Belgium, (Brussels Morning Newspaper) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Senegal on Sunday to discuss cooperation on natural gas and other energy projects.
The visit to Senegal marks the start of Scholz’s African tour as Germany intensifies its efforts aimed at weaning itself off Russian energy imports, according to Reuters reporting on Sunday.
Scholz pointed out that Germany is rethinking its energy strategy in the wake of the war in Ukraine and added that the country started negotiations with Senegalese authorities on energy projects.
Speaking at a press conference with President of Senegal Macky Sall, Scholz pointed out that energy cooperation “is a matter worth pursuing intensively.”
A German government official noted on Friday that Germany is interested in cooperating with Senegal on a natural gas project.
Scholz stated that Germany also wants to cooperate on renewable energy projects with Senegal, but did not provide details.
Sall noted that Senegal is prepared to supply Europe with liquefied natural gas (LNG) and predicted that the country’s LNG output will reach 2.5 million tonnes in 2023.
Senegal’s production to increase
He expects this output to reach 10 million tonnes this decade, noting that Senegal is willing to cooperate with Germany on gas exploration and project financing.
Germany previously invited Senegal and South Africa as guest countries to the G7 summit it is to host next month. The two African countries abstained from voting on the UN resolution on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
Sall pointed out that many members of the African Union, which Senegal is presiding over, condemn Russia’s aggression and do not want to take sides in the conflict.
“Very clearly, we want peace… we’re working for a de-escalation, we’re working for a ceasefire, for dialogue… that is the African position,” he stressed.
Sall announced plans to visit Kiev and Moscow in the coming weeks and noted that he expressed the African Union’s concerns about the effects of the war in Ukraine.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine, major producers and exporters of food, disrupted supply chains and drove up energy and food prices in Africa.
After his visit to Senegal, Scholz is to travel to Niger and plans to wrap up his African tour with a visit to South Africa.