Kazakhstan puts itself forward to host 2023 World Petroleum Congress
NUR-SULTAN, June 7, 2019 — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan and Kazenergy recently held a briefing for the diplomatic corps accredited to Kazakhstan.
During the event, the participants were informed about Kazakhstan's efforts to promote Nur-Sultan's bid to hold the 2023 World Petroleum Congress.
The World Petroleum Council (WPC) is the largest international, non-profit, non-governmental organization representing the interests of the global oil and gas community. WPC membership includes 65 countries, which account for more than 95% of the global production and consumption of oil and gas.
The World Petroleum Congress held by the WPC every three years is a high-profile platform for discussing global issues in the oil and gas sector. The Congress gathers over 5,000 foreign delegates from across the world, including heads of sectoral ministries, heads of major international organizations and oil and gas corporations, representatives of world think tanks, and energy and finance experts.
Kazakhstan has been a member of the WPC since 1997, and has taken an active part in its activity ever since.
Director of the Foreign Economic Policy Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Olzhas Issabekov, welcomed the participants and noted that the ministry was actively working with international energy organizations such as the WPC, the International Renewable Energy Agency, the World Energy Agency, and the Energy Charter. Special efforts are being taken as part of the OPEC+ format to ensure a favorable global oil price.
Kazakhstan is among the ten largest oil exporters. The world leaders in this industry are present in the country's oil and gas sector.
Mr. Issabekov focused on the experience of Nur-Sultan in holding major international events, including the International Specialized Exhibition EXPO 2017 and the annual Astana Economic Forum. He also noted that on June 8-10, 2020, the capital city will host the Twelfth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization.
Members of the diplomatic corps were particularly interested in the statement by CEO of Kazenergy Bolat Akchulakov, who outlined the strength of Kazakhstan's bid. He mentioned that when applying to host the 2023 World Petroleum Congress, Kazakhstan was primarily guided by the desire to continue its significant contributions to ensuring global and regional energy security. Kazakhstan is one of the most stable, safe and attractive countries for investment in the world.
Mr. Akchulakov emphasized that Kazakhstan's favorable geographical location between the largest producers and consumers of raw hydrocarbons, the concentration of major hydrocarbon sources, long-term and reliable supplies of oil and gas to world markets, the vast experience of oil and gas exploitation and the introduction of innovative technology made its application to hold the Congress most promising, compared to similar proposals from other countries.
“Long-term and effective activity in Kazakhstan of the largest multinational oil and gas corporations, which are residents of the WPC member countries, confirms the unique capabilities of our country to implement the most ambitious and successful scenarios,” Mr. Akchulakov said.
Kazakhstan, through its foreign diplomats, requested the WPC member countries to support Nur-Sultan's bid.
The ambassadors thanked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Kazenergy for the briefing, and also discussed the current situation in the energy sector and the prospects for Kazakhstan's oil production market.