Luanda - Zambia's Energy Minister, Peter Chibwe Kapala, is due to arrive in Angola Wednesday as part of construction of the pipeline to transport fuel and gas between the two countries.
For the second time in Angola in less than a year, Peter Chibwe Kapala will learn about the work underway and study solutions for importing oil derivatives to his country.
Called the Angola-Zambia Oil Pipeline (AZOP), the project aims to interconnect the Lobito refinery in Angola with the Zambian capital of Lusaka, initially budgeted at US$5 billion.
During his three-day stay as from 6 to 9 July, the Zambian minister will be received by his Angolan counterpart, Diamantino Azevedo.
Under the cooperation between the two countries in the oil sector, the leaders will deepen solutions that aim at Zambia's importation of oil derivatives, which includes the construction of the pipeline.
The agenda includes visits to the expansion works of the Luanda refinery, the future Lobito refinery (Benguela) and its port.
The Barra do Dande Ocean Terminal (TOBD), in Bengo, with capacity to store 580,000 cubic metres of fuel on land, will also be visited for the second time by the Zambian minister.
Zambia buys most of its fuel from Saudi Arabia and is beginning to change its route to the Angolan market, given its inherent commercial advantages and geographical position.
Angola, in turn, wants to take advantage of Zambia's privileged geographic condition, which borders eight countries to which Sonangol hopes to send its refined products through the pipeline.
Based on previous studies, a storage station for oil derivatives should be built in one of the provinces of eastern Angola, from where the fluids would be supplied to different countries in southern Africa.
Sonangol has already met with BBRL
The national oil company, Sonangol, and Zambian company BBRL-Basali Ba Liseli Resources Limited have already met, recently, in Lusaka, to discuss the new terms of reference, as part of the re-launch of the AZOP project, which consists of building the pipeline.
BBRL is a private company under Zambian law and was appointed by the Zambian government to deal with Sonangol on the practical aspects of cooperation in the energy sector.
The Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2021, between Angola and Zambia, provides for the exchange of experiences, professional training and institutional cooperation.
