Eni's 'dual flag' approach for development in Africa

25 giugno 2015

2 min di lettura

(AGI) Rho (Milan), June 25 - The 'dual flag' approach thatexpresses the dual nature of Eni as both local and globalcompany allows the Italian energy company to operate in thecountries in which it is active. "Our flag showing thesix-legged dog and the flag of the country that hosts us flyover every installation, in every field, town or village inwhich we are present. This symbolises Eni's traditionalapproach that combines the development of its business and thatof the nations and local communities where we operate," saidAlberto Piatti, Senior Vice President Services & StakeholderRelations Sustainability of Eni, in his speech at the seminar'Energy and the integrated management of resources' held atExpo 2015. This approach is most apt in Africa, the continentwhere Eni operates in 16 states and where it is the biggestinternational producer of hydrocarbons. In Africa, wherethe lack of access to energy reaches the highest levels in theworld, "the dual flag approach is the cornerstone of ourrelations with local communities and with the countries wherewe operate," Piatti continued. "Eni is the top internationaloil company in the use of gas to generate electricity,"transforming "the environmental risk of gas-flaring into abusiness opportunity, as well as favouring the development oflocal communities." The manager pointed out that theprojects Eni has implemented in Nigeria and Congo are examplesthat illustrate the 'Eni model': in the most populous countryof Africa the projects developed by the six-legged dog for theproduction of energy have brought power to 90 communities, withdirect and indirect benefits that affect nearly 11 millionpeople. In Congo, Eni constructed two gas power plants with acombined capacity of 350MW. The company also built atransmission network with a length of 550 km that connects 40percent of the residents of Pointe Noire, 1.5 millionscitizens, bringing light to their houses. But Eni hascarried out many other projects, Piatti concluded, that "we candefine as local": projects that lead to the improvement of thesocioeconomic conditions of the host countries through theparticipation of staff and local businesses in industrialactivities, training and the transfer of skills; projects thatcreate jobs, develop local enterprises and buildinfrastructure. . .