IEF Organizes Training Workshop In South Africa
The International Energy Forum (IEF) Secretariat and the South African Department of Minerals and Energy organized a regional training workshop in Johannesburg from 30 January to 3 February for oil statisticians from Sub-Saharan countries. A total of 35 officials from South Africa, Angola, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Lesotho and Nigeria attended the workshop. The event, addressed by expert speakers from Eurostat, IEA, OPEC, and the IMF, was part of the IEF Secretariat’s efforts to promote the Joint Oil Data Initiative (JODI) and improve the quality of oil market data. South Africa’s Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Buyelwa Patience Sonjica said that “without accurate oil data, we cannot secure our future security of energy supply and we would not be able to attract much needed international investments. The biggest problem remains access to energy in order to meet basic human needs and the Millennium Development Goals.” IEF Secretary-General Arne Walther told the workshop that “better data and more transparency benefits both industrialized and developing countries in their quest for energy security. Energy-importing and energy-exporting countries have a shared interest in, and shared responsibility for, reducing market volatility and promoting global energy security.” Ambassador Walther underlined the importance of South Africa’s voice as spokesman for regional African energy interests and the interests of other developing countries in the IEF’s global dialogue for energy security, which gathers ministers of more than 60 countries.
