor
As the guest of honor for this first edition, Norway is sending its Minister of Energy, Terje Aasland, to the event. Côte d’Ivoire, in line with its Vision 2030 and its National Development Plan under President Alassane Ouattara, who “wants to make his country an energy power and a regional hub, while protecting the environment,” is indeed taking inspiration from the Scandinavian kingdom. Particularly, its integrated approach to extractive and renewable industries. Norway is the third-largest exporter of oil and gas in the world, and 98% of its energy mix comes from hydropower. Oslo and Yamoussoukro also maintain close economic relations, with Norfund, for instance, having allocated $130 million since 2022 to finance Ivorian SMEs.
With SIREXE, which expects 300 exhibitors and will be held every two years, Côte d’Ivoire is sending a strong message to all extractive sector players in Africa: its land is rich in significant potential, starting with hydrocarbons. Two new deposits, Baleine, which started production last year, and Calao, recently discovered, are expected to yield a total daily production of 200,000 barrels by 2027. In total, 10 deposits have currently been identified on Ivorian territory, which since last year, contribute no less than 20% of the state’s fiscal revenues.
Ivory Coast, which has considerable mining potential and significant hydrocarbon reserves, aims to make the extractive sector a pillar of its economic growth. Mining production has significantly increased, and recent discoveries in the Baleine and Calao oil fields are propelling Ivory Coast to the rank of a major player in the gas and oil sector. Significant progress has also been made in developing renewable and conventional energy production capacities.
As stated by Ivorian Prime Minister Robert Beugré Mambé, ‘The SIREXE is more than just a fair; it is a North-South and South-South exchange platform that brings together investors, governments, and experts to forge strategic partnerships and explore innovative technologies.” The theme of this first edition, “Sustainable development of extractive and energy industries: what policies and strategies?”, reflects Ivory Coast’s commitment to promoting responsible use of resources that ensures benefits for all while preserving ecological balances.
