South Africa: Ramaphosa addresses global mining event
Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) - President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday said it was critical that African nations be encouraged to extract oil and gas to confront the reality of energy insecurity.
In an address to the Investing in African Mining Indaba in Cape Town, he said countries across Africa needed to be able to explore and extract oil and gas in an environmentally responsible and sustainable manner.
"These resources are important for energy security, for social and economic development, and for reducing energy poverty on the continent. And we do not see this trajectory as being mutually exclusive to our focus on moving towards ensuring that we reduce our carbon footprint,” he said.
He said that as South Africa undertakes a just energy transition, it is important to adhere to the principle contained in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.
"In our onward march towards a low-carbon future, it is critical that our efforts are both realistic and sustainable," Ramaphosa added.
The four-day event is looking to the future with the overarching theme: ‘Evolution of African Mining: Investing in the Energy Transition, ESG, and the Economies.’
African leaders attending the event include President Mokgweetsi Masisi (Botswana), President Hakainde Hichilema (Zambia) and the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde Kyenge.
-0- PANA CU/RA 10May2022
