pipeline politics

Tanzania: President Samia says Russia/Ukraine tension an opportunity for gas sales

By Nicholas Norbrook

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Posted on February 22, 2022 08:34

Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan is welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron and European Council President Charles Michel during the European Union – African Union summit in Brussels, Belgium, February 17, 2022.
Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan is welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron and European Council President Charles Michel during the European Union – African Union summit in Brussels, Belgium, February 17, 2022. Olivier Hoslet/Pool via REUTERS

Speaking to The Africa Report in an exclusive interview, the President of Tanzania underlines efforts the country is making to secure new energy markets – and says that tensions provoked by Russian aggression in Ukraine is helping to generate European interest in Tanzania’s gas.

“We are looking for markets wherever”, President Samia Suluhu Hassan says. “Whether Africa or Europe or America, we are looking for markets. And fortunately we are working with companies from Europe. Total Energies for example is working in Tanzania.”

Tanzania’s gas reserves are estimated to be Africa’s sixth largest.

“We have three major points: Kilwa, Songo Songo and Mnazi in the south of Tanzania, and we have a deposit of about 57 trillion cubic feet”, says President Samia. “We believe we have other deposits in some other areas of the country. ”

The annexation of two Ukraine provinces by Russia on 21 February has sharpened the question of European energy supplies. Currently Russian gas makes up around 35% of Europe’s gas imports.

Diversification efforts are already underway in Europe, given the spiking energy prices seen since gas last year. JP Morgan Chase suggests that Europe’s

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