Rwanda optimistic ahead of EAC petroleum forum

The Ministry of Infrastructure has expressed optimism that the East African Petroleum Conference starting next week will promote Rwanda’s gas and petroleum investment opportunities. The fifth East African Petroleum Conference & Exhibition 2011 (EAPCE’11) is slated for February 2 to 4 at the Kampala Serena Hotel in Uganda, and it is expected to attract more than 700 participants. Speaking to The New Times yesterday, Francoise Mukakalisa, the Petroleum Downstream Expert at the Ministry of Infrastructure, said that it is a great opportunity for Rwanda to showcase its investment potential in gas and petroleum. “We shall present our potential areas of investments like methane gas and oil exploration survey on Lake Kivu and we hope this will attract investors, “she said. She added that they will have oil and gas-potential exhibition stand at the petroleum conference which will increase awareness of the potential for petroleum development in the country. Mukakalisa stressed that the meeting will be an opportunity to strengthen cooperation between EAC partner states in exploration and development, as well as harmonizing policies in the petroleum sub-sector. The Conference, which is under the theme Harnessing East Africa’s Oil and Gas Potential and Utilizing the Resources to Create Lasting Value is expected to be officially opened by Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni. According to the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Productive and Social Sectors, Jean Claude Nsengiyumva, the last four conferences had proved to be useful forums to dialogue for governments and industry players from around the world. The forum will bring together participants from international oil companies, oil industry service companies, government institutions, academic institutions, international geoscientific journals, non-oil and gas institutions and the media.Delegates will witness high quality technical presentations and exhibitions from a wide spectrum of players from the petroleum sector and field excursions from the five EAC Partner States. Ends

National

Rwanda optimistic ahead of EAC petroleum forum