The Minister of Oil and Gas in the Government of National Unity, Mohamed Aoun, said during a televised statement that the agreement was with Italy to invest 27 billion and 700 million dollars, that was during 2008, and it has not been followed up now by the National Oil Corporation after the signing of the agreement in the past days, and there 7 other explorations that were not addressed by the head of the institution, Farhat bin Gdara.”
Aoun stressed that there is no justification for launching a 7% increase in the share of the Italian company Eni during the signed agreement, and increasing the percentage is considered a waste of the state’s wealth, explaining that the National Oil Corporation should have submitted a detailed explanatory memorandum with strong justifications to enter into negotiations with the company Eni, and it is reviewed by the Ministry of Oil and Gas and submitted to the government.
Aoun indicated that the management of the National Oil Corporation took the wrong action, by forming a committee to negotiate with Eni, explaining that it demanded renegotiation of the agreement, due to the existence of the corporation’s management is weak and ready to concede.
Aoun added that a concession is also expected by the National Oil Corporation to increase the percentage of agreements signed with other companies such as TotalEnergies.
Aoun clarified during his statement about the reason for the ministry’s objection to the agreement, due to the wrong measures taken by the Oil Corporation in terms of procedural and legal aspects, and that he was not presented to the ministry at all.
Aoun also confirmed that the Ministry of Oil is legally empowered to present any changes in the agreements to the national unity government, and that its recommendations have not been accepted by the Corporation and the government since 2021.
It is worth noting that the Minister of Oil and Gas in the Government of National Unity, Aoun, was the one who headed the main negotiating committee for the agreement with the Italian company Eni in 2008.