Total and Vivo Energy jostle for top spot in oil distribution

摘要

French oil giant Total and VivornEnergy (controlled by Vitol andrnHelios Investment Partners),rnboth leaders in the distribution ofrnoil products in the Ivory Coast, arernin a heated battle to win over localrnpolitical authorities making anrnincreasing number of visits to therncountry. On April 13, Vivo Energyrnsent its managing director andrnformer vice-head of marketing atrntotal, Christian Chammas. Chammasrnmet discreetly with PrimernMinister Amadou Gon Coulibalyrnto discuss the company’s projectsrnin the country. His last visit to thernIvory Coast was in March 2016rnwhen he attended the inaugurationrnof vivo Energy’s 1600th servicernstation in the continent. As wernannounced, French major Totalrnalso dispatched its head of AfricarnGuy Maurice to Abidjan to meetrnwith the Ivorian head of state AlassanernOuattara ( AEI 790). Mauricerncame to talk about his group’srnoffshore activities and investmentsrnand, above all, ensure that its contractsrnin the country are upheld.rnTotal is especially keen to keep itsrndistribution agreements with thernIvorian state, including with thernarmy and several ministries. Thernmajor can count on lobbying fromrnJean-Marc Simon, the formerrnambassador for France in Coternd'Ivoire, who enjoys excellent relationsrnwith President AlassanernOuattara and most of the currentrnministers.