Antonio Oburu Ondo, Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons of Equatorial Guinea, will speak at the upcoming Invest in African Energy (IAE) forum in Paris, as the country seeks renewed foreign investment to monetize offshore gas reserves and establish itself as an LNG export hub.

As a mature producer, Equatorial Guinea is prioritizing near-field, infrastructure-led exploration to yield new discoveries and bring additional resources into production. Trident Energy launched a three-well infill drilling campaign on Block G at the start of this year utilizing the Island Innovator rig, with all three wells expected to come onstream by mid-year. The rig will then drill the Akeng deep exploration well in Kosmos Energy-operated Block S, targeting potential resources of 180 million barrels of oil. If successful, the campaign could lead to a significant rise in output from the Ceiba Field and Okume Complex.

IAE 2024 (https://apo-opa.co/49krKXM) is an exclusive forum designed to facilitate investment between African energy markets and global investors. Taking place May 14-15, 2024 in Paris, the event offers delegates two days of intensive engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors and policymakers. For more information, please visit www.Invest-Africa-Energy.com. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.

Meanwhile, VAALCO Energy is leading development of the Venus Field in Block P offshore Equatorial Guinea, which involves drilling two producer wells and one water injector under a single campaign. The Houston-based firm is planning to bring the project online in 2026, in partnership with national oil company GEPetrol and Atlas Petroleum. Holding interests in six blocks – including producing assets in Block I – Atlas Petroleum is currently seeking farm-in and drilling partners in Blocks EG-02 and H, in which extensive 3D seismic surveys have suggested significant hydrocarbon-bearing potential.

Attracting new players to its exploration scene, the Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons signed three production sharing contracts last year with Africa Oil Corp. (Block EG-18 and EG-31) and Panoro Energy (EG-01), and expects to sign another for the development of Blocks EG-06 and EG-11 in the coming months. In Block 27 – home to the untapped Fortuna gas field – GEPetrol is seeking $3.1 billion to develop more than 3.8 trillion cubic feet of gas in place. Last December, Europa Oil&Gas acquired an interest in the highly prospective Block EG-08, which features drill-ready prospects and estimated resources of 1.4 trillion cubic feet of gas equivalent.

The country is also entering the next phases of development of its flagship Gas Mega Hub (GMH) initiative, which seeks to leverage existing infrastructure to create a regional gas industry. Phase two consists of modifying the contractual terms for the Alba gas field, while phase three will facilitate gas processing from the offshore Aseng field at Punta Europa. Last October, Marathon Oil signed an LNG sale agreement with multinational commodity trader Glencore for gas produced from the Alba field. Marathon is also planning to modify its integrated gas operations in Equatorial Guinea in 2024, which includes rerouting natural gas from the AMPCO methanol facility to the EG LNG plant.

“Equatorial Guinea is doubling down on gas – a key focal point of the global energy transition and investor interest. The country is single-handedly driving one of the most ambitious LNG initiatives on the continent – the GMH – which holds the potential to establish an intra-African gas trade and catalyze gas-based industries across the region. At IAE 2024, global investors can access Equatorial Guinea’s latest investment prospects, as well as interface with the country’s relevant oil and gas authorities,” says Sandra Jeque, Event&Project Director at Energy Capital&Power.  

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital&Power.

WHO IS JOSEPH KONY?

Joseph Kony was born in September 1961 in Uganda. He is of Acholi ethnicity and a national of Uganda. He is the alleged founder and leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (“LRA”), a Ugandan rebel group that originated in 1987 in northern Uganda among ethnic Acholi communities.

IS MR KONY IN THE ICC CUSTODY?

No, the suspect Joseph Kony, is still at large, 19 years after his arrest was ordered.
Since the issuance of the arrest warrant against him in 2005,  the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or “Court”) has been seeking the cooperation of all relevant national authorities to arrest and surrender him to the Court.

WHAT IS THE LATEST DEVELOPMENT AT THE ICC IN RELATION TO THE KONY CASE?

