Oil and gas supermajor TotalEnergies has announced that it will invest $600 million to strengthen exploration and production activities in the Republic of Congo in 2024. The investment will be used to finance exploration and maintain production in the country’s deep offshore Moho Nord field, which accounts for approximately half of all Congolese oil production, or roughly 140,000 barrels per day (bpd).

As the voice of the African energy sector, the African Energy Chamber (AEC) commends the commitment by TotalEnergies to Congo’s oil and gas future. The $600 million investment signals a strong intent by the IOC to develop and monetize Congolese hydrocarbons for the benefit of the country and will unlock a wave of economic opportunities for the broader region.  

The TotalEnergies-operated Moho Nord field brings together four reservoirs that extend over 320km2 in water depths of 750m to 1,200m. As such, TotalEnergies’ commitment to the Republic of Congo’s oil production is poised to ensure additional production of 40,000 bpd, adding to the country’s current levels of 267,000 bpd. TotalEnergies also operates the deep offshore Marine XX permit, which extends over an area of 3,285.8km2 at water depths of up to 2,000m. Two drilling rigs arrived at the permit this month, with TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné expressing his optimism that the field will yield a discovery before the end of the year.

In April this year, TotalEnergies signed an agreement – through its subsidiary TotalEnergies EP Congo – to acquire a 10% stake in the Moho permit from oil and gas company Trident Energy. Following the completion of this transaction, TotalEnergies will hold an operational stake in the permit with 63.5%, alongside Trident Energy, which will retain a 21.5% share, and the Republic of Congo’s national oil company Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo (SNPC), which will hold a share of 15%.

“The $600 million investment by TotalEnergies shows that the IOC is in the Republic of Congo to stay. Congo’s oil and gas can play a much greater role in alleviating energy poverty and driving industrialization in Africa, and partnerships with companies to the likes of TotalEnergies will be instrumental in achieving these objectives. We look forward to witnessing new discoveries being made in the coming months,” stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC.

In addition to TotalEnergies’ investment plan, the Republic of Congo is set to benefit from a new strategic partnership with Algeria in the field of hydrocarbons and energy. A memorandum of understanding was signed between Algeria’s Minister of Energy and Mines Mohamed Arkab and the Republic of Congo’s Minister of Hydrocarbons Bruno Jean-Richard Itoua on May 21 to enable the development of a new roadmap for bilateral relations between the two countries.

The agreement will also facilitate the sharing of expertise between Algeria’s state-owned Sonatrach and the SNPC headed by Raoul Ominga in the field of downstream oil. The two countries have also expressed their optimism and support to the development of an African Energy Bank to focus investment in oil and gas projects across the continent.

These major developments come after the confirmation of the formation of a new Gas Master Plan in the country by the Republic of Congo’s Ministry of Hydrocarbons during the Invest in African Energy 2024 summit in Paris this month. Currently in its final stages, the new plan will provide a framework that incentivizes the development of the national gas sector while serving as a roadmap to harnessing gas resources for domestic consumption and export. This represents a major opportunity for regional and international investors and will promote gas utilization while reducing the country’s dependence on crude oil revenue. The new Gas Master Plan is being developed by SNPC with support from energy intelligence firm Wood Mackenzie. SNPC CEO Raoul Ominga has been working closely with the Ministry to get final approval. This will open the door for a lot of investment in the gas sector in Congo.

In addition to the Republic of Congo’s established fields, the plan opens the door to negotiate existing contracts and is set to culminate in the establishment of a new gas code in the country. The new code is poised to facilitate the commercialization of stranded assets and flared natural gas while allowing the government to make changes to current fiscal terms and make small-scale projects more economically viable. Approval by parliament for the new code is expected by June this year, according to Minister Itoua.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Palestinian children who fled to Egypt from the war in Gaza are haunted by the horrors they experienced and are struggling with nightmares, anger, bedwetting and anxiety, with Save the Children calling for an urgent increase in mental health and psychosocial support. 

Since the war started in Gaza on 7 October more than 60,000 Palestinians, including over 5,500 medical evacuees, have crossed the border into Egypt seeking refuge and healthcare. 

