The President/CEO, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote and Dr Fatih Birol, Chief Economist/Director Global Energy Economics, International Energy Agency are two of the many key executives that will grace the African Refiners Association (ARA) conference next month.
ARA comprises representatives of the Africa’s downstream oil industry and these representatives will meet in Cape Town from March 16-20 at the Westin Grand Hotel to consider how to invigorate investment in the African refining and distribution sectors of all countries, from the Mediterranean to the Cape of Good Hope, to meet the rising energy needs of a growing continent.
The recent fall in oil prices places increasing focus on the downstream rather than upstream sector of the oil industry.
Dangote and Birol will be joined by other key players like Ian Taylor, President/CEO, Vitol Group and Atef Marzouk, Energy, Senior Policy Officer, African Union Commission.
How to create the ‘enabling environment’ for investment in the petroleum product supply chain will be the major topic of discussion during ARA WEEK with the participation of refining, trading, distribution and financing experts from around the world.
ARA, a Swiss registered not-for-profit association, that represents refiners, storage, distribution and marketing companies as well as petroleum regulators from across Africa, will also hold its Annual General Meeting in Cape Town as part of ARA Week.
At a time of increasing realisation that inefficient and poor quality fuel supply has the potential to constrain the rapid economic growth across Africa, limiting the continent’s international competitiveness for goods and services as well intra-African trade, this conference features key executives involved in the future of the industry and other major industry players, including Didier Acouetey, Executive President, AfricSearch; Steve Terry, Director, Montauroux Services and Mark Elliott, Chairman, CITAC Africa.