The European Union is seeking to step up cooperation with African countries to help replace imports of Russian natural gas and reduce dependence on Moscow by almost two-thirds this year.
West African countries such as Nigeria, Senegal, and Angola, offer largely untapped potential for liquified natural gas, according to a draft European Union document as reported by Bloomberg News.
The communication on external energy engagement is set to be adopted by the European Commission later this month as part of a package to implement the bloc’s plan to cut energy reliance on Moscow.
The 27-nation bloc wants to shift away from its biggest supplier after President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine.
Its draft energy strategy also seeks to prepare the region for imports of 10 million tons of renewable hydrogen by 2030 to help replace gas from Russia, in line with the ambitious EU Green Deal to walk away from fossil fuels and reach climate neutrality by mid-century.
Additionally, the European Union also plans to increase LNG imports by 50 billion cubic meters and boost shipments of pipeline gas from countries other than Russia by 10 billion cubic meters requires setting relationships with traditional suppliers on a new basis and extending trade to new emerging suppliers, according to the document.
Read also; Algeria Aligns Itself to Become Italy’s Main Supplier of Gas.
