Brussels, 09/09/2008 (Agence Europe) - As reported yesterday (see EUROPE 9735), the EU, in its quest for new energy supply sources and routes, is now eyeing up Africa. The EU-Africa energy partnership adopted by the European Commission and the African Union in Addis Ababa on 8 September, promotes the electrification of the African continent and strengthens interconnections between the two continents, for the benefit of the people of both. It also provides for the drawing up and implementation of a road map for Euro-African cooperation in renewable energies. The partnership, which is the first stage in the implementation of the EU-Africa strategy adopted by the leaders of both continents in Lisbon in December 2007, will help strengthen energy security in Africa and the EU, which wants to break free of its energy dependence on Russia. The EU has its eyes on Nigeria's massive hydrocarbon reserves. Nigeria already exports more than 20% of its oil and 80% of its gas to the Community market. The future Trans-Saharan gas pipeline (TSGP), which will link Algeria and Nigeria to Europe via Niger, could supply the EU with Nigerian gas (see EUROPE 9464). The TSGP was expected to be at the heart of discussions in Ajuba on Tuesday 9 September between Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua and Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, who has oft repeated his backing for the project. (E.H./transl.rt)