Speaking to Lusa, regarding an event taking place this Thursday at the end of the day to promote partnerships that boost collaboration between Brazilian and African companies, Nj Ayuk stressed that the experience of Brazil, and in particular that of the state giant Petrobras, seeks investment opportunities in Africa, especially in South Africa, Angola and Namibia.
The CEO of the African Energy Chamber highlighted the knowledge gained in deepwater exploration that can boost economic growth and ensure energy security.
According to the official, the meeting brings together in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro “around a thousand delegates” from several African countries at the event “Investing in African energies” in search of business opportunities and a “strengthening of the partnership between Brazil and Africa”.
At the event that will take place in the 'marvelous city', the organizers believe that investment opportunities in energy will arise between the South American giant and countries on the African continent, especially in the "essential contributions of the state-owned Petrobras".
A team of experts from the African Energy Chamber has been in Brazil since Tuesday and until Saturday seeking new business opportunities with Brazilian companies, in a country that is among the 10 largest oil producers in the world.
The fact that “Brazil has the largest community of African descent brings the country closer to Africa” and is an important catalyst for investment, Nj Ayuk also highlighted.
“Brazil always talks about our right to explore” and argues that Africa “should explore its resources,” stressed the executive president of the African Energy Chamber, in opposition to the “hypocrisy of the West.”
This Brazilian sensitivity, argued Nj Ayuk, can also help Africa secure a better deal on a fair energy transition at the UN climate summit (COP30) negotiations, which will take place in November in the Brazilian Amazon city of Belém.
“We need to use our resources” in the same way “the West used oil” to develop and create wealth, he argued.
“How can they say that we cannot produce now” and that countries like “Mozambique cannot explore their natural gas?”, asked the official, reinforcing that the African continent has the right to develop its hydrocarbons for the benefit of its communities.
“The West used the elevator, but now it says that Africa cannot use it and that it has to take the stairs,” he criticized.