OFID launches Oil and Gas Industry Energy Access Platform website

Istanbul, Turkey, July 11, 2017. The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) has participated as a key player in the 22nd World Petroleum Congress (WPC), entitled Bridges to our Energy Future. During the Congress, OFID Director-General Suleiman J Al-Herbish—together with WPC President Dr József Toth and Total S.A. VP Jean-Marc Fontaine—launched the Oil and Gas Industry’s Energy Access Platform website, coordinated by SPES Senior Officer Iman Alshammari.

“Today is a pivotal moment, both for OFID and for the members of the oil and gas industry who join us as we accelerate the effort toward Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7,” said Al-Herbish during the launch. “The EAP provides a space for oil and gas companies to collaborate with other stakeholders on a range of specific actions focused on energy access, including the identification of corporate social responsibility opportunities in host countries, and the better integration of energy access in policies and projects at country level. The new website will open the EAP up to an even larger global audience, and we hope it will encourage many more to join our cause.”  

Commenting on the website launch and the WPC’s collaboration with OFID, Toth added: “I’m happy to cooperate with OFID to raise awareness of the industry’s role in addressing access to energy for the poor.”The Energy Access Platform was inaugurated last year in OFID’s headquarters in Vienna. The inauguration was attended by representatives from the WPC, TOTAL S.A., Shell International B.V., The Global LPG Partnership, The International Gas Union and Shell Foundation, and other strategic partners.

Designed within the context of the UN multi-stakeholder Sustainable Energy for All initiative, the EAP will directly support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); in particular SDG7 on universal access to sustainable energy.The new EAP website enables members to showcase their projects relating to energy access and share the platform’s focus areas and collaborative approach with a wider audience. The website also provides a detailed overview of EAP objectives and other activities, and facilitates membership enquiries.  

The OFID delegation to the 22nd World Petroleum Congress included representatives from OFID’s Strategic Planning and Economic Services Department (SPES). During the event, SPES Director Faris Hasan participated in two panels; as a lead on the Energy Poverty: providing access to energy for all panel on July 11, as well on the WPC Leadership: promoting responsible operations and sustainable solutions panel on July 13. SPES Consultant Dr Namat Al-Soof also spoke during a technical session entitled Energy poverty alleviation initiative on July 11.

The Congress takes place from July 9–13. With 70 member countries, it brings together ministers, policy makers and CEOs from more than 100 countries and 1,500 companies to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing the oil and gas industry.