ExxonMobil Welcomes Lead Phase-Out Agreement for Africa 

IRVING, TX - July 9, 2001 - ExxonMobil today welcomed commitments to phase out leaded gasoline in sub-Saharan Africa. Participants representing 25 sub-Saharan African countries last week committed to accelerate programs to phase out leaded gasoline, with a target date for full phase-out of 2005.

ExxonMobil has actively worked toward the reduction of lead in fuel around the world, and welcomed the agreement as a landmark development in recognizing and addressing this important issue for Africa. The formal "Declaration of Dakar" was approved on June 28, 2001, at the conclusion of a three-day conference in Dakar Senegal, convened by the World Bank under the Clean Air Initiative in sub-Saharan African cities and attended by representatives of governments, industry and civil society, and international non-governmental organizations.

ExxonMobil Vice President of Safety, Health and Environment, Dr. Frank Sprow, represented the International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA/a) at the conference, setting a positive tone with an opening speech pledging the support of the international petroleum industry.

"IPIECA wants to see leaded gasoline phased out in every country worldwide, and we stand ready to do our part to make that happen," said Dr. Sprow. "We will work with Governments to provide advice to streamline the phase-out process, avoid supply disruptions, minimize costs and improve air quality.

"This is an opportunity to cooperatively take an important step toward improving the quality of life for the citizens of African countries -- to bring cleaner air, lower health care costs and, most importantly, healthier and more productive citizens," he said.

A key outcome of the conference was the formation of five sub-regional teams who, with World Bank support and coordination, will finalize action plans over the next year to phase out leaded gasoline in their respective sub-regions.

The removal of lead from gasoline allows for the introduction of newer vehicles equipped with catalytic converters. Over time this will bring clean air benefits to sub-Saharan Africa similar to those enjoyed by Europe and the U.S., where modern vehicles are 98 percent less polluting than they were 35 years ago.

In addition to rapidly expanding oil and gas production activities, ExxonMobil markets fuels and lubricants in about 45 African countries under the brand names Mobil and Esso.