On 4 March 2024, Pre-Trial Chamber II of the ICC issued a decision on the Prosecutor’s request (https://apo-opa.co/3PxL0c9) to hold a confirmation of charges hearing in the case against Joseph Kony in the suspect’s absence, should he not appear, and set the date for this hearing, to commence on 15 October 2024.

ON WHAT BASIS DID THE ICC JUDGES DECIDE TO HOLD  A  CONFIRMATION OF CHARGES  HEARING IN THE ABSENCE OF MR KONY?

The Rome Statute (the treaty establishing the ICC) allows for a hearing on the confirmation of the charges in the absence of a suspect. This is possible when:

the suspect has fled or cannot be found, 
all reasonable steps have been taken to secure his or her appearance before the Court, and
all reasonable steps have been taken to inform the suspect of the charges and to notify the suspect that a hearing to confirm those charges will be held.

 If the charges are confirmed, the case can only proceed to trial if the accused is present before the Trial Chamber. The existence of confirmation proceedings in absentia would serve to expedite the case against a suspect that cannot be found, however, as held previously by the same Chamber, this proceeding is only applicable in exceptional circumstances.

WHAT IS A CONFIRMATION OF CHARGES HEARING?

The confirmation of charges hearing is NOT A TRIAL and is still under the pre-trial phase of the proceedings. The purpose of the confirmation of charges is to determine if there is sufficient proof to start a trial. It is a public preliminary hearing where judges assess and decide whether or not to confirm all or any of the charges brought by the Prosecutor against a suspect – Joseph Kony, in this case. If any of the charges are confirmed, the case can be submitted for trial before other ICC judges, but only in the presence of the accused. 

The Chamber will hear oral submissions usually starting from the Prosecution, followed by the Legal Representatives of the Victims and the Defence. The hearing is scheduled from 15 October 2024 at the seat of the Court in The Hague, The Netherlands, and it usually lasts a few days. Closer to the date of the hearing, the Judges will issue an order with more information about how it will be conducted and how many days it will last, and whether or not witnesses will appear in person or via video link.

WHAT KIND OF DECISIONS CAN THE ICC CHAMBER MAKE AT THE END OF CONFIRMATION OF CHARGES HEARING?

After the Confirmation of Charges hearing concludes, the Pre-Trial Chamber shall deliver its written decision within 60 days. The Judges of Pre-Trial Chamber may:

confirm all or only some of the charges against Mr Kony but in this case a trial would still require Mr Kony to be present before the ICC as there is no trial in absentia according to the ICC Rome Statute;
decline all the charges and stop the proceedings against Mr Kony (this happens if the Judges decide that the available evidence is not sufficient or strong enough to go to trial); or,
adjourn the hearing and request the Prosecutor to provide more evidence, to conduct additional investigations or to change any charge for which the evidence establishes a different crime than the one charged.

If  the lawyers of Mr. Kony and the Prosecutor want to appeal the decision, they need to ask the permission of the Chamber. If the appeal is authorised, the case  will be decided by another Chamber – the Appeals Chamber, which consists of five other Judges.

HOW WILL MR KONY BE DEFENDED BEFORE THE ICC AND WHO WILL PAY FOR HIS DEFENCE?

All ICC suspects, including Mr. Kony, are presumed innocent until proven guilty, and they are entitled to legal representation when appearing before the Court. In case the suspect does not appear before the Court, the judges can appoint a lawyer to act on Mr Kony’s behalf.

When deciding to hold a hearing in the absence of Mr Kony, the ICC Judges have instructed the Registry to commence the process of selecting a lawyer to represent his rights and interests during the confirmation process and the confirmation of charges hearing, should this take place in his absence.

In the Decision to hold the confirmation of charges hearing against Mr Kony in his absence, the Pre-Trial Chamber set the hearing for 15 October 2024 to ensure that Defence counsel will have sufficient time for his or her preparation in the suspect’s absence, due to the scope of the Prosecution’s allegations, and the potential voluminous amount of material that the Prosecution is likely to disclose in this case.

