The Minister of State, Minister of Hydrocarbons and Mines, Mr. Mohamed Arkab, participated, on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, in a high-level symposium entitled: “Extractive industries for sustainable economic and social development: What strategy for African countries?”, on the sidelines of the International Mines, Quarries and Hydrocarbons Exhibition “CEMica Chad 2026”, organized in the Chadian capital, N’Djamena, during the period from January 21 to 23. 2026.
A statement by the Ministry, today, Wednesday, stated that this symposium witnessed the participation of a number of ministers and government officials from the Republic of Chad and African countries, including the Minister of Petroleum, Mines and Geology, the Minister of Environment, Fishing and Sustainable Development, the Minister of Water and Energy, the Minister of Youth and Sports, the Minister of Public Service and Social Consultation and others, in addition to the presence of the President and Director General of the Sonatrach Complex, Mr. Noureddine Daoudi, and the President and Director General of Naftal Company, Mr. Jamal Sherdoud.
The symposium revolved around discussing the institutional and legal frameworks necessary to ensure rational exploitation and effective governance of mining, quarry and hydrocarbon resources, in light of the important natural resources that the African continent abounds in, which constitute a real lever for economic development. The discussions also addressed the challenges related to resource governance, fair distribution of revenues, environmental protection, and enhancing social responsibility, in a global context characterized by accelerating energy transition, increasing demand for strategic minerals, and fluctuations in oil and gas markets.
During his intervention in this high-level meeting, the Minister of State, Minister of Hydrocarbons and Mines, stressed that the African continent is required today to move from the logic of rentierism to the logic of integrated development, based on valuing natural resources and transforming them into sustainable added value, through local manufacturing, technology transfer, and building national and regional value chains, in a way that achieves a tangible economic and social impact for the benefit of the African peoples.
According to the statement, Arkab reviewed the Algerian experience in the field of managing and valuing extractive industries, especially in the hydrocarbons and mining sectors, which is based on the principles of national sovereignty over resources, and the role of national public institutions, led by Sonatrach, in ensuring national energy security and contributing to the stability of international markets. He also highlighted the Algerian legal and regulatory framework that aims to encourage investment, ensure transparency and stability, while preserving the state’s strategic interests, promoting the energy transition and protecting the environment.
The Minister of State also touched on major regional projects that reflect Algeria’s vision for African energy cooperation, most notably the trans-Saharan gas pipeline project, as it is a strategic project that enhances regional integration, values African gas resources, and provides promising development prospects for the countries concerned.
Regarding the mining sector, Mohamed Arkab stressed that Algeria is working to develop major structural projects, encourage local transfer of mining resources, and revive strategic people, making mines an essential pillar for diversifying the national economy and creating qualified job positions.
The Minister of State also stressed the importance of investing in human capital as a decisive factor for the success of extractive policies, highlighting the role of Algerian training institutions, such as the Algerian Petroleum Institute and the Sonatrach Management Academy, in training frameworks and transferring expertise, stressing Algeria’s readiness to share this experience with African countries within the framework of South-South cooperation based on partnership and integration.
At the conclusion of his intervention, the Minister of State, Minister of Hydrocarbons and Mines, reaffirmed Algeria’s commitment to supporting and strengthening African cooperation in the field of extractive industries, through exchanging experiences, developing partnerships, and supporting training and capacity building, stressing that the future of African resources must be built with a common African will, and within the framework of a strategic vision that achieves sustainable development, economic sovereignty, and common prosperity for the peoples of the continent.
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