By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
Experts in the Extractive Sector have reviewed local Laws guiding the Petroleum and Mining Sectors in the Sub Region.
The joint meeting of National Mining and Hydrocarbons Experts from ECOWAS Member States held in Dakar, Senegal, November 23rd and 24th November 2022 .
Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy & Digitalization of the ECOWAS Commission, Sédiko Douka, said that the Community Texts under review was 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.
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 the region.
“ECOWAS region is richly endowed with mining and petroleum resources, often world-class, but remains poor of its natural resources”, Gueye said.
According to him, rational and efficient exploitation of the natural resources remains the best way to get out of these resources.
Community texts reviewed during the two – day meeting include the Draft ECOWAS Regional Petroleum Code, Draft ECOWAS Model Regulation on Artisanal Mining and Small-scale Mining and its Implementation Strategy, Draft ECOWAS Charter on Gender Mainstreaming in the Geo-extractive Sector, and Draft Regional Study Report on ECOWAS Strategic Minerals Feedstocks and Inputs Development Strategy.
