As Namibia moves from exploration success towards project execution, local energy professionals have been urged to ensure they are equipped to engage effectively with international oil and gas agreements that underpin project viability, according to the president of the Association of International Energy Negotiators (AIEN), Shakwa Nyambe.
Nyambe said training programmes such as the AIEN International Oil & Gas Contracts and Negotiations Course, scheduled to take place in Cairo next month, are increasingly important as Namibia and several African countries transition from exploration into development and execution.
He said this phase demands strong local capacity in contract negotiation, project structuring and regulatory engagement.
“Developing local expertise is essential to ensuring that African countries are well positioned to negotiate balanced, sustainable and commercially sound agreements as major projects in the Orange Basin move closer to execution,” Nyambe said.
He added that the course is particularly relevant for professionals working in legal, commercial, regulatory, policy and technical roles, including those from the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia.
The AIEN International Oil & Gas Contracts and Negotiations Course is regarded as a leading global training programme for energy professionals. It is designed for both new entrants and experienced practitioners and is delivered from a practical perspective by industry specialists, including Harry Sullivan, Jennifer Josefson, Andrew Derman and Kimberly Reeder.
According to AIEN, the course covers a wide range of upstream and midstream topics, including confidentiality and bidding agreements, anti-bribery and sanctions regimes, international dispute resolution, joint operating agreements, farm-in and farm-out arrangements, sale and purchase agreements, unitisation, decommissioning, crude oil sales and lifting agreements, gas sales and transportation, LNG fundamentals, stabilisation and sovereign immunity, as well as emerging energy solutions.
