Minister of State for Energy Affairs, and President & CEO of QatarEnergy, H E Saad Sherida Al Kaabi, Minister of Energy of Saudi Arabia H R H Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud, Minister of Energy and Minerals of Oman Salim bin Nasser bin Said Al Aufi, CEO of SABIC and President of GPCA Eng. Abdulrahman Al Fageeh at the opening ceremony of 17th Annual GPCA Forum. PIC: AMR DIAB
Doha, Qatar: The 17th Annual Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemical Association (GPCA) Forum kicked off yesterday bringing experts and leaders across the region to discuss challenges and opportunities in the sector.
Minister of State for Energy Affairs, and President & CEO of QatarEnergy, H E Saad Sherida Al Kaabi, Minister of Energy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
H R H Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud, the Minister of Energy and Minerals in the Sultanate of Oman Salim bin Nasser bin Said Al Aufi and CEO of SABIC and President of GPCA Eng. Abdulrahman Al Fageeh took part in the opening ceremony, which was held at the Qatar National Convention Center.
During the ministerial addresses, H E Al Kaabi stated “This year’s event provides a valuable platform to discuss strategic priorities, such as driving operational excellence, advancing new technologies, enhancing production efficiency, and transforming our industry.”
The Minister outlined that this year’s theme ‘Mobilizing Chemistry for Impactful Transformation’ requires “a serious understanding of what needs to be done and achieved.”
“The path of this evolving landscape should always lead us to an equitable, secure, and sustainable energy transition that will help protect the planet while providing economic growth,” he added.
This undoubtedly focuses on promoting energy efficiency, developing new energy sources, and delivering unique projects in Qatar, Al Kaabi noted.
In the second ministerial address, H R H Prince Al Saud explained that “Through building a unique carbon dioxide, we envision the hub with the maximum value for CO2 and the Kingdom aims to enable sustainability individually in the sector. “
He also said that Saudi Arabia has successfully converted plastic waste into circular polymers for the first time. “In achieving environmental sustainability, the demand is expected to grow globally. The sector is expected to grow by over 50 percent to around 200 billion tons,” he added.
During his welcome remarks, the President of GPCA Eng. Al Fageeh lauded the country’s ability and efforts in organising mega-events.
He said: “Qatar is known for its hospitality and for being a hub for advancement and innovation. With its world-class infrastructure, it has a successful track for hosting large-scale global events such as the FIFA World Cup last year, which witnessed 3.4 million spectators from all over the world.”
“For us all over the years, this forum has not just been a meeting place, but a dynamic platform that has significantly contributed to the growth and evolution of our industry in this region. Our journey from the inception of this forum is a testament to our vision that combined interpersonal spirit,” Eng. Al Fageeh noted.
He stressed that the forum takes place at a crucial time for the Chemical And Petrochemical industry highlighting important challenges that will shape the industry’s future for decades.
Welcoming the gathering for the 18th Annual GPCA Forum, which is set to take place in Muscat in December 2024, Minister Al Aufi remarked that this year’s forum will be addressing possible outcomes and Oman is optimistic in continuing that journey to “build and make the sound of this industry even stronger.”
The 3-day event is expected to witness invaluable perspectives from regional government officials, chemical industry leaders, technology providers, and numerous experts, who have a pivotal role to play in shaping a sustainable future.
