Mo-Ibrahim lashes out at Western hypocrisy in seeking African gas
Sudanese-British billionaire Mo Ibrahim accused industrialised nations of hypocrisy for cautioning African nations against utilising their natural gas reserves while simultaneously considering similar investments as a solution to Europe’s energy issue.
Ibrahim, who built his money in African telecoms, blasted individuals in the global north for imposing rules on how African nations should utilise their massive natural gas reserves amid concerns about climate change in a speech at the Reuters IMPACT climate conference in London. According to him, 600 million Africans, or 43% of the continent’s population, lack access to electricity.
John Kerry, the United States’ climate envoy, issued a warning last month while speaking in Dakar, Senegal, on the margins of an African environment ministers’ conference.
Meanwhile, a Reuters calculations based on public and private business estimates indicated that energy companies were considering $100 billion in new energy projects across the continent.
“Now that the battle has broken out, they are racing to Africa and asking for more gas,” Ibrahim remarked according to Reuters. “It is forbidden for us to use our gas. But we send half of our gas to Europe.” He declared, “This level of idiocy cannot go on.”
Energy investments amounting to billions may be made in the next years in nations like Namibia, South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Mozambique, and Tanzania that currently produce little to no oil and gas. “What if we used our own gas instead? No, no, no “Ibrahim murmured.
