re posted from Africa and the World
https://lawrencefreemanafricaandtheworld.com/2017/10/31/africa-development-news-sudan-nigeria-and-chad/
Africa Development News-Sudan, Nigeria, and Chad
31 October 2017
This conference scheduled for late November in Khartoum confirms what I have been telling my friends for years: 1) Sudan is a strategic nation for the development of Sub-Sharan Africa, North Africa, and the Middle East; 2) Sudan is an important link in China’s Silk Road.
Khartoum to Host Arab, African, Chinese Conference Next Month Khartoum
Sudan News Agency (Khartoum), October 30, 2017
Khartoum to Host Arab, African, Chinese Conference Next Month Khartoum — The Arab, African and Chinese conference will be hosted by Khartoum last week of next November, at the residence of Africa International University, and to be organized by the General Secretariat of the Arab Chinese Friendship Associations, with the cooperation of the Africa International University. Number of Sudanese, Chinese, Arab and African experts will take part in the conference that aims at acknowledging the Initiative of the Silk Road, and its impacts on the economy, and contribution in the realization of peace and development. The Secretary General of the Arab- Chinese Friendship Associations, Ahmed Abdul-Rahman Mohamed, during his chairmanship to the conference’s preparatory meeting, has considered the conference to be the first of its kind for boosting cooperation and understanding between the African continent, the Arab states and China, indicating the particular importance of the conference, its many goals and great outcomes. He noted that the conference would discuss number of the joint cooperation domains between the Arab, African states and China, with the presentation of work papers by great specialists and concerned figures. The chairman of the conference’s steering committee, the Association’s Executive Director, Ambassador Ali Yousif Ahmed has delivered a detailed review to the arrangements made in this regard, referring to the committee’s next meeting in the mid of next month.
Nigeria, Russia Sign Nuclear Energy Deal
The BRICS Post: October 31, 2017:
Russia and Nigeria, two of the world’s major emerging markets, have signed a nuclear research and cooperation agreement on Tuesday. Russia’s Rosatom official nuclear corporation said that the agreement was signed on the sidelines of the International Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Power in the 21st Century, held in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The conference is held under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Anton Moskvin, vice president of the marketing and business development department of Rusatom Overseas, said “The development of nuclear technologies will allow Nigeria to strengthen its position as one of the leading countries of the African continent”. Nigeria has been holding talks with Rusatom for the past two years to look at feasibility studies for the construction of four nuclear power plants at a cost of about $20 billion.
Chad Begins Work on Transformative Energy Schemes
October 30, 2017
The Saharan state of Chad has officially begun work on two energy projects that it hopes will transform its economy. A ceremony was held on Saturday (28 October) in which President Idriss Déby laid the foundation stone for the twin plants. The two schemes are Sedigui oil refinery and the Rig-Rig gas treatment plant, both of which are to be built in the northwestern Kanem region, north of Lake Chad and about 300km from the capital, N’Djamena. The goal of becoming partly self-sufficient in petrol and gas has been a national goal of Chadian governments for decades, and has become tied to the country’s self-image and national prestige. In his speech, Déby said the Sedigui project had been planned since 1973, but the country’s political situation has always been too unstable for it to go ahead.
The GDP of Chad increased from $220m in 2002 to $1bn in 2014 owing to the successful exploitation of an oilfield in Kanem and the Doba basin in the south of the country, and the construction of a $4bn pipeline to terminals on the Atlantic coast. However, it has since slumped to $660m following the collapse of oil prices in 2015.
The construction cost for Sedigui is expected to be $120m and Rig-Rig are $58m. Together they account for more than 10% of the country’s annual income. In return, the Chadian state will be able to capture more of the value of its oil reserves.
Source:https://lawrencefreemanafricaandtheworld.com/2017/10/31/africa-development-news-sudan-nigeria-and-chad/