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Germany keen to pursue gas projects with Senegal: Scholz

STORY: Germany wants to intensively pursue gas and renewable energy projects in Senegal, its Chancellor said on Sunday (May 22).

Olaf Scholz was in the West African country as part of his first trip to the continent.

His three-day visit comes against the backdrop of war in Ukraine and its impact on energy and food prices.

Germany is seeking to reduce its heavy reliance on Russian gas.

"As far as the question of energy cooperation is concerned, it is very broad. It is about renewable energy. The president referred to this in terms of storage capacity, solar and wind energy. But of course, it is also about cooperation in terms of using the natural gas resources that Senegal has.”

Senegal has billions of cubic meters of gas reserves and is expected to become a major gas producer in the region.

President Macky Sall said Senegal was ready to work towards supplying the European market with liquified natural gas.

He forecast Senegal's LNG output reaching 2.5 million tonnes next year and 10 million tonnes by 2030.

Scholz also said it was important to try to keep exports such as grain coming out of Ukraine - saying there was a "great danger" many countries in the world would struggle to feed their populations.

The U.N.'s World Food Programme has warned that the conflict in Ukraine could trigger a food crisis across Africa.

Scholz's next stop on his trip to the continent was Niger before a final leg in South Africa.