Mali: 150 million liters of diesel from Niger to improve electricity supply in Mali – Africa Links 24

Bamako, April 17 (AMAP) The company Énergie du Mali (EDM-SA) and the Nigerien Petroleum Company (SONIDEP) signed a commercial contract on Tuesday in Bamako for the supply of 150 million liters of diesel to EDM-SA.

This contract at a preferential rate of 328 Fcfa per liter was signed by the general director of SONIDEP, Colonel Ali Seibou Hassane, and the Director of EDM-SA, Abdoulaye Djibril Diallo, making Mali the first client of Niger in terms of oil supply.

According to the Minister of Energy and Water, Mrs. Bintou Camara, the contract is the result of a meeting held in Niamey, Niger, in February between the Energy Ministers of the Sahel States Alliance (AES), expanded to include Chad and Togo.

Recalling Mali’s participation in the official launch ceremony of the start of production for Niger’s oil on November 1, 2023 in Koulélé, Agadem (in the Diffa region), Mrs. Camara indicated that Mali and Burkina Faso were Niger’s first clients.

From that date until today, EDM-SA has benefited from a volume of 22.6 million liters of diesel as a subsidy from the State of Mali. “With this experience,” explained Minister Bintou Camara, “it will now be about correcting all the anomalies observed, especially regarding the transportation of fuel by road.” In this regard, the Minister in charge of Energy assured that this challenge will be met.

“We urge the company Énergie du Mali to take, from the signing of this contract, all necessary measures for the correct transportation of this fuel to Mali,” instructed the Minister.

In agreement, Mahamane Moustapha Boka Barke regretted that this first experience encountered difficulties but the causes have been identified. To address these constraints, the Nigerien Minister of Petroleum believed that solutions include, among other things, establishing a fleet of tanker trucks for Niger and Mali, setting up an escort for fuel transportation in the three countries of the AES, execution structures and monitoring by the three companies (EDM-SA of Mali, SONABEL of Burkina Faso, and SONIDEP of Niger).

In addition, opening and ensuring substantial supplies in dedicated accounts in the banks of representations of these three countries. Mahamane Moustapha Boka Barke believed that the effective and diligent implementation of these measures would guarantee the success of these operations.

The ceremony was chaired by the Prime Minister, Choguel Kokalla Maïga. It was attended by members of the government including the Minister of Energy and Water, Mrs. Bintou Camara, and her Nigerien counterpart in Petroleum, Mahamane Moustapha Boka Barke.

Before the signing of this agreement between the two Energy Ministers in the afternoon, the Head of State, Colonel Assimi Goïta, granted an audience to the delegation from Niger.

BBC/MD (AMAP)