Sudan wants more Indian investment in infrastructure

Jan 16, 2007 (NEW DELHI) — India should enhance its investment in Sudan, especially in infrastructure, as the country offers a range of opportunities, a Sudanese minister said here Tuesday.

‘We want enhanced investment from India in developing our infrastructure,’ Angelina Teny, Sudan’s minister of state for petroleum and mineral resources, told the seventh Petrotech 2007.

‘We are thinking of extending our partnership with ONGC Videsh in the future,’ she said.

According to the minister, Sudan, recovering from the conflict, is offering investment opportunities in diverse fields.

‘We are encouraging Indian investments not just in oil but also in construction and basic projects of recovery.’ the Indian IANS reported.

She urged ONGC Videsh, the foreign investment arm of India’s state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC), to further explore investment opportunities in Sudan.

Teny also talked about plans to set up of a refinery in southern Sudan and a pipeline project linking markets in the neighbouring countries.

She said ONGC could bid for the southern projects. However, she was not sure when these projects would be offered for bidding.

The Sudanese minister said that during her meeting with ONGC officials, concerns were raised over the operatorship dispute of the Block 5B in which ONGC Videsh holds an equity stake.

ONGC Videsh holds stakes in three blocks in Sudan – Greater Nile (under production), Block 5A (under exploration) and Block 5B (under dispute).

Teny also held talks with India’s Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora.

(IANS)