In case Mr Kony is declared indigent, the Court will bear the cost of the suspect’s defence in accordance with the legal aid scheme.

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE DEFENCE IN THE CONFIRMATION OF CHARGES HEARING?

Mr Kony is a suspect in the proceedings and, like all ICC suspects, is presumed innocent unless and until proved guilty before the Court in accordance with the applicable law.

The confirmation of charges hearing is not a trial. The purpose of the confirmation of charges is for the Pre-Trial Chamber to confirm whether the Prosecutor has demonstrated sufficient evidence to proceed to trial. The Judges may also decline the charges.

Throughout the hearing of the confirmation of charges, the Defence will test the evidence presented by the Prosecutor and present any jurisdiction or admissibility challenges.

At the confirmation of charges stage, the Prosecution must demonstrate to the Pre-Trial Chamber that substantial grounds to believe that the charges against the defendant exist such that the case can continue to a trial. If charges are confirmed, the presumption of innocence persists and the burden on the Prosecution becomes one of demonstrating guilt of the charges beyond any reasonable doubt for a Trial Chamber to declare an accused person guilty of these charges. If not, the Judges would then declare him innocent.

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF VICTIMS AT THE CONFIRMATION STAGE? WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN SUCH A HEARING?

Victims can participate in the proceedings before the ICC, presenting their views and concerns. Victims are authorised to participate in the proceedings by the Judges of the Pre-Trial Chamber in charge of the Kony case.

The judges already authorised in the past 41 victims to participate in the Kony case, and has appointed as their legal representatives Ms Paolina Massidda, Principal Counsel of the independent Office of Public Counsel for the Victims (OPCV), and Ms Sarah Pellet, Counsel at the OPCV.

The Judges will soon decide on the process for other victims to apply to participate at the confirmation of charges hearing which is due to start on 15 October 2024. The victims will then be informed on how to apply to participate in the proceedings.

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE LEGAL REPRESENTATIVES OF VICTIMS  IN THE CONFIRMATION OF CHARGES HEARING?

A Legal Representative of Victims is a lawyer who represents the interests of the victims in the proceedings. During the confirmation of charges, the Legal Representative (lawyer) will be in the courtroom to follow the proceedings. After having consulted with the victims, he or she will be able to present opening and closing statements on behalf of the victims and intervene on any issue of fact or law arising from the hearing that affects the interests of victims

WHO ARE THE VICTIMS WHO CAN APPLY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONFIRMATION OF CHARGES HEARING AGAINST M. KONY? AND HOW CAN THEY DO SO?

Direct victims and survivors who have not previously applied for participation as well as any indirect victims, including close family members of direct victims, can apply for participation in the case, if they suffered harm as a result of the crimes committed against the direct victims.

The scope of the Kony case contained in the Document containing the Charges communicated by the Prosecutor on 19 January 2024 includes:

Different crimes committed in the Attack on Lwala Girls School – 24 June 2003 and IDP camps (Pajule – 10 October 2003, Abia – 4 February 2004, Barlonyo – 21 February 2004, Odek – 29 April 2004, Pagak – 16 May 2004, Lukodi – 19 May 2004 and Abok – 8 June 2004);
Crimes against children under the age of 15 and women abducted and integrated in the LRA from at least 1 July 2002 until 31 December 2005;
Crimes directly perpetrated by Mr Kony, including enslavement, forced marriage, rape, torture and sexual slavery.

The ICC Judges have not yet decided on the system and modalities of victims’ participation. Therefore, further details on how to apply will be communicated once this is clarified. Victims who want to obtain more information about victims’ rights before the ICC and the Kony case can contact the VPRS: i) by email at VPRS.Information@icc-cpi.int; or ii) by phone (or WhatsApp) at +256772532830 (staff member working for the Victims’ Participation and Reparations Section in the Uganda country office).

ARE VICTIMS OF ALLEGED CRIMES COMMITTED BY MR KONY ENTITLED TO ASK FOR REPARATIONS AT THE ICC?

