Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi meets the President of the Republic of Benin Patrice Talon

Porto-Novo (Benin), 4 October 2021 – The CEO of Eni, Claudio Descalzi, has met with the President of Benin, Patrice Talon, to discuss a possible collaboration in the field of the energy transition and the circular economy.

Mr. Descalzi and President Talon discussed projects for the agro-industrial chain, focused on the valorization of agricultural waste and the production of oleaginous plants that do not inhibit food production, to be used in bio-refining, where Benin can play an important role as a country with a strong agricultural sector. 

Eni's Chief Executive Officer, Claudio Descalzi, commented: "We presented to President Talon our development model for the agricultural by-products chain, which we believe could prove to be important and advantageous for local communities and for the country's energy industry in the long term, as well as supporting our path of transforming traditional fuels into biofuels ”.

Benin is a leading cotton producer in West Africa, whose by-products can be used as bio-refineries bio feedstock, promoting a real and concrete example of the circular economy. The initiative would result in strong synergies along the entire value chain, with important benefits for both farmers and cotton mills.

Other opportunities discussed during the meeting include the development of the cultivation of castor bean, a drought-resistant plant which would allow to recover areas that are degraded from an agricultural point of view, while also creating new employment opportunities.

Eni has begun a new phase in the evolution of its business model, which is strongly oriented towards value creation for all stakeholders in the long term, combining economic, financial and environmental sustainability. The company's strategy aims to achieve net zero Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions (Net GHG Lifecycle Emissions) and eliminate its relative emissions intensity (Net Carbon Intensity), referring to the entire cycle of life of energy products sold, further strengthening its intermediate decarbonisation objectives.