Dr Omar Farouk Ibrahim, Secretary General of the African Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO), delivered a powerful message at the AOW - Investing in African Energy conference, calling for a unified African front in the global energy landscape and warning against the detrimental effects of the European Union's planned carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM).

He announced significant progress on the African Energy Bank, which aims to counter the withdrawal of traditional financiers from African oil and gas projects due to climate change concerns.

Dr Ibrahim urged African representatives to take a strong stance against the planned tax on carbon-intensive imports, arguing that the CBAM would stifle Africa's industrial and economic development.

He urged developed nations to focus on addressing their legacy emissions rather than imposing trade barriers on developing countries.

Dr Ibrahim called for a moratorium on the CBAM and a more equitable approach to the energy transition, stating that Africa cannot develop without fossil fuels and deserves better.