Oil for Development Programme

Start Year

2005

End Year

Ongoing

Status

Active

Geographical Scope

Regional

Description

The Oil for Development (OfD) Programme offers assistance to developing countries in their effort to manage petroleum resources in a sustainable manner. Oil and gas play an important role in an increasing number of developing countries, and has the potential to generate economic and social development. In several cases, however, it has proven difficult to translate the resource into improved welfare for citizens of those countries.

Norway continues to receive numerous requests from countries that wish to learn from our experience in petroleum management, which is why the Government of Norway initiated the Oil for Development (OfD) Programme in 2005.

Through the OfD Programme, Norway shares its experience from more than five decades of managing oil and gas resources. Some key characteristics of the Norwegian experience are:

strategic ownership by the state, strong and competent institutions
continual accumulation of technical knowledge, an advanced regulatory system with high respect for the environment, health and safety
the society’s determination to secure national control over petroleum resources

Main Objectives

To reduce poverty by promoting economically, environmentally and socially responsible management of petroleum resources.

Main Activities

The authorities have established a legal and regulatory framework for the petroleum sector

The authorities manage the petroleum sector according to their mandate

The authorites are transparent in their management of the petroleum sector, and the public holds the authorities accountable Accountability is necessary both for preventing

Outcomes and Impact

The OfD Steering Committee has granted approval for a limited cooperation programme with Benin.

Norway and Kenya have developed a comprehensive programme for institutional cooperation, but the formal agreement is yet to be signed.

Norway has been providing petroleumrelated support to Mozambique for more than 30 years.

Further OfD support to South Sudanese authorities is contingent on political commitment to implementing the peace agreement and the extent to which the OfD programme possesses the tools needed to support the same peace agreement.

Enhanced legal and regulatory framework in Angola

Increased institutional capacity in Angola