In the past three months, Save the Children has received more than 500 requests from Palestinians in Egypt for mental health and psychosocial support. Almost 90% of these requests were for children, with parents concerned that their children are still triggered by loud noises, cannot sleep or even go to the toilet alone or are withdrawn and not showing any signs of emotion.  

Prolonged exposure to war and uncertainty can cause a state of ‘toxic shock’ but children in conflict show remarkable resilience and can recover with appropriate assistance such as mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), child friendly spaces where they can play,  and education programmes.   

Waleed*, 66,  from Gaza,  now lives with his wife and five of their children in Cairo. His children have lost cousins and other loved ones in the war and their mother says they were always asking who was going to be the first one of them to die.  

 Waleed said although he’s tried to help his children, they still need more support to recover:  

“[The war has] impacted my children’s mental health. While they were fleeing and being displaced, it was so dangerous, and there were many threats to their lives and a lot of bombs, which made our children anxious and afraid. When they came to Egypt, they were in a very bad state and needed psychological support and I tried to help them out. But it’s really hard.  

“Here in Egypt the children in the street play with fireworks, and when my children hear the fireworks, it makes them feel afraid and freak out when they hear the sounds. It triggers them. There are sounds of planes around here and when they hear the plane, they freeze.” 

Heba*, 28, lives in an apartment in Cairo with her husband and three children Rami* (7), Sana* (10) and Samira* (12), who were all severely injured in an airstrike in Gaza. 

Heba* says her son Rami, who suffered injuries to his head as well as his leg, is now scared of everything: 

“Rami was actually known for always being really brave and he always used to comfort the family. But ever since he got injured, he’s turned into a child who fears any noise, the darkness, he can’t go to the bathroom alone and he can’t be alone. 

“Ever since the war, the girls have had higher heart rates and are scared and think death is just around the corner. Even when we were driving from the border to Cairo… Samira experienced nightmares and she woke up thinking that we were dead and that everything had been destroyed.”  

The closure of the Rafah crossing with Egypt has completely halted medical evacuation of patients since 7 May. About 600 patients scheduled to be evacuated are currently unable to move. Between October 2023 and 18 May, there has been 12,760 requests for medical evacuations to Egypt and other countries. 

Laila Toema, a psychologist and Save the Children Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Technical Advisor in Egypt, said:  

“Children from Gaza have suffered unimaginable mental harm from the violence, serious physical injuries, including the loss of body parts, and the loss of families, homes, and their schools. They are also tortured by the uncertainty of not knowing where their loved ones in Gaza are and what will happen to them. Living under this kind of stress for so long is enough to destroy anyone’s health, both physical and mental. 

“Despite what they have experienced, children are resilient, and we know from experience in Egypt and in many other countries around the world that they can recover when we provide them with support to access medical assistance to treat their physical injuries, and help to regain a sense of stability, normalcy and safety. Save the Children is calling for an urgent increase of international support to address the short and long-term needs for displaced Palestinian children in Egypt, especially for mental health and psychosocial support services.”

”In Gaza, children continue to be maimed and suffer physical injuries, with little option for medical care or treatment, and their mental health is being pushed beyond breaking point. It’s estimated that more than 1 million children are in desperate need of mental health services. We call for an immediate ceasefire to save children’s lives and future.” 

Save the Children is working with Egyptian authorities to provide essential services for displaced Palestinians including cash assistance, support to cover medical costs and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS). The MHPSS activities include group and one-on-one counselling for children and their caregivers, training Palestinians in Egypt to provide community-based psychosocial support to newly arrived Palestinians from Gaza and providing MHPSS training to Egyptian ambulance staff so they can better support child medical evacuees.  

Save the Children is also supporting the health authorities, including ambulances and public hospitals receiving medical evacuees from Gaza, through providing baby incubators and other essential medical supplies and equipment. It is also preparing to train frontline health workers on responding to paediatric blast injuries and mass casualties. Save the Children’s Gaza response in Egypt is done through partnering with the Egyptian Ministry of Health and with the support of Community Jameel and the Canadian Humanitarian Coalition Fund. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Save the Children.

