Leading government and industry figures among 150 confirmed speakers
Senior government and industry figures from some of the Middle East’s leading economies are among the 150 speakers confirmed today by organisers of the 22nd World Energy Congress, which takes place in Daegu, South Korea, from 13 to 17 October 2013.
Delegates will hear first-hand how the region is tackling the challenge of securing a sustainable energy future, with speakers from Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates due to address the Congress.
Among the key speakers from Middle Eastern countries and organisations confirmed for the 22nd World Energy Congress are:
· Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of State; CEO, Masdar, UAE
· Mohamed Al Hammadi, CEO, Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC), UAE
· Adnan Amin, Director General, IRENA, UAE
· Ali Al-Naimi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Saudi Arabia
· Saleh Alawaji, Deputy Minister of Electricity; Chairman, Saudi Electricity, Saudi Arabia
· Ahmad Mohamed Ali Al Madani, President, Islamic Development Bank, Saudi Arabia
· Adnan Shihab-Eldin, Director General, Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), Kuwait
· Pierre El Khoury, Acting Project Manager, Lebanese Center for Energy Conservation (LCEC), Lebanon
· Hussain Al-Shahristani, Deputy Prime Minister for Energy, Iraq
· Youcef Yousfi, Minister of Energy and Mining, Algeria
· Taner Yıldız, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Turkey
· Selahattin Hakman, Group President Energy, Sabanci Holding, Turkey
Dr Christoph Frei, Secretary General of the World Energy Council, commented: “As one of the power houses of today’s energy industry, the Middle East continues to play a pivotal role in meeting the energy challenges of today and tomorrow. But the region is also a dynamic centre of new vision, leadership and innovation. I am therefore proud and delighted to be welcoming the region’s leaders to our Congress. Their presence and insights will provide inspiration to the group of world energy leaders who will gather at our event.”
Cho Hwan-eik, Chair of the Organising Committee of the 2013 World Energy Congress, and President, KEPCO, added: “Our Congress theme of “Securing Tomorrow’s Energy Today” could not be timelier. The Middle East is addressing the great challenge of adopting sustainable energy policies that are compatible with the continued use and development of traditional energy sources. So I am delighted that some of the region and industry’s leading figures will be coming to Korea to share their experience and insights with the world’s energy community.”
This is only the second time in the 90-year history of the world’s most prestigious energy event that the Congress has been held in East Asia. It comes as Asia is taking an increasingly influential global role as an energy producer and consumer, while its trading and cultural ties with the Middle East continue to grow.
Speakers and delegates from across Asia will be attending in large numbers, including participants from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Thailand. China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) recently confirmed that it will be sending a ministerial-level delegation to the event and has advised Chinese energy companies of its plan to attend.
The World Energy Congress expects to welcome 200 speakers from both developed and developing nations as they address the critical Congress theme of “Securing Tomorrow’s Energy Today”.
