JOHANNESBURG - The African Energy Chamber said on Thursday it was organising a working visit to Beijing next week to support growing energy cooperation and investment between China and Africa.
In a statement, the chamber said the delegation led by executive chairman Nj Ayuk would meet executives from China’s state-owned energy companies and the private sector, along with key industry associations in the Asian country.
“The investment appetite of Chinese companies for Africa is only getting stronger given current international trade and business dynamics,” chamber director of strategy Mickael Vogel said.
"We are receiving an increasing number of requests from Chinese companies to join the Chamber, especially to gain access to the latest investment opportunities in Africa, and to credible and reliable information on African energy markets. Our visit will be consolidating several relationships we have developed over the past two years and will lead to discussion on major energy deals for Africa.”
Last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged an additional $60 billion for African development over next three years. Traditionally, a large majority of Chinese investments have been made in energy and transport, especially oil & gas, power, mining, railways and airport infrastructure.
The chamber said it was helping Chinese companies navigate Africa’s fast growing energy markets as part of its support to a large and expanding base of investors seeking to do business in Africa, mostly from China, Russia, India the Middle East and Turkey.