A delegation from Japanese multinational company Itochu Corporation recently had a meeting with Djibouti Minister of Energy in Charge of Natural Resources Mr. Yonis Ali Guedi. During this meeting, the Japanese delegation expressed their interest in two projects – namely the extraction of lithium and potassium from geothermal fluids, and the construction of an oil refinery.
Itochu Corporation was one of the four companies that were shortlisted for the construction of the Olkaria VI geothermal power plant in Kenya, as we reported. Meanwhile, the last update of the geothermal project in Djibouti was the commencement of drilling of the first three wells at Galla Le Koma in late 2021.
Mr. Kenichi Kishi, the CEO of Itochu Corporation for the Africa block, was part of the delegation. For his part, Mr. Yonis Alsi welcomed the investor’s approach but advised them to communicate with the Djibouti Office for the Development of Geothermal Energy (ODDEG) regarding the exploitation of geothermal fluids.
Although no formal commitments were made during the meeting, the two parties agreed to continue the negotiations.
