Author
Ms WENQI TONG
Organisation/Institution
East China University of Political Science and Law
Country
CHINA
Panel
Energy Law
Title
Comparative study of energy legal regimes in Africa and Central Asia
Abstract
The international community has established the principle of sustainable development as a fundamental tenet of international environmental law and international energy law. Furthermore, it has fostered extensive international collaboration and consensus on the governance of the global environment. Additionally, there has been a notable transformation in the manner by which energy collaboration is conducted. This has evolved from a narrow energy procurement relationship between oil- and gas-importing countries and exporting countries in the past, to an 'integrated investment, construction and operation' model. In this model, investors engage in direct investments and construction within the host countries. The energy sector implicates a country's national sovereignty and environmental and ecological protection, engaging a broader array of stakeholders and entailing a longer construction period. This context often gives rise to inconsistencies in the interests of the contracting parties, necessitating more rigorous screening of contractors, regulatory and punitive mechanisms. The African continent is endowed with substantial ore storage, oil and gas resources, and the majority of African countries have robust and well-regulated energy laws, in stark contrast to the situation in Central Asia, where the legislative and regulatory framework governing the energy sector remains underdeveloped. This essay tries to propose viable references for energy legal mechanisms in Central Asia through a comparative law approach.
Biography
My name is TONG Wenqi, 26 years old. I am currently a Ph.D. candidate in international law at East China University of Political Science and Law, with a demonstrated proficiency in both French and English. I have a substantial academic background, which includes a year of study abroad at the University of Orléans in France(2023-2024). My research experience encompasses mining, public procurement and energy law, with a particular focus on the legal systems of Africa. I have independently translated mining laws from Morocco and Chad and contributed to the formulation of compliance guidelines for Djibouti and Guinea. Furthermore, I have published an article on "legal knowledge for contract work in Algeria" in the journal China Investment. My doctoral research is currently focused on a study of the energy legal system in French-speaking African countries. Additionally, I completed an internship for 6 months at the China-Africa Economic and Trade Promotion Council (CAETP), where I worked on projects related to Sino-African tourism and healthcare. My expertise in legal translation, analysis, and research has well-equipped me for a career in international law, academia, or cross-cultural legal consultancy.
