The director of government relations at consultancy Hyve, which organizes Africa Oil Week (AOW) in Dubai, said the competing conference in South Africa is illegal due to rules about gatherings during the pandemic.

"You can't hold events with more than 50 people, the limit is 50 people and for funerals, but more than that you can't put together; big events today can't be held in the whole of South Africa," said Paul Sinclair, in an interview with Lusa about the conference on the oil and gas sector in Africa, which will take place in November in Dubai.

"Today, it is illegal to hold an event in South Africa, and if it is illegal, I personally would feel uncomfortable inviting someone to a setting that costs time and money and whose holding is illegal," he argued.

This year's conference is shrouded in controversy due to the venue of the event, which was moved from Cape Town to Dubai due to the evolution of the pandemic on the continent, and in particular in South Africa, which generated much criticism from several African governments, to the point that another meeting was launched under the title Africa Energy Week, taking place on the same dates.

In an interview with Lusa from London, Paul Sinclair explained that "in an ideal world, the conversation about Africa can happen on the continent" and added that the organization is "committed to returning to Cape Town under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy."

However, this is not possible this year due to the pandemic, he argued.

"Our first choice is Africa, but the security of Africa, Africans, and our network has to be our priority, because we are in a time where we have to respect and take care of each other and respect the laws of the country," the consultant pointed out.