Victims have the right to reparations (and the right to participate in proceedings) in relation to any case within the jurisdiction of the ICC, including the Kony case, if an accused is declared guilty. Victims should be aware that, before the ICC, reparations can be awarded only if an accused person has been convicted following a trial – and therefore only much after the confirmation of charges proceedings.

At this stage, the Kony case is at pre-trial phase, and, even if charges are confirmed, no trial can start before Mr Kony is surrendered to the ICC. Therefore, unless Mr Kony is arrested and found guilty of the charges against him after a criminal trial before the ICC judges, no reparations may be awarded to the victims who suffered harm as a result of the crimes he allegedly committed.

Distinct from reparations, victims who suffered harm as a result of crimes within jurisdiction of the ICC in the scope of the Uganda situation may benefit from rehabilitative programmes addressing their harm.  The ICC Trust Fund for Victims may provide assistance to victims through medical treatment, counselling rehabilitation, and livelihood support for the benefit of victims, their families, and affected communities who have suffered harm from crimes under the jurisdiction of the Court. The assistance programme is being implemented in the conflict affected region of greater northern Uganda. 

IS THE CASE OF JOSEPH KONY RELATED TO THAT OF DOMINIC ONGWEN?

On 6 February 2015, the ICC Judges severed the proceedings against Dominic Ongwen from the case of The Prosecutor v. Joseph Kony, Vincent Otti, Okot Odhiambo and Dominic Ongwen. As the Judges by then had confirmed the deaths of two of the suspects and terminated proceedings against them, and the others remained at large, the Judges deemed it necessary to separate the case so as not to delay the proceedings against Mr Ongwen who was already in the custody of the Court. With the separation of these cases, they are now handled as different cases, separate proceedings and handled by different ICC judges.

The trial in the case of Mr Ongwen opened on 6 December 2016 and concluded in March 2020 after the submission of closing statements by the parties and participants. On 4 February 2021, Trial Chamber IX found Dominic Ongwen guilty for a total of 61 crimes comprising crimes against humanity and war crimes, committed in Northern Uganda between 1 July 2002 and 31 December 2005. On 6 May 2021, Trial Chamber IX sentenced Dominic Ongwen to 25 years of imprisonment, and he has been transferred to Norway to serve his sentence.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Criminal Court (ICC).

Following an article published by the Financial Times (FT) regarding ExxonMobil’s exit from Block B, Equatorial Guinea’s Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue and the country’s Chamber of Mines offer further clarification on the future of Block B and the opportunities for foreign investment in the country’s oil and gas sector.

ExxonMobil’s Departure from Block B

ExxonMobil signed a Production Sharing Contract (PSC) with Equatorial Guinea in 1995 – almost 30 years ago – for a 71.25% stake interest in Block B. With the expiration of the PSC, the ownership of the assets of Block B and its operations carried out by the contracting group – formed by ExxonMobil and GEPetrol S.A. – are transferred to the state as stated on the PSC. The expiration of the PSC includes events such as the dissolution of the contracting group, the termination of operations and, naturally, the withdrawal out of the block of the companies that make up said contracting group. All these events are certain and expected events already foreseen on the PSC that was signed by mutual agreement.

Therefore, the termination of the contract has never been a speculative, uncertain, or unknown event. It has always been part of the contractual order. Likewise, the leakage of water into the FPSO at the Zafiro field is not related to the end of ExxonMobil’s operations in Block B. ExxonMobil’s disinvestment policy in some parts of the world has also been due to, among other reasons, its great discovery in Guyana.

The Future of Block B

The transitions of operations and assets of an IOC that operates fields in a certain country, in favor of another company (receiving operator) designated by the state, are common in the oil and gas industry. While it is true that this phenomenon is not common in Africa, it is a historically common phenomenon in places such as the Middle East, Asia and elsewhere.

