African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO) Rejects Calls to Transition Away from Fossil Fuels

By Samuel Ouma

The African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO) has vehemently opposed the move to discourage investments in oil and gas sectors over the environmental crisis.

During the recently concluded COP28 in Dubai, representatives from at least 200 countries signed an agreement to end the global consumption of fossil fuels.

However, the deal has angered APPO, an organization that consists of countries that produce oil.

In a letter addressed to the President of COP 28, Sultan al-Jaber, the organization faulted the move, saying African countries cannot embrace it since it will inhibit development in the continent.

According to Samou Seïdou Adambi, President of APPO and Minister of Energy, Water, and Mines of Benin Republic, attempts to prohibit African countries from using their abundant oil and gas resources might have fatal implications since they will be unable to access the limited energy that will be accessible.

“The energy transition as recommended by industrialized countries is therefore being questioned by African countries with oil and gas potentials where energy poverty is rampant and whose population do not have access to any form of energy. Can we, therefore, not ask ourselves if we are not courting an energy crisis that we will not be able to manage?” asked Samou Seidou.

The APPO maintained that Africa is not the source of pollution that causes climate change.

“Supporters of the energy transition plan being pushed would also continue to make the world pay for damages caused to the climate, because the African continent is not the source of pollutions causing the climate change,” he added.