The Republic of Congo expects that the construction of an oil refinery in the country will be the next step in working with Russia after the implementation of an oil pipeline project, Minister of Hydrocarbons of the Republic of Congo Bruno Jean-Richard Itoua told Sputnik.
"They are not interested in this direction yet, but we believe that discussing the refinery project could be the next step after the pipeline agreement we signed on Saturday [September 28]," the minister said when asked whether Congo is considering building new oil refineries with Russia's participation.
On September 27, a memorandum was signed in Moscow to bolster energy cooperation between the Republic of Congo and Russian energy company Lukoil.
The memorandum, which follows the Republic of Congo president's recent visit to Russia, involves the development of several oil blocks in Congo, including the Haute Mer A, B, and Marine XXVI permits, among others. According to Itoua, this agreement marks a significant step in the strategic partnership between Congo and Lukoil, strengthening economic ties between the two nations.