From 4 to 6 June 2019, the first version of the ´Angola Oil & Gas 2019´ conference took place in Luanda, the capital of the South Western African country. The Germany Africa Business Forum (GABF) was present with its founder, Sebastian Wagner, as well as Jessica Stang, ist Communications Coordinator, and familiarised itself with the latest trends in the oil and gas industry. In addition, the only private German-African think tank networked with relevant personalities from the energy sector which will promote future business initiations and knowledge transfer between German and African players.
The organisers of the Africa Oil and Power (AOP) series initiated debates on Angola’s energy future under the umbrella theme ´Petroleum as a Catalyst for a Dynamic, Renewing and Self-Sustaining Economy´. The three-day event offered a various programs: Global players of the oil and gas scene such as ExxonMobil, Sonangol or Sahara Energy Group presented themselves and reported first-hand about their global business activities as well as the latest and relevant topics such as strengthening the representation of women in the industry or knowledge transfer and educational opportunities.
In addition, innovative ideas for linking the digital world and the Angolan oil sector were covered by Microsoft. Opportunities of this connection were pointed out, but also prerequisites and risks were explained, such as the necessity of trust-building systems.
Elite representatives from politics and business, such as the Angolan President Joao Lourenco, gave insights into current activities. He commented as follows on the importance of the kick-off event:
´At a time when Angola is committed to attracting investment and promoting partnerships and business in all segments of the energy and oil industry value chain, the organization of this conference allows to better showcase the vision the country has for its petroleum and gas industry to potential foreign investors.´
GABF shares this view and will continue to promote its role as an intermediary between various actors such as politicians, investors, and business representatives.
German 
English