RAVENNA (Italy) – Tuesday, 24 October 2023 (APS) – The Minister of Energy and Mines, Mohamed Arkab underscored Tuesday Ravenna (Italy) Algeria’s role as a “reliable” energy supplier to the Mediterranean region.

The Minister was speaking at a high-level ministerial panel organized as part of the OMC Med Energy Conference & Exhibition on Offshore Technologies in the Mediterranean, taking place in Italy from October 24 to 26.

Arkab emphasized Algeria’s role as a reliable energy supplier to the Mediterranean region, highlighting the example of Italy in the field of natural gas.

During the panel discussion, the Minister outlined the thrusts of Algeria’s energy policy, which is based on energy security and transition, mentioning in the same vein Algeria’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as the tree-planting program initiated by Sonatrach.

He recalled the challenges of ensuring this energy transition, in terms of investment and technological mastery, while reiterating the importance of the involvement of European companies in Algeria in the development of gas, renewable energy (ENR) and hydrogen, as well as the reduction of the carbon footprint.

Speaking on the same panel, Italy’s Minister for the Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, praised Algeria’s efforts to achieve energy security in the region, particularly in terms of natural gas.

On the sidelines of the event, the Minister granted an audience to the CEO of the Italian ENI group, Claudio Descalzi.

Discussions between the two parties focused on ENI’s continued efforts to develop its hydrocarbon activities in Algeria, particularly exploration.

The audience also provided an opportunity to discuss the prospects for strengthening this partnership to cover other areas such as offshore hydrocarbon development, renewable energy, hydrogen and the reduction of greenhouse gases, particularly methane.