TEHRAN - The ambassadors of Uganda, Kenya, Senegal, and Burkina Faso in Tehran discussed the updates about their countries in the energy field, expressing their readiness to collaborate with Iran in a meeting dubbed "Perspective of Oil and Gas Industry in Africa".

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 28th Iran International Oil, Gas, ‎Refining and ‎Petrochemical Exhibition (Iran Oil Show 2024) in Tehran on Thursday.

Speaking at the meeting, Kenyan Envoy in Tehran Mohammed Joshua Gatimo Aguta said the only gas reservoir in Kenya which has a 3,000-ton capacity is made by an Iranian company. “We need a reservoir of 60,000 tons.”

“Kenya has favorable opportunities for investment. We have allocated an area of 60,000 hectares for establishing a free trade zone as we hope to be completed by 2050,” the ambassador noted.

This Kenyan diplomat expressed his hope that in the near future, the African country will not only use gas for domestic and industrial purposes but also use it to extract other resources. Kenya can establish favorable cooperation with Iran under the framework.

Salion Niang Deing, the Senegalese ambassador in Tehran said in the meeting his country is interested in technical and engineering services from Iran as Iranian engineers enjoy good experiences in downstream and upstream industries.

“In addition to being ready to cooperate with state-run sectors, Senegal invites Iran's private sector for cooperation in the field of oil and gas,” the envoy added.

Also speaking at the meeting, Muhammad Tezikuba Kisambira, Ugandan ambassador in Tehran, stated that more than 6.5 billion barrels of oil are the country’s crude reserves, of which 1.4 billion barrels can be extracted now.

We are now developing a production line for oil export, and we are also building a refinery. Our priority is to work more in the field of refining, but due to the financial limits we have, we have to work with other countries and companies in these fields,” the envoy added.

Cooperation in crude oil export is Kampala’s priority, the diplomat stated adding: “Considering that Uganda has a developing economy, it is normal that the country's need for energy is noteworthy.”

Pointing to Iran’s capacity in the field of oil and gas, he said that his country is keen on cooperating with Iranian companies both in the public and private sectors.

Further in the meeting, Iran’s Deputy Oil Minister for International Affairs and Trade Ahmad Asadzadeh said Tehran proposes multimodal and mutual ways to cooperate with Africa.

Collaboration with Africa is very important for the Oil Ministry; hence a special headquarters was formed for this field of cooperation, the official noted.

He expressed Iran’s readiness to sign agreements with the African Energy Commission (AFREC) to form a close, coherent, and powerful relationship.

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