PREVIEW: Merkel's Africa trip to focus on energy policy

By Helen Maguire Jul 9, 2011, 10:44 GMT

Berlin - German Chancellor Angela Merkel departs Monday on a visit to Kenya, Angola and Nigeria aimed at developing economic opportunities in the energy sector.

'Energy business issues are at the top of our priority list,' Merkel said in an online video message Saturday.

Her visit - the second trip to Africa since she became chancellor in 2005 - comes a month after Berlin unveiled an Africa strategy focusing on economic opportunities in a 'partnership of equals.'

In Kenya, the chancellor said she would learn 'how, in particular, renewable energies are being deployed.' She has also scheduled a visit to the United Nations Environment Programme to learn about their activities in Africa.

Nigeria was already an energy partner, Merkel said, adding that development had been 'sluggish' in recent years.

'My visit should give an impulse for this energy partnership to be developed further,' Merkel said. She will be accompanied on her trip by a delegation of German business leaders.

In Angola, no such partnership existed yet, the chancellor said. Berlin has previously expressed interest in setting up a cooperation similar to that with Nigeria.

'Here we are taking the first steps, and we want to support Angola to improve its economic development,' she said.

The three countries were still haunted by the past, Merkel added.

'All three countries are of great economic importance for the continent, but all three still have significant problems in building a truly stable government structure.'

At the same time, she said development in Africa was encouraging as a whole.

'More and more security issues can be resolved step by step, and development and growth are luckily taking place in a surprising number of countries.'

'Germany wants to help these countries onto a stable path and, at the same time, build economic cooperation with these countries,' Merkel added.

Germany already obtains 18 per cent of its oil from Africa, mainly from Nigeria and Algeria, while 34 per cent of its hard coal is mined in South Africa.

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