Pakistan Offers to Help Eritrea Develop Oil, Gas Sector

Text of report by Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency

Islamabad, 4 July: Pakistan Monday [4 July] offered Eritrea to help develop geological data and geo-mapping pre-requisite for oil, gas and mineral exploration.

Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Amanullah Khan Jadoon made the offer during his meeting with the ambassador of the State of Eritrea, Abdu Heji.

“Pakistan possess great expertise and technology in oil, gas and mineral exploration and could send a delegation of experts to Eritrea to help develop geological data and geo-mapping pre- requisite for oil, gas and mineral exploration,” the minister said.

Both sides agreed that there exists a lot of potential and opportunities for promoting cooperation in oil, gas and mineral sectors between the two countries.

He said Pakistan is endowed with vast mineral resources and all- out efforts were being made to exploit them at a fast pace. The minister said that a number of foreign companies were operating in Pakistan in exploring coal, copper gold and lead zinc deposits and both countries cooperation in this sector could help them to learn from each other’s experience.

The Eritrean envoy, on the occasion, said that the geology of Eritrea is favourable for hosting metallic and non-metallic deposits. Although a lot remains to be discovered of the recent discoveries to high grade gold and base metal deposits shall soon transfer Eritrea a mining country, he said.

The envoy briefed the minister about the mineral sector development activities in his country and hoped that Pak-Eritrean cooperation in the oil and mineral sector would go a long way to open avenues of bilateral interaction for the mutual advantage. Additional Secretary Shaukat Hayat Durrani, JS (Dev) Ijaz Mohiuddin, DG (Mineral) Rashid Malik and MD OGDCL Raziuddin were also present during the meeting.