Agreement signed between Italy and the Republic of Congo to increase gas supplies. Ministers Di Maio and Cingolani, accompanied by the CEO of Eni, Claudio Descalzi, had an interview with the Congolese Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Francophonie and Congolese abroad, Jean-Claude Gakosso. The ministers signed a declaration of intent together with the Congolese Minister for Hydrocarbons, Bruno Jean Richard Itoua. Following the signing of an energy agreement by Descalzi and the Congolese minister himself. So ends today, Thursday, April 21, in Brazzaville, with the second Congolese stage, the so-called African “Gas Tour”, a mission with which Italy sees an increase in the supply of gas from the African continent to face the cut. Russian.
The agreement signed with Eni provides for “the acceleration and increase of gas production in Congo, mainly through the development of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, scheduled to start in 2023 and with a total operational capacity of over 3 million tons per year. (more than 4.5 billion cubic meters/year). LNG exports will make it possible to explore gas production that exceeds Congolese domestic demand.” The information was announced by Eni.
The agreement with Angola
The agreement with Congo was close to the agreement with Angola. An understanding, the one with Luanda,
for new activities in the natural gas sector, also to increase exports to Italy, and in joint projects in favor of decarbonization and energy transition in Angola. «We have reached another important agreement with Angola to increase the supply of gas. Italy’s commitment to different sources of supply is confirmed: constant action in defense of Italian families and companies”, commented Di Maio.
The satisfaction of Di Maio and Cingolani
«Exactly one month after my first visit to Angola, Italy’s commitment to differentiating energy supply sources is confirmed. Constant action in defense of Italian families and companies,” continued the Foreign Minister. “This is an important agreement that gives impetus to the partnership between Italy and Angola in the sectors of renewable energy, biofuels, LNG and training in the technological and environmental areas”, said Cingolani, according to a press release from Farnesina. “Not only a step forward in the diversification of gas sources, but also an important contribution to support the global ecological transition”, added the minister.
Phone call Draghi-Lourenço
Prime Minister Mario Draghi headed the Italian delegation in Luanda which, forced to stay at home after the Covid infection, had the opportunity to listen to the President of the Republic of Angola, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, on the phone. The mission, centered on the need to find alternative sources of energy to Russian ones and to strengthen bilateral relations, continues on Thursday, April 21, also in the Republic of Congo, with a stopover in Brazzaville. With the same objective.