Algerian Minister of State, Minister of Energy and Mines Mohamed Arkab participated Wednesday in N’Djamena, the Chadian capital, in the proceedings of a high-level panel on extractive industries held as part of the International Exhibition for Mining, Quarrying and Hydrocarbons “SEMICA Chad 2026,” scheduled from January 21 to 23, the ministry said in a statement.
The panel, titled “Extractive Industries for Sustainable Socio-Economic Development: What Strategy for African Countries?” brought together ministers and government officials from Chad and other African countries, in the presence of Sonatrach CEO Noureddine Daoudi and Naftal CEO Djamal Cherdoud.
The meeting focused on institutional and legal frameworks to ensure rational exploitation of mining, quarrying and hydrocarbon resources, amid challenges including resource governance, fair revenue distribution, environmental protection, and the promotion of social responsibility, in a global context marked by rapid energy transition and growing demand for strategic minerals.
In his address, Arkab stressed that Africa must transition from a rent-based economy to integrated development based on valorizing natural resources and transforming them into sustainable added value, through local industrialization, technology transfer, and building national and regional value chains to deliver tangible economic and social benefits for African people.
Arkab also outlined the Algerian experience in the field of management and valorization of extractive industries, particularly in the hydrocarbons and mining sectors, which is founded on the principles of national sovereignty over resources and the role of national public institutions, foremost among them Sonatrach Group, in ensuring national energy security and contributing to the stability of international markets.
He highlighted the Algerian legal and regulatory framework which aims to encourage investment and guarantee transparency and stability, while preserving the strategic interests of the state and promoting energy transition and environmental protection, according to the ministry.
The minister also discussed major regional projects reflecting Algeria’s vision for African energy cooperation, particularly the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline project. The strategic project strengthens regional integration, develops African gas resources, and offers promising development opportunities for the countries involved, the statement said.
Regarding the mining sector, Arkab affirmed that Algeria is working on developing major structural projects, while encouraging the local transformation of mining resources and reviving strategic sub-sectors, in a manner that makes mining a fundamental pillar for diversifying the national economy and creating qualified employment positions.
He also stressed the importance of investing in human capital as crucial to successful extractive policies, highlighting the role of Algerian training institutions such as the Algerian Petroleum Institute and Sonatrach Management Academy in training professionals and transferring expertise. The minister expressed Algeria’s readiness to share this experience with African countries as part of South-South cooperation based on partnership and integration.
Concluding his intervention, Arkab reaffirmed Algeria’s commitment to supporting and fostering African cooperation in the field of extractive industries, through the exchange of expertise, development of partnerships, and support for training and capacity building. He emphasized that the future of African resources must be built with a common African will, within the framework of a strategic vision that achieves sustainable development, economic sovereignty, and shared prosperity for the peoples of the continent, according to the ministry statement.
