Riyadh – Sierra Leone Attends Petroleum Conference
Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States, H.E Wusu B. Munu accompanied by his Information Attaché over the weekend represented Sierra Leone at a meeting of the Expanded High Level Steering Group (EHLSG) of the International Energy Forum (IEF) hosted at the Diplomatic Quarters in Riyadh. (Photo: Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman Asst. Petroleum Minister welcoming H.E. Wusu Munu at the meeting)
The meeting attended by over 90 countries was a follow-up to the Cancun-Mexico Ministerial Declaration held on 31st March, 2010 in which the participating countries agreed that the IEF Charter should be reviewed by the EHLSG, comprising of all the countries that approved the Ministerial Declaration.
Prince Salman (middle) chairing the meeting
In his opening remarks, the Saudi Assistant Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, His Royal Highness Abdulaziz Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud who is also Chairman of the Expanded High Level Steering Group gave a background information about the draft of the International Energy Forum (IEF) Charter.
He said that one of the objectives of the draft Charter was to promote a better understanding of the benefits of stable and transparent energy markets for the health of the world economy, the security of energy supply and demand, and the expansion of global trade and investment in energy resources and technology.
Ambassador Munu listening to other speakers at the IEF meeting
Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman further said that the countries invited to the EHLSG not only included all the 66 countries that approved the Cancun Ministerial Declaration, but an additional 40 countries, including some African countries, in an attempt to reach out to as many potentially interested countries as is feasible.
The draft Charter was reviewed by some of the high level representatives from producer to consumer, developed and developing countries, and a good number of the countries supported the draft Charter.
(l) Information Attache, Alhaji Jalloh, and (r) HE Munu on a working lunch at the meeting
In his contribution on behalf of Sierra Leone, Ambassador Wusu Munu thanked the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources for inviting Sierra Leone to the meeting. He informed the meeting that Sierra Leone was a fuel consuming country and that the country might become an oil producer sooner or later.
He agreed with the spirit of the draft Charter since it caters for both consumers and producers of oil, but was also quick to say that he would refer the document to his government, particularly the Energy and Water Resources Ministry for careful study and promised to communicate with the High Level Steering Group as soon as the study is completed.
Meanwhile, an Extraordinary IEF Ministerial Meeting will meet to further discuss the Charter on 22nd February 2011 in Riyadh.
Alhaji M.B. Jalloh, Information Attaché, Sierra Leone Embassy, Riyadh – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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