Angola Yet Unable To Substitute Russian Gas Supplies To Europe - Russian Ambassador

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd May, 2022) Angola lacks the infrastructure at the moment to replace Russia as a supplier of gas to Europe, Russian Ambassador to Angola Vladimir Tararov said in an interview with Sputnik.

The ambassador noted the increase in the number of European officials, including ministers, arriving in Angola in a bid to bargain a deal.

"They are very concerned that they cannot agree on payments with Russia and, of course, they want to stock resources from other countries. They are trying to find an alternative and, among others, they have their eye on Angola. I would like to stress that Angola has potential capacities, but, you know, it lacks the infrastructure yet," Tararov said.

There is only one plant in Angola, which produces about 74.5 million cubic meters of gas annually, while Russia's daily output exceeds tens of billions of cubic meters, the ambassador said. Moreover, about two-thirds of Angola's gas output goes to the domestic market, Tararov said.

"Therefore, of course, they are not able to assist in the coming years," he said, adding "So, yes, it is promising, but for the future, and not in the coming years, although Americans and Europeans have already started working with them (Angola) to actively develop this industry.

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The European Union is now preparing the sixth package of sanctions against Russia over its military operation in Ukraine. The oil embargo is reportedly among the anticipated measures, yet EU member states remain disparate about the ability of the bloc to substitute Russian supplies using alternative sources, considering the EU's heavy dependence on oil (24%) and gas (39.2%) from Russia.

On April 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin's decree requiring gas payments in rubles went into effect. It stipulates that all contracts for pipeline gas deliveries with companies from "unfriendly nations" be settled in the Russian national Currency. The majority of countries rejected Russia's demand, with EU officials and European leaders taking steps aimed at diversifying their gas supplies in the hope of eventually abandoning Russian energy.