The search that started several years ago for companies to replace ExxonMobil in Block B was a process that had nothing to do with the government but rather with the company itself, whose intention was to hand over the operations and assets to another firm long before the termination of the PSC. Although Equatorial Guinea is open to foreign investment and works firmly to increase foreign investment in the country, the government of Equatorial Guinea has never had the strategy to propose replacing ExxonMobil with another international company.

Equatorial Guinea has expressed intention to and is moving towards operating – for the first time in the country’s history – producing oil assets, which will also be transferred from an oil major. The country has high expectations because of this and is very grateful for the great collaboration that ExxonMobil continues to offer. In fact, there is a list of more than four collaboration options in Block B related to the block operations, assets equity, and operations financing presented by IOCs which the Government is carefully and responsibly balancing in order not to impact its current ambitions to operate these types of fields through its oil companies.

American Investment Remains Key

The largest investment in the history of Equatorial Guinea has been from America. This is not only a phenomenon of the past but also of the present. The position of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, with respect to its commercial relations with countries worldwide – including China, one of the great commercial partners of Africa and the world –, has not changed. What is changing is the global geopolitical situation regarding the interrelations between the countries worldwide. The position of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, based on prioritizing everything that improves the standard of living of citizens, is to prioritize the best possible commercial relations, not only with those countries that accept them, but also with those that show reluctance to accept our open arms. Regardless of the evolution of diplomatic and political relations between Equatorial Guinea and the US, the status of interaction between the country and American companies is satisfactory. We will continue working to improve it.

Equatorial Guinea is open to American investment and invites American companies to increase their presence in our country to work together to improve the standard of living of our citizens and their citizens. With respect to American companies existing in the country, the government has always expressed its willingness to privilege their positive action in the country’s economy. The relations between the government and these companies are solid and have common interests, the preservation of which we are willing to continue working together.

In conclusion, our vision on the relations between Equatorial Guinea and the world has not changed. And this includes maintaining the best possible and mutual relations with the US and American companies – partners in the country’s development for decades. The Bata Port, built by a Chinese EPC contractor, is a major project that belongs to the government. Chinese contracting companies have been and shall continue to be part of the evolution of the country’s infrastructure, as is the case in many African countries. China has joined the list of Africa’s great partners.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Mines, Industry and Energy Equatorial Guinea.

Equatorial Guinea and ExxonMobil:
ExxonMobil is a great company that has been part of the development of the economy of Equatorial Guinea. It has been a partner with mutual interests and it will continue to be a partner of the country, regardless of contractual vicissitudes that may exist between both parties. The government keeps its arms open with this great company to address common interests today and in the future.

Equatorial Guinea, in partnership with other American companies, is on the path to reversing the low production caused by the existence of mature fields through new drilling campaigns as well as ongoing gas projects. The history of the economy of countries is characterized by phases of deceleration, recession, recovery and expansion, including Equatorial Guinea. It is about the struggle between perception and reality. Let’s talk about reality, and not perception

IMF staff and the Rwandan authorities reached staff-level agreement on policies needed to complete the third reviews of Rwanda’s Policy Coordination Instrument and program under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility, and the first review of the Stand-by Credit Facility arrangement; The economy continued its robust growth in 2023, while inflation decelerated sharply. The authorities are focused on safeguarding macroeconomic and external stability by rebuilding policy buffers in the aftermath of compound shocks, including devastating floods; Strong fiscal consolidation, proactive and data-driven monetary policy, and continued exchange rate adjustment are necessary to rebuild buffers, contain inflation, and safeguard debt sustainability. Rwanda’s commitment to building climate resilience should be maintained and efforts to develop bankable climate projects will need to intensify.

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team, led by Ruben Atoyan, visited Kigali from March 11– March 22, 2024, to discuss the authorities’ policy priorities and progress on reforms within the context of the third reviews of Rwanda’s Policy Coordination Instrument (PCI) and Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF), and the first review of the Stand-by Credit Facility (SCF) arrangement. Consideration by the Board is tentatively scheduled for May 2024. Upon completion of the review by the Executive Board, Rwanda would have access to SDR 57.5 million (equivalent to about US$ 76.6 million) under the RSF and SDR 66.75 million (equivalent to about US$ 88.9 million) under the SCF.

