Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima, Equatorial Guinea’s current Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons, will take over as President of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in 2023.
This is according to data on the African Energy Chamber (AEC) website. NJ Ayuk, executive chairman of the African Energy Chamber, was quoted as saying:
We at the African Energy Chamber are very pleased to see the appointment of Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima as the president of OPEC. With a global climate that is pushing Africa and OPEC countries to abandon oil and gas, demand for oil and gas is increasing especially in emerging economies that need to industrialize, eradicate energy poverty and promote clean cooking. What Africa and the world need more than anything right now is market stability. We are confident that Minister Obiang Lima will work with all OPEC member countries to ensure the needs of producers and consumers are met.
Advancing the interests of Africa’s oil producers
The appointment of Minister Obiang Lima, according to the AEC, is expected to facilitate a platform that will advance the interests of African oil and gas explorers and producers, as well as all OPEC members. The AEC believes that the appointment of Minister Obiang Lima demonstrates the continent’s unwavering commitment to collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders toward the common goal of eradicating energy poverty in Africa by 2030.
The AEC also claims that the appointment reestablishes Africa as a leading powerhouse in the global oil industry, emphasizing that Equatorial Guinea will:
- Hold a more prominent position in the global energy arena and will be able to voice an African perspective within the organization.
- Actively influence decision-making in both the region’s and wider continent’s favour while promoting the challenges faced and opportunities present within Africa’s energy sector.
- The AEC also credits the oil industry in Equatorial Guinea as experiencing exponent growth, contributing to the country’s economy and socioeconomic development.
Minister Obiang Lima will succeed Bruno Jean-Richard Itoua, the Republic of the Congo’s Minister of Hydrocarbons. The OPEC presidency lasts one year.
Minister Obiang Lima believes that Africa should exploit its natural resources, such as oil, gas, iron ore, and other minerals, without relying on third-party assistance.