The Government of Liberia has extolled the Republic of Cameroon on the 52nd National Unity Day and assured Cameroon of its commitment to enhancing the cordial relations between the two countries and peoples. This statement was conveyed by the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cllr. Deweh E. Gray, during a program marking the observance and celebration of the 52nd Anniversary of the National Unity Day of the Republic of Cameroon. Minister Gray acknowledged the harmonious relations existing between the two countries and highlighted the vital role Liberia played in Cameroonian affairs at the League of Nations. She emphasized Liberia’s relentless effort for Cameroon’s independence in 1960, which led to its reunification in 1961. Counselor Gray also pointed out that Liberia was the first country to establish a Diplomatic Mission at the Ambassadorial level in 1960, with the appointment of Ambassador Francis Marshall as Liberia’s Ambassador to Cameroon.

“Mr. Ambassador, May 20, 2024, marked another milestone in the history of Cameroon. The day commemorates the end of the federal government and the creation of a Unitary State on May 20, 1972, led by the late Ahmadou Ahidjo, the first President of Cameroon. As we join the friendly people of Cameroon in celebrating yet another achievement in the history of your nation,” Minister Gray remarked. Minister Gray asserted that Liberia and Cameroon share strong historical and cultural bonds, notably through the Bassa ethnic group present in both countries. She also recalled the visit of former Foreign Minister of Liberia, H.E. Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, to Cameroon, which culminated in the first Ministerial Conference of TICAD in Yaoundé, Cameroon, from May 4-5, 2014. This meeting, she noted, led to the establishment of a Joint Commission for technical cooperation in fields such as agriculture, education, forestry, sports, and commerce.

“Mr. Ambassador, we can still pursue and achieve cooperation for the betterment of our two countries and peoples. As you may be aware, the ARREST Agenda under the able leadership of His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., is now the heartbeat of this Government. To achieve this, we will count on sharing expertise with the Cameroonian government and its technicians, especially in the areas of agriculture, education, local government decentralization, diplomatic training, and tourism. In the coming months and years, and as part of our National Agenda, we hope to implement programs that will build a solid foundation and capacity of the youthful population. We believe we cannot do this alone. With these in mind, it is my ardent hope and desire that our two countries will reactivate the Joint Commission as soon as possible.”

Minister Gray further indicated that Liberia’s doors remain open to working with the Embassy, the Government, and the great people of Cameroon to strengthen the bond of friendship and expand people-to-people exchanges in various sectors. She expressed hope for mutually exploring pragmatic ways of increasing investment opportunities between the two nations, believing this to be the pathway to further enhancing the already flourishing relationship. Minister Gray reassured Cameroon, through its Ambassador, that Liberia stands ready to cultivate new opportunities for promoting the mutual wellbeing of the two peoples and countries as Liberia-Cameroon relations continue to scale new heights.

“As we celebrate this historic day with you, Mr. Ambassador, it is our fervent hope that the Grand Architect of the Universe will continue to shower upon the people of Cameroon the blessings of peace, political cohesion, and sustained economic growth, development, and prosperity. We also pray for the personal wellbeing of His Excellency Mr. Paul Biya.” She then extended, on behalf of His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., President of the Republic of Liberia, the Government and People of the Republic of Liberia, heartfelt congratulations and warmest felicitations to the Cameroonian Ambassador and, through him, to His Excellency Mr. Paul Biya, President of the Republic of Cameroon, the Government, and gallant people of the Republic of Cameroon as they commemorate their historic occasion

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Liberia.

This initiative strives to empower women in the print and imaging sectors, steadfast in its commitment to Canon’s corporate philosophy ‘Kyosei’ (www.Canon-CNA.com) and fostering gender equality in workplace leadership roles; Renowned Nigerian creative professionals and Canon ambassadors Daniel Ehimen&Emmanuel Oyeleke will conduct sessions on content creation, photography, and printing, igniting inspiration and expertise.

Canon Central and North Africa, a global leader in imaging and print solutions, is proud to announce the launch of the Women Who Empower 2024 programme in Nigeria in collaboration with Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR). This  initiative aims to uplift and support women in the imaging and print industries through workshops, mentorship opportunities, and networking events, tailored to promote the growth and advancement of women in these fields.

