Melbana heads into FY24 at a particularly exciting juncture. We have reached this point with the ongoing support of a broad, diverse and loyal shareholder base, and I’d like to sincerely thank our shareholders for their continued engagement with our development strategy and value proposition. In closing, I look forward to continuing to provide many updates in FY24 and beyond as we reach the numerous milestones ahead of us as we seek to capitalise on this unique exploration opportunity in Cuba. Andrew Purcell Chairman What was also pleasing throughout the reporting period was that in the course of our extensive work in planning and development, we further strengthened and developed our relationships with key stakeholders including Sonangol – the national oil company of Angola which maintains a 70% interest in the Block 9 PSC, as well as with the Cuban government. These partnerships have formed a core part of Melbana’s value proposition. Since inception, the Company – alongside its project development partners – has been committed to developing their stated exploration and commercialisation strategy in alignment with the objectives of government representatives and industry regulators in Cuba. In turn, the ongoing potential of the project and the strength of the regulatory framework in which we operate is a testament to the consistent dialogue and strong relationships in Cuba which have been developed over a period of years now. We look forward to maintaining this strong working relationship with all stakeholders into the future as the long-term commercial potential of Block 9 PSC continues to emerge. It was also my pleasure during the year to welcome a number of new colleagues to our team to help us realise our vision for the future. These included Mr. Uno Makotsvana as Chief Financial Officer, Ms. Cate Friedlander as General Counsel and Company Secretary, Dr. Duncan Lockhart, as Exploration Manager, Dr. Chris McKeown as our Chief Commercial Officer and, more recently, Mr. Chris Thompson as Chief Operating Officer. The experience and capability of these individuals have greatly contributed to our business, and we have the benefit now of leveraging their respective skills and experience in pursuit of the Company’s stated development strategy in the months and years ahead. Along with our highly-skilled team of geoscientists and engineers, I’d also like to take this opportunity to again thank my fellow Board members for their ongoing commitment to Melbana’s strategic vision, and the work that will be required to get there. With the hard work carried out to-date and the operational milestones already achieved, 5 Melbana Energy Limited Annual Report 2023
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