Sierra Leone’s Energy and Petroleum Officials attend Russia Energy Week in Moscow
*Korovy Val Moscow, Russia — Monday 18 October 2021* — On arrival in Moscow, the Sierra Leone delegation to Russia paid a courtesy call on Ambassador Mohamed Yongawo and briefed him on the purpose of their visit to Russia.
Madam Ngozi Beckley-Lines, the Director of Projects at the Ministry of Energy, conveyed greetings from the Honourable Minister of Energy, Alhaji Kanja Sesay, to HE Yongawo and staff of the Mission in Moscow.
Dr Patrick Tarawalli, Technical Adviser at the Ministry of Energy, emphasized the government’s priority of Energy. “We are here to engage Russians on the electricity partnership with Sierra Leone, from the generation of electricity to transmission, distribution and supply of electricity to the final consumers,” he said.
Executive Chairman, Petroleum Regulatory Agency (PRA), Dr Brima Baluwa Koroma, informed Ambassador Yongawo that petroleum products are essential to the production of energy, “and there are a lot of opportunities Sierra Leone can benefit from the Oil and Gas industry in Russia”.
Ambassador Yongawo welcomed the delegation as the government representative in Moscow.
The Ambassador reminded the visiting delegation of President Bio’s Sochi meeting with Mr Novak the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia who doubles as the Minister of Energy. The primary outcome of that meeting was an agreement on the formation of an Energy working group. The latter had their maiden zoom conference in 2020.
Ambassador Yongawo informed the delegation of the several meetings his mission has lined up in the energy and petroleum sector.
Following the meeting, the Ambassador led the delegation to a potential Russian business tycoon, who has links with several companies in the fields of Energy, Petroleum, medicine, agriculture, construction etc
Important presentations were made, including that by OCTA LIGHT; with particular focus on the area of generating electricity through human waste, solar power system and hydroelectricity. The Sierra Leonean side agreed with OCTA LIGHT the need to consider a memorandum of understanding after the Minister of Energy would have been briefed,
The delegation met with the CEO and President of the International Lighting Engineering Cooperation and staff.
At the company’s office, a senior staff took the Sierra Leonean visitors on a tour of the exhibition of electrical works, which included, street lights, stadium lights, traffic lights and other types — stage lighting and lighting for residential homes.
The CEO informed the delegation that he had already contacted four different companies in the Energy sector and also informed the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Federation about his interest in Sierra Leone, and that further discussions will be held on the visit of the Energy Minister, Alhaji Kanja Sesay later this year.
On Day two of the Russian Energy Week, the Sierra Leone delegation attended two events: one dealing with Energy and another dealing with the Oil and Gas industry.
Thus, the Chairman of Petroleum Regulatory Agency Dr Kororma. attended the *Deriving Benefits from the Digital Transformation of the Fuel and Energy Sector* programme while Dr Tarawalli, Technical. Adviser at the Ministry of Energy and Director of Projects Madam Beckley-Lines, attended the one dealing with the Development of Electric Power: *Maintaining Reliability while Improving Technological Performance*
The delegation further engaged influential Chief Executive Officers and investors in the Energy, Oil and Gas industry in the Russian Federation. These meetings were organized by His Excellency Ambassador Yongawo and the Sierra Leone Embassy.
Dr Koroma expressed his delight in the meetings held and applauded HE Yongawo for all the good work and his love for Sierra Leone, promising that his country’s Oil and Gas industry will tap into the available opportunities to improve on the quality and quantity of supply in the Petroleum sector under the leadership of President Julius Maada Bio.
Dr Patrick Tarawalli and Madam Ngozi Beckley-Lines thanked Ambassador Yongawo and the. Embassy staff for making themselves available and for organizing fruitful meetings with potential investors.
The delegation promised to advise the Minister of Energy, Alhaji Kanja Sesay, of their successful engagements and the urgency of taking advantage of the opportunities presented in addressing Sierra Leone’s energy problems.
By Festus J. Lahai, Information Attache’, Moscow, Russian Federation
18/10/2021