Bazoum's clique to lead oil negotiations with China

摘要

The new head of state has made sure only his trusted right-hand men will be called on to negotiate with the Chinese oil major CNPC. Niger's new president Mohamed Bazoum has appointed one of his staunch supporters, Ali Harouna, as deputy director general of Société de Raffinerie de Zinder (Soraz), of which the Chinese major CNPC owns 60% and the state 40%. The forty-something, long-time member of the ruling PNDS party, hails from Gouré in Zinder Region, as does Bazoum. As we revealed, (AI, 10/06/21), the president's mines adviser Mamadou Sougou Dikouma, former secretary general of the ministry of mines and energy, has been keeping track of the country's oil operations under the supervision of Bazoum's chief of staff Ibrahim Sani Abani and his deputy Djibo Takoubakoye Daouda.