At the conclusion of the mission, Mr. Atoyan issued the following statement:

“Rwanda’s growth momentum remained strong, notwithstanding the challenging external environment. The 2023 GDP growth continued to be robust at 8.2 percent year-on-year, on the back of strong performance in services and construction, as well as recovery in food crop production in the second half of the year. Inflation decelerated sharply in recent months. Headline inflation was 4.9 percent in February 2024, down from the peak of 21.7 percent in November 2022, owing to appropriately tight monetary policy stance and favorable developments in food prices as agricultural production rebounded at the end of last year. The current account deficit widened due to strong food and capital goods imports, along with lower-than-expected coffee exports. The Rwandan franc depreciated by 18 percent against the US dollar in 2023, a necessary step towards facilitating the much-needed external adjustment. International reserves stood at 4.4 months of prospective imports at end-2023, providing a helpful buffer against external shocks.

“Despite the challenging environment, macroeconomic policy performance through end-December 2023 remained in line with program objectives under the PCI/SCF arrangement. All quantitative targets were met, and reforms to advance expenditure rationalization, build resilience through social safety nets, and strengthen FX market functioning are progressing well. The authorities’ commitment to implement climate-related reforms under the RSF arrangement continued to be strong, with measures to implement climate budget tagging, integrate climate risks into fiscal planning, and strengthen disaster risk management being on track to be completed in the coming weeks. 

“While Rwanda’s economic outlook continues to be positive, risks remain tilted to the downside. Deepening of geopolitical fragmentation, another spike in global energy and food prices, or slowdown in trading partners’ growth would weigh on the outlook. Longer-than-expected tight global financial conditions could adversely affect the availability of external financing. Also, already committed grants under the UK Migration and Economic Development Partnership continue to face legal uncertainties and could result in some budget pressures and lower FX inflows if they do not materialize. As demonstrated by the poor harvests and floods last year, Rwanda’s dominantly rain-fed agriculture is exposed to climate shocks.

“A carefully calibrated fiscal stance is necessary to cushion the effects of the 2023 May floods, while also supporting the credible and balanced fiscal consolidation over the medium term. Comprehensive tax reforms that leverage synergies between tax policy and tax compliance will be critical to help create fiscal space for the country’s much-needed developmental spending. Expenditure rationalization will need to focus on enhancing the efficiency of public investment, better targeting of subsidies, and digital delivery of public services. The medium-term fiscal framework should be improved by further strengthening fiscal risk management and enhancing the transparency of fiscal accounts.

“Monetary policy should anchor inflation around the center of the target band, while continued exchange rate flexibility will help absorb external shocks and support current account adjustment. Strengthening the FX intervention framework is needed to help develop the FX market and improve the effectiveness of monetary policy transmission. Monetary policy needs to remain forward looking and data-driven with a clear communication to anchor expectations.

“The authorities continued to make good progress with strengthening their institutional capacity to integrate climate-related considerations in the design of macroeconomic policies and frameworks. Maintaining the strong reform momentum under the RSF will help strengthen the resilience of the economy to future climate shocks, while also showcasing Rwanda as a forerunner in the region on climate initiatives. To build on the positive momentum following the COP28 announcement of scaling up climate finance, it will be important to accelerate the development of the pipeline of green projects and the lending operations by the private and public green investment facilities (Ireme Invest and Intego). Together with RSF-supported reforms, a well-developed project pipeline should play a critical role in catalyzing additional climate financing, further leveraging the RSF’s catalytic role.

“The mission is grateful for the authorities’ excellent cooperation, and candid and constructive discussions, and reaffirms the IMF’s support for the government’s efforts to implement its economic reform program.”

Links:

The Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF)

The Policy Coordination Instrument (PCI)

The Stand-by Credit Facility (SCF)

Rwanda and IMF

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Monetary Fund (IMF).