On
Wednesday, the 27th of September 2017, H.E. Shaikh Mohammed bin
Khalifa Al-Khalifa, Minister of Oil, inaugurated the events of the 8th
GIPCA Fertilizer Convention, which was hosted for the first time by the Kingdom
of Bahrain during the period from the 26th till the 28th
of September 2017 at the Ritz-Carlton Bahrain
Hotel, under the slogan "New Beginnings: Return to Growth", in the
presence of H.E. the Chemist Mr. Saad Abu Al-Maati, President of the Arab
Fertilizer Union, H.E. Dr. Abdulrahman Jawahery, President of Gulf
Petrochemical Industries Company (GIPC), H.E. Dr. Abdulwahab Al Sadoon,
Secretary General of the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA),
and a number of dignitaries.
The
opening ceremony witnessed wide participation from different countries of the
world, in addition to the presence of remarkable engineers and those interested
in the petroleum and petrochemical industry.
The
Gulf Union Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) organized this
important event, in cooperation with the Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company
(GIPC) and in coordination with the National Oil and Gas Authority (NOGA), with
the support of a number of companies specialized in the fertilizer industry; in
order to discuss many issues facing the fertilizer industry in the current
difficult climate that is witnessed all around the world.
H.E.
Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa, Minister of Oil, welcomed the
Convention’s guests and participants at the beginning of his speech, expressing
his deep thanks and appreciation for the Organizing Committee’s selection of
the Kingdom of Bahrain to hold this convention and its accompanying exhibition,
given the good reputation enjoyed by the Kingdom of Bahrain in organizing conventions,
exhibitions and events in the Middle East and around the world.
In
his opening speech, H.E. the Minister addressed the support provided by the governments
in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to the fertilizer industry, and its
tireless efforts to overcome the many challenges witnessed by this changing
market; so as to ensure the stability and consistency of this strategic
industry; pointing out that the fertilizer’s active role in maintaining food security,
especially in light of the terrible rise in the number of the world's
population, which is expected to increase to range from 6.5 billion to 9.6
billion people by 2050.
Furthermore,
H.E. the Minister confirmed the need of the Gulf region and the Middle East and
North Africa (MENA) region countries to adopt the UN’s vision consisting of
five pillars; namely "Individuals", "Planet", "Prosperity",
"Partnerships" and finally "Peace", as the framework which
should be worked upon to achieve sustainability.
H.E.
Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa, Minister of Oil, inaugurated the
accompanying exhibition, in which a number of specialized local and
international companies in this field have participated. He viewed the contents
of the exhibition from modern technologies and innovations in the chemicals and
fertilizer industry field; praising the advanced level he had witnessed in the
exhibition and what had been displayed, wishing everyone success and to achieve
the desired objectives from the convening of such specialized events.
In
the opening session, a speech was given by each of the following: H.E. Dr. Abdulrahman
Jawahery, President of Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GIPC), Mr. Khalid
Al-Mudaifer, CEO of the Saudi Mining Company (Ma'aden), Dr. Abdulwahab Al
Sadoon, Secretary General of the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association
(GPCA), and Dr. Kang F., Senior Researcher at the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies
and Research Center (KAPSARC).
