The Tripoli based Libyan Minister of Oil and Gas, Mohamed Aoun, received at the Ministry’s Tripoli headquarters Wednesday, the Chinese Chargé d’Affaires in Libya.
The meeting was attended by the Director General of Technical Affairs, the Technical Advisor to the Minister, the Director of the International Cooperation Office, and the Director of the Minister’s office.
Speaking exclusively to Libya Herald, the Director of the Media Office at the Ministry of Oil, Ahmed Al-Tarhouni, said that the Minister called for further development of economic relations with China and raising the level of cooperation in all fields, including the oil sector. This is especially since China is one of the major industrial countries in the world and has a strong economy, advanced technologies, an advanced country in the field of oil and gas, and it has large oil companies that have contributed to the establishment of many oil projects.
NOC will hold international tender for exploration in 2024
Al-Tarhouni confirmed that the Minister of Oil had asked the Chinese Chargé d’Affaires to invite various Chinese companies to return to Libya, especially oil companies, to participate in the exploration public tender that the National Oil Corporation will conduct next year open to international companies.
Libya has oil and gas, and solar energy opportunities
The minister emphasised, Al-Tarhouni said, the great wealth that Libya enjoys in the oil and gas sector, as well as the possibility of investing in the field of solar energy, encouraging Chinese companies to establish joint investments with Libya to benefit from these opportunities that had not been worked on previously and have great investment returns.
Chinese government conducted assessment of situation in Libya to accelerate return of companies
According to Al-Tarhouni, the Chinese Chargé d’Affaires stressed the relationship of cooperation between the two countries in this and other economic fields, declaring that Chinese companies aspire to work again in Libya, indicating the presence of more of the thirty thousand Chinese who were working in Libya before 2011. He hoped that his country will have greater opportunities in Libya in the coming years because of China’s giant companies, expertise, cadres and modern technical equipment in the fields of oil and gas, noting that the Chinese government has conducted an assessment of the situation in Libya in order to accelerate the development of the return of Chinese companies.
China has delayed its return to Libya despite positive factors
At the conclusion of the meeting, the Minister of Oil and Gas, Mohamed Aoun, indicated to the Chargé d’Affaires China’s delay in returning to Libya. this, he said, was despite the fact that China has good relations and acceptance from all Libyan parties and regions, and these are positive factors that require it not to delay any further in returning its activity in Libya and establishing investments and partnerships with Libyan parties.
Committee to be formed
It is worth noting that it was proposed to establish a joint committee that would be effective for studying and consulting on prospects for cooperation, exchanging ideas, and transferring technology in the fields of oil, gas, and energy between Libya and China.