Aligned with this year’s International Women’s Day theme of “Inspire Inclusion”, the initiative aims to empower women by providing a platform to showcase their work, enabling access to necessary tools, and helping them excel through investment and training programmes.

“We are thrilled to partner with WISCAR in Nigeria to unlock the potential of women in the imaging and printing industries in Africa. This collaboration exemplifies Canon’s unwavering commitment to leveraging our resources for the greater good. Skills development and empowerment of women are not just beneficial but critical for the advancement of our society and economy,” says Somesh Adukia, Managing Director of Canon Central and North Africa.

“By joining forces, we can create meaningful opportunities for women to thrive professionally, contribute to gender equality, and drive economic growth. Together, we are poised to make a significant impact on the advancement of women in our communities and beyond.”

Mrs. Amina Oyagbola, Founder&Chairperson WISCAR says, “WISCAR is excited to partner with Canon to empower women in the imaging and print industries. This collaboration underscores our commitment to providing women with the resources and opportunities they need to succeed in their professional endeavours. Together, we will pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable society in Nigeria.”

The programme will commence on 15 May 2024 with a series of workshops which includes three modules: printing, photography, and content creation. Each module has four sessions, two theory and two practicals, allowing participants to select one or more areas of interest. These classes include technical instruction, foundational theory, and a month of supervised Canon equipment practice in the chosen field.

Led by renowned Nigerian cinematographer, director, and Canon Ambassador Daniel Ehimen, the content creation course will offer participants essential skills in videography. The course will cover videography principles, camera mastery, storytelling, and practical application with feedback.

The photography course led by Emmanuel Oyeleke, a renowned Nigerian lifestyle photographer and Canon Ambassador, will focus on the fundamentals of photography, with an emphasis on storytelling. Through numerous sessions and practical exercises, participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of photography basics and hone their skills behind the lens. The printing workshop, also led by Oyeleke, will offer a comprehensive understanding of printing solutions for photography portfolios and photo studio setups.

Canon will provide all resources, comprising imaging and printing equipment. Upon completion of the workshops, participants will receive certificates and valuable feedback from the trainers. The company looks forward to collaborating with WISCAR and other organisations to nurture the progress of women in the photography industry. This initiative aligns with Canon’s corporate philosophy and its commitment to advancing gender equality in the workplace.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA).

Media enquiries, please contact:
Canon Central and North Africa
Mai Youssef
e. Mai.youssef@canon-me.com

APO Group – PR Agency
Rania ElRafie
e. Rania.ElRafie@apo-opa.com

About Canon Central and North Africa:
Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA) (Canon-CNA.com) is a division within Canon Middle East FZ LLC (CME), a subsidiary of Canon Europe. The formation of CCNA in 2016 was a strategic step that aimed to enhance Canon’s business within the Africa region – by strengthening Canon’s in-country presence and focus. CCNA also demonstrates Canon’s commitment to operating closer to its customers and meeting their demands in the rapidly evolving African market.

Canon has been represented in the African continent for more than 15 years through distributors and partners that have successfully built a solid customer base in the region. CCNA ensures the provision of high quality, technologically advanced products that meet the requirements of Africa’s rapidly evolving marketplace. With over 100 employees, CCNA manages sales and marketing activities across 44 countries in Africa.

Canon’s corporate philosophy is Kyosei – ‘living and working together for the common good’. CCNA pursues sustainable business growth, focusing on reducing its own environmental impact and supporting customers to reduce theirs using Canon’s products, solutions and services. At Canon, we are pioneers, constantly redefining the world of imaging for the greater good. Through our technology and our spirit of innovation, we push the bounds of what is possible – helping us to see our world in ways we never have before. We help bring creativity to life, one image at a time. Because when we can see our world, we can transform it for the better.

For more information: www.Canon-CNA.com

Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR),a non-profit organisation based in Ikoyi, Lagos is focused on empowering and developing professional women in Nigeria and beyond. Together, they will offer the WIN-with-WISCAR Mentoring Programme, providing career advice, guidance, and support to young professional women.