The UAE National Committee for the World Energy Council (WEC) has signed a contract to host the 2019 World Energy Congress in Abu Dhabi, the official WAM news agency reported.
The signature ceremony took place during the WEC’s 2015 Executive Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and was attended by the Council’s leadership, headed by Dr. Christoph Frei, Secretary General of the organisation.
A delegation of UAE officials, led by Dr. Matar Al Neyadi, Co-Chair of the UAE National Committee for the World Energy Council (WEC) and Undersecretary of the UAE Ministry of Energy, attended the event.
During the ceremony Neyadi highlighted the importance of hosting the World Energy Congress for the UAE, which will become the first OPEC country to host the event.
“Hosting the World Energy Congress is a key milestone for the energy sector of the UAE, as the nation continues to emerge as a global epicenter for the future of energy,” Neyadi said.
The UAE National Committee won the bid to host the 2019 World Energy Congress after a four-month intensive campaign that sought to obtain the endorsement of the 93 member countries of the WEC.
The Abu Dhabi candidacy was elected in October last year in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, winning over rival cities Rio de Janeiro and St. Petersburg.
‘Abu Dhabi convinced the majority of the member countries with its unique offering of visionary energy leadership, state-of-the-art event venues and modern infrastructure’, WAM said in its report.
Preparations for the event have already begun and the UAE National Committee for the Council is establishing the Organizing Committee to get the ball rolling.
“We understand the responsibility of hosting such a reputable event and have already begun the initial planning with great determination. The 2019 Abu Dhabi World Energy Congress is envisioned to become the greatest and most decisive Congress the World Energy Council has celebrated in its 90-year history,” he said.
The Committee is working in close partnership with local and federal entities to ensure the success of the event, which is scheduled to become one of the leading events on the 2019 agenda in the UAE, just a year ahead of EXPO 2020 in Dubai.
Running since 1924, the World Energy Congress is the world’s largest and most influential global energy event covering all aspects of the energy agenda. The event takes place every three years and is a unique platform for ministers, CEOs and industry experts to analyse the state of global energy affairs.
